When I smelled this tea, I knew right away I needed to make it into iced tea. I prefer fruitier teas cold for some reason. It smells like blueberries right away, and when you pour hot water over the tea, it really smells like blueberries!
Kukicha tea is also known as twig tea. It’s prepared from the stems and stalks of the tea shrub. That’s exactly what this tea looks like, twigs with some dried blueberries in the mix. Twig tea, or Kukicha tea is a nutritional powerhouse. It has six times more calcium than cow’s milk, and more vitamin C than an orange. Kukicha is highly recommended for those following a macrobiotic diet.
I am really enjoying the fruity, slightly grassy taste of this tea. It’s very refreshing. If you enjoy the grassy taste of green tea, you will love this. And if you find the grassy taste too much, you’ll probably also enjoy this because the blueberry flavor really shines. And if you’re like me and watching your caffeine intake, kukicha does have caffeine, but it’s a very small amount.
I had never heard of Kukicha tea before this, other than a random skit on Portlandia, and to be honest i thought they were making it up. After trying this tea and reading about all of the health benefits, I will be looking for more twig teas. If you like blueberries and green tea, I really recommend trying this delicious tea!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Frontier Organic
Description
Enjoy this wonderful Japanese organic karigane (green kukicha stem) tea combined with nutrient-packed flash freeze-dried organic blueberries. Fresh fruity vegetal flavors deliver a powerful boost of antioxidants and very low caffeine content in a satisfying, healthy tea that also happens to help satisfy sweet-tooth cravings.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lemon Chiffon from The Love Tea Company. . .
I decided to make this tea into iced tea. The weather is warming up, and I’m dreaming of spring. A nice cold glass of lemon chiffon tea just screams spring to me.
This tea has rooibos, honeybush, lemon myrtle, lavender flowers, marigold petals, and lemon and pomegranate flavors. Doesn’t it just sound beautiful?
The tea is beautiful, and the smell is amazing. Nice and fruity, you just want to drink it! It’s a beautiful golden color, it kind of reminds me of a marigold to be honest. It has a very sweet and lemony flavor. It’s extremely refreshing. I don’t really taste any pomegranate flavor, but I definitely taste lemon, and a bit of the rooibos earthiness. They compliment each other very well. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. I added no sweetener and it’s perfect.
This tea is also caffeine free, so it would be perfect for an after dinner treat. I feel like it would also be nice to have before bed as lavender can really help with sleep. This is definitely a new favorite of mine, and it’s absolutely perfect for a refreshing drink on warmer days.
It’s sweet, healthy,caffeine free and delicious, what more can you ask for in a cup or glass of tea?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: The Love Tea Company
Description
There’s a reason why we call this a brilliant blend. Remember that Lemon Chiffon cake that Grandma made? It’s like that, without the cleanup or pinches to your cheek. A rooibos blend that smells like you could eat it straight out of the jar. Since it has no caffeine, it’s the perfect compliment to any after dinner treat.
Caffeine Level: None
Steep 2 teaspoons @ 195° for 3 – 5 minutes
Luxury Ingredients: rooibos, rooibus tea, honeybush, lemon myrtle, lavender flowers, marigold petals, natural lemon and pomegranate flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Gingerberry from Sportland Tea Co. . . . .
I’m a fan of Sportland Tea Co.
I recently tried their Endurance Blend, which is matcha and citrus and I really loved the flavor, and the way it made me feel, so I was very excited to try the Gingerberry tea. The tea is green in it’s dry form, and then after brewing it becomes reddish from the hibiscus.
This blend has matcha, ginger root, Hibiscus, ginseng, lemongrass, lemon balm, cinnamon and orange peel. I usually prefer hibiscus tea iced, and I will definitely be making this over ice next time, but to be honest it’s pretty tasty warm. The hibiscus isn’t overpowering. I can taste the citrus from the lemongrass and orange peel. The cinnamon isn’t really coming through, but I’m sure it’s adding something in the background. This tea is citrus-y and a little floral from the hibiscus with a nice tart tang.
This tea would be a great tea to drink in the summer, or after a really hard workout. Hibiscus is cooling to the body, and also very hydrating.
I also love Sportland tea’s matcha blends because their matcha is very smooth, it doesn’t clump up like a lot of other matcha teas I’ve tried. No one likes to drink a huge clump of matcha!
