This is only my second time having mate. The first time was about seven years ago. I was drinking a roasted mate and was not smitten with it, so I gave the rest of the box away.
Today I am drinking an UNroasted mate, and an organic one at that. It is ethically sourced in South America, with consideration for the biodiversity of the area where it is grown. And in my opinion, it is an awesome price for an organic tea that has so much going for it.
There are a number of blends available from this company and this one, Holy Mate, contains Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil. I enjoy Tulsi and often mix it with lavender or mint, so I was interested in trying this to see what the mate adds to the mix. This also contains peppermint.
I have been shy of mate because I don’t need and don’t drink a lot of caffeine, but reading their very informative website, I discover that mate has about the same amount of caffeine as green tea. The difference is that there are three different kinds of caffeine in mate. This is why long lasting energy is apt to result! Also, the instructions for making it are quite different from what I did long ago, which may make it less jitter inducing.
I steeped it at 170F as the site recommends and am rewarded with a surprisingly mild tasting cup. I taste the tulsi most, I think, and the peppermint very little, which suits me as I prefer spearmint to peppermint and so I like for peppermint to be milder in blends. Since I haven’t tried unroasted mate that I can recall, I am not able to tease out which parts of the flavor are the mate and which the tulsi, but the tulsi flavor is pretty mild.
All in all, this is a nice beverage that I feel good about drinking and recommending to others, especially for the nice boost of niacin and the perks of having more energy and boosting metabolism.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: ECOTEAS
Description
Experience the fusion of two herbal traditions with Holy Mate! Unsmoked yerba mate provides lasting stimulation. Tulsi inhibits cortisol, reducing stress. A pinch of peppermint brightens the blend.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tulsi Original from Organic India. . . . .
I saw this Tulsi original tea on sale at Natural Grocers and just had to try it. It’s caffeine free, however the box mentioned that it is energizing, so that definitely piqued my interest. I brewed my first cup this morning not knowing what to expect. The teabags themselves didn’t have much of a scent, and even when I poured the hot water in my cup there still wasn’t much of a scent.
It has a very delicate flavor, it kind of reminds me of green tea, but less earthy and definitely no bitterness. I’m having mine straight with no sweetener and it is really refreshing. I get a faint citrus-y/ minty aftertaste, but it’s very mild. I am really enjoying the flavor, especially since I haven’t been drinking as much green tea as I used to because I am cutting way back on caffeine. This is another tea that would probably be excellent iced. It has avery clean, crisp flavor that is very refreshing and delicious.
I read up on some health benefits of Tulsi tea, and there are many. It’s full of antioxidants, and is very helpful with relieving stress. It’s caffeine and gluten free, and also can help with anxiety and depression. I could go on and on, but if you google health benefits of Tulsi tea you will be amazed. The more I learn about tea, the more I wish I had started drinking it sooner!
This is a tea that is suitable for any time of the day, and I can say that I definitely feel awake and refreshed after having a cup. I feel energized in a natural way, not an overly stimulated way.
I’m very glad I decided to try this, it will be a regular tea in my little stash for sure!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Organic India
Description
Three sacred varieties of Tulsi with potent restorative powers are blended to create this delicious, calming, yet energizing tea with hints of lemon and citrus from Vana Tulsi, the slightly spicy tones of Krishna Tulsi, and the calm depth of Rama Tulsi.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
