Herbal Tea 101: A Guide to Best Practices

Sipping on a warm herbal tea is a great way to kick unhealthy drinks like soda and energy drinks out of your daily routine in favor of something much more flavorful. Tea has a range of benefits from improving digestion to promoting weight loss. Here is a guide to understanding the different types of herbal teas, proper brewing and steeping times, and recommended brands to look into.

Green, black, and herbal teas are all equally delicious and beneficial. Green teas are tasty for a morning cup due to their lower caffeine content (about 25-30 mg). Black teas with higher caffeine content, around 55 mg, give you a bit of an energy boost and can be enjoyed as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Herbal teas like chamomile and rooibos are naturally caffeine-free, making them the perfect choice right before bed.

Different types of teas require different brewing and steeping times in order to access their full flavor profiles. With green tea, like Tazo Regenerative Organic Zen, the water should be heated to 175 degrees and steeped for only 3 minutes. If it steeps for too long, it may start to taste bitter. For black teas like Numi Earl Grey, boiling water should be used and steeped for 4-5 minutes.

Here are some recommended brands of green, black, and herbal teas to try out that best fit our program:

No tea is complete without the perfect addition of flavor from fruits. To enjoy some natural flavor, add fruits approved for Level 1 or Level 2 with a fruit diffuser to blend them in. Enjoy!