Being a cozy mystery writer/fan doesn’t necessarily mean I love tea (and cats, and knitting), but it’s kinda nice when the stars align. Tea is definitely one of my favorite beverages.
And now tea has gotten “Oprah-fied.” (I’m a writer; I can make up my own words, right?). Teavana, a Starbucks-owned upscale tea retailer, and Oprah Winfrey have collaborated to create a new tea variety called “Oprah Chai Tea.” According to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz: “With the introduction of Teavana Oprah Chai, we are going to elevate the tea experience in the same way we did for coffee.”
Setting aside for the moment that the term “Chai Tea” is repetitive, as the word “chai” means “tea” in Hindi (check out Grammar Girl’s article on the subject), it’s kind of fun to see the humble cup of tea getting its props. But an “experience”? That’s quite a promise.
Actually, tea already has a lot of promise, in terms of health benefits. There’s been a good bit of buzz about tea in recent years. Here are some all-star varieties:
Green Tea
Most of us have heard of or read articles touting the health benefits of green tea. Consider a few of these potential benefits:
- maintain a healthy weight
- build and strengthen bones
- improve brain function and memory
- play a role in preventing heart disease, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis
- lower fat levels in the blood
Scientists are cautiously optimistic, but say that long-term studies are needed.
Rooibos
Just when green tea was becoming more common and more widely consumed, a tea variety native to the mountainous region of South Africa called Rooibos (pronounced “ROY-boss”) was introduced to tea drinkers in the United States (it was already well-known in Europe). Rooibos became the new “hip” tea. By the way, for you detective fans, it’s also known as “red bush tea,” and it’s the beverage that fictional detective Mma Ramotswe (of The Ladies’ No 1 Detective Agency series) drinks in great quantities.
She has good reason to. Like green tea, Rooibos is high in essential minerals and antioxidants, plus it’s caffeine free and low in tannins (tannins are present in many teas, and can upset the stomach).
Do you like honey in your tea?
Even better! A recent article from the American Chemical Society explains the unique ways that honey kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Here’s an excerpt:
“The unique property of honey lies in its ability to fight infection on multiple levels, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop resistance,” said study leader Susan M. Meschwitz, Ph.D. That is, it uses a combination of weapons, including hydrogen peroxide, acidity, osmotic effect, high sugar concentration and polyphenols — all of which actively kill bacterial cells, she explained. The osmotic effect, which is the result of the high sugar concentration in honey, draws water from the bacterial cells, dehydrating and killing them.
Looks like we should be expanding our bee-keeping industry more than our pharmaceutical industry, doesn’t it?
On a related note, how about we be more careful when transporting beehives on I-95? Yikes. You can’t make this stuff up. 20 million Honeybees Swarm Delaware Highway After Wreck.
Um, yeah, I’ll bet the bees were angry. Kudos to the Delaware State Police, who 14 years ago designed a “Bee Swarm Removal Plan.” (Calling all beekeepers!) This is the first time they actually had to use it. Don’t you wish other state and federal agencies were equally efficient?
Want to learn more about tea?
WebMD: the Tao of Tea (Rooibos)
USA Today: Starbucks, Oprah Team Up for Tea Venture
Top 10 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Green Tea
…and thanks to Peter Kimzey for the following comprehensive article about tea:
http://strengthever.com/green-tea-taking-healthy-sip/
Check out some of my other “tea” posts:
Chai and Fruity Oatmeal Yums, by August McLaughlin
Hard Day? Time for Tea and Cookies
Evelyn Nesbit’s Tea Room, by Jan Whitaker
Do you enjoy tea, or consider it a beverage for grannies and invalids? What do you think of “celebrity” tea flavors? Ever get stuck in a bee swarm on the Delaware Turnpike? I’d love to hear from you.
