January is Hot Tea Month

January is National Hot Tea Month !

National Hot Tea Month reminds us that the best way to survive the bitterly cold, super short January days is with pot after pot of delightful hot tea. Do yourself a favor and enjoy tea as much as you want this month!

Let me break down for you what kinds of tea are good for your health at certain times of the day in just a minute. First, have you ever wondered where tea came from, and what made someone put leaves in hot water for flavor? Well, legend says in 2737 BC, a Chinese emperor was sitting under a tree while his servant boiled drinking water when some leaves blew into it. The emperor happened to be a renowned herbalist, and he decided to taste the infusion that had just been created by accident. He loved it, and that's where tea comes from according to the legends.

5 Benefits of Drinking Tea

Tea is packed with antioxidants. These help keep our bodies "young" and protect them from toxins.

Many teas have less caffeine than coffee. The kinds that do contain caffeine are not a worry as I have read that the caffeine from tea is very different from caffeine from coffee which means you can drink it without affecting your nervous system. It doesn’t give the radical shifts in energy. More of a slow release energy boost.

There is lots of research that show a correlation between tea and heart health. A recent study says people who drink tea have a less chance of having a stroke or heart attack than those who don't.

 It is said that drinking tea can help with weight loss, especially when paired with a well-balanced diet and exercise. Tea is usually calorie-free, and it can give you energy and cause your body to burn more calories throughout the day.

Many teas are known to be an immune system booster. Studies show that tea helps immune cells reach their targets more quickly.

Tea is a healthy delicious beverage choice.

HOW TO OBSERVE National Hot Tea Month

Sip some tea and post a pleasing photo of it to social media using #NationalHotTeaMonth, #HotTeaMonth, or #TeaTime.

The best part is, there's a tea for literally any and every time of day!

Some tea are packed with natural caffeine, other kinds are caffeine-free and specifically created for you to drink at night to promote a deep, healthy night's sleep.

When is the best time for tea?

Tea Times You Should Know

Early Morning: To start your day off right, try white tea first thing when you wake up. It's gentle on a stomach that has been fasting, which we do when we sleep, and has a light, aromatic quality.

I have not yet tried a white tea, a goal for 2024. Do you have any suggestions?

Mid-Morning: Around 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning, move to a green tea. This will help give your metabolism a kick start, and it has a very light, uplifting, approachable flavor.

Lunch: Incorporate some tea with your lunch every day... Black tea is recommended at this time of day for a few reasons. It's widely available, and easy to find if you're out and about to grab a midday bite to eat. It's also great paired with food, and you can choose your level of caffeine depending on how your energy levels are that day.

Post-Lunch: Pu-erh tea is a great choice for after lunch because it only has a small amount of caffeine. Enough to help ward off that afternoon slump, but not so much that you'll be up all night. It's a perfect follow-up to a healthy, well-balanced lunch.

Evening: There are several great options for nighttime tea... Stay away from caffeine at this time of night, or you won't get a restful night's sleep. Some good teas to try that'll calm you down and promote a good night's sleep are Mint, Chamomile, Valerian Root, Lavender, Lemon Balm, and Passionflower. Give them a try, do a little experimenting, and figure out which ones work best for you.

 NATIONAL HOT TEA MONTH HISTORY

The Tea Council of the USA was founded in 1950 and recognizes National Hot Tea Month every January.

This teatime blog was inspirred by many articles read on the great world wide web with loads of side tracks as I googled to read and learn other interesting tea related things. Which lead me to more great teatime thoughts.

I was on these web pages, National Day Calendar, The Tea Council of the USA, Sencha Tea Bar and more.

I do hope you will enjoy a cuppa or four today.

I have many delicious specialty loose leaf tea blends available in the gift shop..

Have a wonderful Day !