Steep It Loose — WHOLE LEAF TEA

  Japan is one of the two most significant traditional green tea regions in the world, alongside China. The methods by which green teas are grown, harvested and processed in these two cultures are very different. Some Japanese green teas are shaded during part of their growing season, which increases the chlorophyll content in their leaves, and gives them a deeper green color. Because they contain more chlorophyll than any other tea type, they are hailed as a favorite for cleansing and purification. Japanese green teas are steam dried, so there’s nothing evoking charcoal or fire in their flavor, in...

Unless you’re big into herbal teas and remedies, you may not have heard much about the benefits of Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Chaga mushrooms, and Maca. What these herbs have in common is that they’re in a class of botanicals known as primary adaptogens [1]. Alongside green tea (which also has adaptogenic characteristics) they’re helping to take functional teas to a new level, one which fits our high-stress lifestyles right now.  Adaptogens are stress busters. First classified in the mid-20th century by a soviet scientist researching ways to minimize the stress response in active combat aviators, help manage both stress and hormone...

Adaptogens are botanical substances that balance, restore and protect the body from stress. [1] Their forte is in their ability to create what’s called a “non-specific” response to different types of stress. These can be many different types of stresses: mental, physical or biochemical in nature. If the stress your body encounters tends to spin you up, the adaptogenic response will help keep you grounded. Conversely, if the stressor brings the body down, the adaptogen’s effect would be to provide a lift.   Adaptogens work on regulating the adrenal glands, which is where stress hormones are produced. This is the...

THE EARL: Earl Grey is the most common tea in the Western world, after English Breakfast. Its distinctive flavor and fragrance come from oil of bergamot, a Mediterranean citrus fruit, and the base is a blend of teas, which traditionally hail from China, India and/or Sri Lanka. Today, you can find Earl Grey teas on green, white and even oolong tea bases. The origin of the tea’s name is presumed to come from Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, who as the British prime minister in the 1830’s was conferred a gift of this exquisite bergamot-scented tea at the conclusion...