Until next time,
Kathy
I love most teas. Well, I love most unsweetened teas. I don’t like sugar drinks, except those of an adult nature. I start each morning with a tall glass of unsweetened iced green tea. I never developed a taste for coffee – I even hate the smell of coffee – but tea I’ve enjoyed even as a child. My mom used to serve it lukewarm with a bit of honey in it. Yummy.
Seriously? They developed a “bee swarm removal plan?” Why in God’s name would they do this? Is this such a problem that they need a special team? I can’t stop laughing about this. I mean – I’m glad they did it, but will they ever need this team of professionals again? Goodness, let’s hope not. I guess it’s best to be prepared. I wonder if they have an alligator removal plan, too – just in case. Or a tiger capturing unit. The list could go on and on. Come to think of it – that’s rather how I feel when I’m packing for a trip – did I pack something for every contingency? Funny.
Thanks for the info and the links.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
Hi Patricia! Nice to see you here. I do understand the Delaware State Police’s plan, as strange as it might seem. They are part of the northeast trucking corridor, and get a lot of strange cargo. And this time, their planning paid off!
I love tea too! My fave is Rooibos with Dragon Pearls. It’s fruity and so fragrant. I’ve made the switch to organic since you told me about the pesticides that are heavily used on the leaves. Ew!
My grandmother used to make sun tea. I love this method! Just put water and tea bags in a large glass lidded container and place in the sun for a couple of hours. She’d add sugar (in the South, it’s not tea unless it’s sweet), and we’d enjoy!
We do need more bees. They are key to pollinating our food. Check out http://www.beeaction.org for a list of pesticides and chemicals to avoid because they harm bees as well as flowers you can plant to make your yard bee-friendly.
Kelly, you’re absolutely right about the bees. We need all of the thriving hives we can get. We have some carpenter bees nesting in our deck but we’re leaving them alone (we’ll plug the holes in the fall). Thanks for the link to help keep our bees safe! Enjoy your tea!
Holy cowbell, Kathy, this post is AWESOME!! I love that the State of Delaware had a bee swarm plan in place. That kicks butt (as do you). 🙂
Thanks, Jenny! I was very impressed that Delaware already had a bee swarm plan! Maybe that’s who we should turn to in the event of a zombie apocalypse. 😉
Ahh, tea. (Although technically rooibos isn’t tea: it’s aspalathus linearis rather than camellia sinensis). I am a big fan of tea – and knitting – and cats – I’m just waiting for the silver hairs to come in 🙂
In fact, I’m having a tea-party this weekend, which should be fun! Never felt the urge to drink celebrity tea, though…
And while I’ve never been caught in a bee-storm in Delaware, the Wellington City Council (NZ Capital, 20km away) does have a Zombie Apocalypse Plan, which encourages people to be prepared in the event of an emergency or disaster.
Deborah, I’m impressed that Wellington City has a Zombie Apocalypse plan…now THAT’s forward-thinking! And I figure the gray hairs are gonna come whether we like tea/cats/knitting/whatever. 😉
I am lovin’ my tea girl. I don’t care if it’s hot or not. Green is my favorite. I drink it all day long. I truly believe in its health benefits. And yes, honey is good for you. Together it’s a great combination.
P.S. Kathy, I am confident that your father is in good hands and will make a speedy recovery. Hang in there my dear friend!
Karen, I’m with you! Hot, cold…it’s all good. Thanks so much for the cyber-support, dearie! He’s doing so much better now.
Sorry I’m major late to the party. I meant to get here sooner, but it’s been that kind of a week (or almost two).
Yes I will have a cuppa, thank you very much!
I can’t drink coffee; it doesn’t get along well with my stomach. So tea is my only source of caffeine. Fortunately, I really like it. But I’m not all that big on the fancy stuff. Just give me a good old-fashioned cup of Lipton. Sometimes I do get crazy though and have an Earl Grey or an English Breakfast tea. And definitely pass the honey!
Glad you aren’t completely deprived of caffeine, Kass! That would be …not pretty. 😉
LOL Yeah, definitely not pretty!