Tea time

Coffee's older cousin is tea. It's been brewed for centuries. There are hundreds of different types and flavors, but they all fall under six regular categories: Green, White, Oolong, Black, Herbal, and Rooibos.

From left: Black, rooibos, herbal, green, white teas.
Credit: http://www.teasentials.com/images/IMG_05572.jpg

Green tea: One of the oldest teas in the world, it was discovered in China, it is the most popular tea choice in the world. The tea has a low caffeine level. It is great iced or hot. Also wonderful mixed with flavors such as lemon, mint, or peach.

White tea: White tea is not fermented at all, which makes it look so light in the cup. It has virtually no caffeine. It can be mixed with lavender, violet, or fruit pieces to make a wonderful cup of tea.

Oolong tea: Oolong was also discovered in China, but the flavor profile is different because the tea is bruised after picking and the leaves are fermented. The caffeine in oolong is very low. It also is great mixed with a chai blend.

Herbal tea: Herbal tea is made from dried flowers, fruits, and herbs. They are mixed together so when they're steeped the flavors mix. Herbal tea blends have no caffeine in them which makes for a great cup right before bed. The most popular herbal blend is a chamomile tea.

Rooibos tea: Rooibos tea is made from the African red bush. The leaves are picked and fermented. Rooibos (pronounced Roo-e-bous) is a great tea to be mixed with herbal teas such as flowery or fruit based. It is caffeine free.

Black tea: The most popular tea in the US. It is a fully fermented tea. It does have quiet a bit of caffeine in it. It is great hot or iced and mixed with just about any flavor. The typical sweet tea is made from the base of black tea.

Have you ever tried tea? What was your favorite?
I'm partial to herbal teas because I love the flowery taste.

If you'd like to learn more about tea, you can visit one of the largest tea re-sellers - Teavana: http://www.teavana.com/tea-info/types-of-tea