What do you add to teas?
Sugar, honey, milk, spices, or others? I have been known to add some unusual medicinal herbs and spices to teas. Currently am adding 1/2 tsp of black seed oil to my morning green tea in order to improve energy and immunity.
I don’t attempt to use my teas as medicine, but I’ve been known to add star anise, cloves, and/or cinnamon to Guayusa in order to spice up my morning caffeine kick.
Depends on the tea, usually its just sugar and occasionally creamer. Every once in a blue moon, if we have it, honey.
Mostly I drink mine without anything in it, although I blend teas together fairly often, and I have bags of freeze-dried fruits (blueberries, oranges, raspberries, strawberries, bananas) on my shelf for an extra kick. Sometimes I’ll add a tiny bit of German rock sugar or honey, although too much honey makes me feel sick. Don’t know why.
I just read an article about honey! Maybe you’re reacting to something that they use? http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/honey-laundering-the-sour-side-of-natures-golden-sweetener/article1859410/singlepage/#articlecontent
Yeesh – that’s scary! I don’t know… I react the same way whether it’s your plain store-brand bear bottle honey, or to unpasteurized gourmet honey. And I also get the same sort of stomachache when I drink honeybush tea that’s too strong, so it may just be the flavors.
I didn’t know anything about the honey production… kind of frightening when you think about it!
I buy my honey from only two sources – one is a local farmer just across the street and one block over from my home, the other from a vendor online. Both are un-pasturized and have the bees in their own yards. Bee friendly and good for health (not for all obviously). Michelle maybe you just have a honey allergy?
I heard about the Chinese produced honey earlier last year and have switched to local honey and found such a wonderful difference in taste. I know there is a lot of foods out there that we are unaware of the ways they’re produced, but knowledge is power. I hope that if you buy some local honey, Michelle, that you will not have a reaction to it.
I always add rock sugar – even if it’s just a tiny bit. To my Keurig Celestial English Breakfast I add honey.
I am a blender of teas though – always trying new combinations. Recently mixed Teavana MateVana with Cacao Mint black and love it!
Turbinado sugar generally. Some teas I like creamer in. If I’m feeling especially young I’ll use whipped cream so I can play with it while it melts into the tea. Berries, vanilla sugar and vanilla powder have all worked well for me. I’ve also brewed two teas together but that’s the extent of my experimenting so far.
We actually have a three-tea blend that she makes for me because Teavana discontinued my favorite tea from them.
I add dried orange peel or hyssop to my teas often. Sometimes i’ll float a chrysanthemum flower on top just for no reason at all, maybe just to look at.
For me it totally depends on the tea. High quality, expensive teas, I don’t add a thing nor should one need to in my opinion! Mid range lower quality teas, sugar in the raw, honey, milk, etc it depends. I do work on blending my own teas now and then but have put that aside for a bit while I focus on learning more about teas overall. I will add berries, make bubble tea, add natural herbs, essential oils etc when playing around. Again though have set that aside for a while – other than bubble teas now and then. :)
I use locally “grown” honey also. My friend drinks hers without any sweetener but I could not do that. Not to mention I have hard water so my tea can taste a little “off” sometimes, I know I could buy bottled water for tea but I’m lazy and used to the taste of my water – mostly.
I’m a natural sort of girl, I usually have no milk or sugar of any kind in tea. I get why some people use things like honey to sweeten particular tea’s though. I also never thought of adding any spices or herbs and making my own brand of tea, I suppose that could be because I plan on tasting every brand possible and I still have a long way to go.
“I suppose that could be because I plan on tasting every brand possible and I still have a long way to go.”
Exactly – same here! I also feel like until I understand tea I have no real business mixing it.
I agree! Before I blend I try to get a good “understanding” of the tea by itself, without sweetener. It’s taking me a while! But I have no problem blending teas I don’t like as much. For example, I have lemon soleil, chocolate, coconut and a handful of other teas that I’m not attached to, so I’ll play with those by blending or adding to them.
I am a purest with tea. Almost any tea can taste great with honey, lemon or milk. I was so excited to discover Teamotions while working at an organic coffee shop. The company focuses on emotional well being by blending their delicious teas with adaptogens-herbs that help the body naturally cope with stress and boost immunity. Their brand has a really deep backstory that’s linked to their teas and I love supporting such a great company and delicious product!
I never add anything to these perfect blends! My favorite of their teas are the Seek Peace (rooibos coconut chai) and Enjoy Rest (apple cinnamon chamomile).
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