Teas & Tisanes

Here’s a fun fact for you: there are teas that are not made from tea leaves. Gasp!  Technically this means that these are not ‘teas.’ Instead they are called tisanes, or herbal teas.

The word tisane is derived Greek word ptisanē, which means crushed barley.  This is in reference to an old drink that was made from crushed barley.  Essentially you could throw any herb, flower or spice into a pot of boiling water and voila you have a tisane.  Once you add tea leaves to the mix, and then it is officially tea.  Just so you know, since the tisane are lacking in tea leaves, there is usually no caffeine.

Tisanes have been popular for years for their health properties.  People have been creating these herbal teas for centuries.  If you are interested in finding a tea to cure certain ailments, here are some herbs and their properties:

To invigorate: rosemary, rosehip, lemon verbena, peppermint, borage

To calm: chamomile, lavender, basil, dill, orange peel

To relieve a sore throat or head cold: elderberries, rosehips, peppermint, sage, and cayenne

To treat a cough: thyme, rose petals, eucalyptus, linden, licorice

To sooth an upset stomach: ginger, peppermint, lemon balm, and chamomile

To ease a headache: rosemary, willow bark, peppermint

However, I must note that these herbal teas, like or medication, contain components that can cause unwanted side effects so please be wary of using it while on other medication.  If you are interested in creating your own concoction, please discuss this with a trained health care professional.

I have a particular fondness for tisanes.  When I want to sleep, I immediately go for a cup of chamomile.  When I have an upset stomach, there is always a cup of peppermint tea by my side.  Teas and herbal teas have a lot of health benefits; it is more than just great flavor.

What do you think, dear readers?  Do you use tea to cure your own ailments? If so, what teas do you go for and why?

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Tea in a Pot and Cup

Let’s start with the basic, eh?  What is tea?

Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water.  Tea comes from the plant Camellia sinensis.  The plant grows most favorably in the sub-tropical regions filled with loose soil, high altitudes and hot temperature.  It originated in Asia but now grows all over the world.  Technically tea is anything derived from the Camellia sinensis plant.  Any other ‘tea’ whose leaves do not come from this plant is usually referred to as an herbal tea or tisane.  Tisane includes Rooibos, fruit teas and chamomile.

Tea has three important components:

1. Caffeine – naturally found, provides the natural energy boost.
2. Essential oils – supplies the teas delightful aroma and taste
3. Polyphenols – provides the bitter taste of the tea; it also carries most of the tea’s health benefits.

Tea can be broken up into difference types, based on how they are processed.

White teas are the least processed tea.  They were named for the white downy fur that covers the young leaves.   Tea growers will simply pluck these young buds and allow them to air dry for at least a day.  These teas are also not rolled or shaped like the other teas.  Once brewed, this tea creates a pale green or yellow liquid with a very delicate flavor and aroma.

Yellow teas are processed similarly to green.  Yellow tea leaves are dampened and heated more slowly until they yellow.

Green teas are plucked, withered and rolled.  These leaves are still not oxidized.  They go through a process of heating which stops the browning of the leaves, thus the green color of the leaves remain.  Once brewed, green teas are a pale green or yellow liquid with a grassy flavored.

Oolong teas are the most time consuming in making.  These leaves are rolled and oxidized repeatedly until the manufacturers get the desired results.  These leaves are only partially oxidized, usually oxidized somewhere between 8% to 80%.  This process can take hours to days.  Oolongs have more complex flavors than white and green teas and less bitter taste.  Instead, oolongs have a fruity flavor that is welcoming to newbies to tea drinking.

Black teas are usually created in a day.  These leaves are rolled and oxidized completely.  The liquor that is created is somewhere between a deep red or dark brown.  Black teas are usually the strongest flavors with the bitterest taste.  This tea is usually enjoyed with sugar and milk.

Pu-erh teas is a completely different beast.  It first undergoes a similar process as a green tea.  Then it is packed tightly into bricks and allowed to sit (like wine) where it undergoes a fermentation process that changes the chemical make-up of the tea.  This creates a whole new type of tea.

This is just a quick rundown of what is tea.  Was this helpful to you all, dear readers?

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