What I Love About Tea
Why I Drink Tea
I personally don’t drink coffee (I know—a college student and artist who doesn’t drink coffee, unbelievable!).
I have tried a few times through the years, but every time I do, I always feel pretty bad afterwards. So I’m afraid coffee and I will never find a completely happy medium…well, maybe in ice cream and chocolate.
For me, tea is where it’s at! There are so many different herbs and combinations from all over the world that you can make tea with, and every place has a different tradition and type they prefer. I would love to know what you do in your country or home in this regard, so feel free to drop a comment! I’m always looking for new recommendations.
My personal favorite type of tea is herbal tea, and especially in variations of mint. My Current tea mission is to find a ginger and mint tea. It’s been surprisingly hard to find in local stores so I will most likely have to take to the internet to search out this combination, or make it myself!
Health Benefits
Other than the great fun of trying new types, another reason I love herbal teas are the health benefits that come from various herbs. I’ve found that tea can greatly assist in the healing process of different health issues, whether that is skin blemishes, upset stomach, or battling a cold. When I was still trying to figure out why I was having such horrible stomach pains (later learning it was caused from eating gluten!), I would drink a cup of mint/spearmint/peppermint tea and it would do wonders to help sooth my beginning symptoms. This is because mint (especially peppermint) is a remedy for digestive problems, easing headaches, stimulating circulation, as well as a cooling herb.
Another favorite herb of mine to find in tea is lemongrass. This one is also great for digestive problems, and acts fairly similarly to mint, which is why you can often find these two together in blends. Lemongrass is also great in other forms such as an essential oil.
Two warming herbs that I love in my teas are ginger and cinnamon. Cinnamon is another good herb for digestive issues as well as stimulating circulation, easing cold symptoms, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is similar to cinnamon, but also helps to relieve nausea, muscle and menstrual cramps, and in some studies has been shown to improve brain function.
I could easily make a whole list of favorite tea herbs like turmeric, jasmine, orange, hibiscus, pomegranate etc…and list all of their benefits, but there are plenty of books and sites solely dedicated to that!
Are you a Tea fan?
If you are not a fan of tea, I would encourage you to not completely give up on it, because there are so many different types! Keep experimenting and I’m sure you will find a type that matches your personal tastes. If you are a coffee fan, I would recommend trying some different black teas since these are stronger and often have more caffeine than others.
In the end, no matter what type I happen to be drinking, my favorite way to enjoy a nice cup of tea is relaxing with a good book (or a sketchbook)—either in the company of nature or curled up in a comfy spot watching thunderstorms roll by….How do you prefer to drink your tea and where? 😉
“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” -C.S. Lewis
If you are interested in seeing the coloring process of this illustration, then feel free to check out my Youtube channel HERE. I will be posting the process video in the coming week!