This is a great tea for when you need a little pick me up, but you don’t want a ton of caffeine. According to their website, this tea increases mental alertness and energy levels, and boosts circulation! And it’s also anti-inflammatory. I definitely feel energized after drinking it, but not in a harsh caffeinated way. I really love these matcha blends, and I can’t wait to try more of their amazing blends!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green/Matcha
Where to Buy: Sportland Tea
Description
Sportland Tea Co.’s performance blend is a unique mix of matcha green tea and herbs. With ginger, hibiscus, and ginseng, this blend is a tart, yet sweet and vibrant option any time of the day.
Drink during a workout, long run, or one of ‘those days’ at the office. Try it over ice for an even more refreshing and hydrating option!
Health Benefits
- High in antioxidants
- Increases energy levels
- Prevents respiratory inflammation
- Settles stomach
- Anti-inflammatory
- Boosts circulation
- Raises mental alertness
Key Ingredients
- Matcha
- Ginger root
- Hibiscus flowers
- Ginseng
- Lemongrass
- Lemon balm
- Cinnamon
- Orange peel
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Atman Tea Co. . . . .A Unique Green Tea. . .
This tea comes in little sachets that are 100% biodegradable and compostable which I really like. At first glance it didn’t look so much like tea as it did spices or herbs. That is probably the Ashwagandha.
This tea’s flavor kind of reminds me of quinoa in a weird way. The smell too. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, or that I don’t like it, but I wouldn’t say that this would be my first choice either. I would say it’s interesting, and maybe it will grow on me. I remember the first time I ate quinoa i wasn’t a fan, but it did grow on me.
Ashwagandha is an herb that is known to reduce stress, and also help with depression. The snowy weather has me down, so today seemed like a perfect day to try this out. I wouldn’t say I feel less blue about the weather, but my body and mind both feel a little more calm and level headed. Apparently Ashwagandha can reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and it can be very destructive on our bodies. I’ve been reading up on Ashwagandha, and the health benefits are plentiful. The benefits kind of make the taste a lot better to be honest.
The Jasmine flavor is there, but mostly you will taste the earthy grassy flavor. This might be delicious mixed with a fruitier tea for a delicious iced tea.
This tea does have caffeine, but a very low amount so that also makes me happy. From everything I’ve just read about Ashwagandha, I feel like it would benefit most of us. I definitely recommend this tea, and will be drinking it again.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Atman
Description
This expertly crafted custom blend consists of Ashwagandha Root and Jasmine Green Tea. Ashwagandha reduces stress while combating fatigue. Jasmine Green Tea eases anxiety, calms the mind, and boosts mood. The resulting flavor is subtly sweet with a tasty undertone, which emanates a beautiful aroma. Together they make the most delicious and relaxing herbal tea one could ever brew.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pine Oolong from Golden T Leaf. . . . .
My only experience with oolong teas has been black oolong tea. To be honest, I didn’t know there were any other types. It seems silly that I thought that now, but I clearly still have a lot to learn about teas!
This tea is very delicate, when it brews it is a light caramel color and has a very delicate flavor. Other oolongs I’ve had have had a much richer, roasted and in some cases smoky flavor. I drank this tea straight with no sweetener or cream. I really enjoyed the mild flavor. I like that green tea is lower in caffeine than black tea, so I don’t feel bad drinking it. When I tried an oolong tea awhile back, I looked into the health benefits and was blown away. Oolong can help with weight management, dental health, and even certain skin conditions. Plus it has tons of minerals in it. I would drink it more often except for the caffeine content. But I feel okay about having the occasional cup of green oolong.
This would be a great afternoon pick me up tea, or great to have with or after a meal. The delicate flavor won’t get in the way of anything you might be eating.
If you like green tea, I say give this soothing delicious tea a try and get those amazing health benefits!!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Golden T Leaf
Description
First Place Winner at the 2015 North American Tea Championship.
This is our unique blend of two types of our mountain Oolong, hand-picked and processed. This tea brews to a light melon yellow color with a floral fragrance that lingers after the last sip. An easy going tea great for everyday drinking.
15 individually packed pyramid tea bags / Box.
Health Benefits: High in anti-oxidants, boost metabolism, weight loss, stabilize blood sugar.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!