Discovering the Joys of Tea

For years, I insisted that I could not function properly without an enormous mug of fully caffeinated coffee. I wasn't picky: Starbucks was great, but I usually settled for my home coffee pot, on-sale brand of coffee, and a dash of milk.

As I became older, however, I discovered a very un-energizing side-effect of coffee: insomnia. Plus heartburn. Plus high blood pressure. Sigh. The joys of becoming older!

So when a friend suggested I try tea, I was reluctant but willing. The first week, I was cranky, depressed, and craving coffee. Those mornings cups of tea (I alternated between English Breakfast tea and Earl Grey tea) just didn't give me that wake-up jolt I wanted.

And then I gradually noticed a few positive benefits: I was sleeping better. I no longer had high blood pressure. My heartburn had vanished. I had become, in essence, a Tea-totaler.

Since then, I've experimented with the many delightful varieties of tea available, from herbal teas in flavors like ginger and peppermint to red teas, white teas, and green teas, to flavored black teas such as vanilla. Tea also contains many healthy benefits, as documented in various books about tea.

My recommendations for Best Teas include:

• Celestial Seasonings Teas: These fabulously flavored teas include white teas, like Perfectly Pear, holiday teas such as Nutcracker Sweet, and wonderful chai teas like India Spice. I often start my day with a green tea, have an afternoon break with chai tea mixed with milk, and have herbal tea before bed.
  
• Good Earth Teas: If you've never had the original Good Earth tea, you're missing one of life's greatest taste pleasures! Sweet, spicy, and satisfying, it's a great accompaniment to a meal or snack. Other flavors include their chai varieties as well as their green teas and organic options.