Go with the flow

Keeping Energy High with Diet and Exercise

Kombucha. So easy to make at home

Drink to your health!

Have you ever thought to yourself, hmmmm, I could be living healthier than I am now. Many of us fit into this group of people. We eat fast food, we skip our workouts in favour of television and our iPhones, and our sleep patterns are not sufficient for good health. In short, if we don’t start making healthier choices NOW… well, the results may be disastrous!

Luckily, there are a few things that you can do every day that will not impact your daily routine much at all, but will add up to HUGE benefits to your health… and it starts with something as simple what you drink.

I think that people usually grab the first beverage option that they see without even thinking about it. With the abundance of junk food out there (soda pop, sugary juices and worse), finding healthy options on menus when you are out can be a task. Luckily, there is one beverage that you can always turn to that is readily available at nearly every food outlet - I’m talking about tea.

Tea is a beverage that I think is largely misunderstood. Its reputation as the beverage of choice in the west end of Europe may taint people’s opinion of it, but tea is a great, healthy and diverse option any time of the day.

What are my options:

When it comes to tea, the options are literally endless. Black tea, white tea oolong tea, rooibos tea, green tea… and the list goes on. Each type of tea carries its own range of health benefits, tastes and experiences (yes, tea is an experience). I want to make sure that you get all of the information that you need to be able to choose the best tea for you… so over the next few weeks, I will be sharing a lot of information with you that will most certainly change the way you view tea… so stay tuned!

Cathy Skidmore began her tea journey with Steeped Tea after seeing the founders get a deal on Dragons Den in 2012. Proud to represent this Canadian company who sell quality loose leaf teas and fun and trendy accessories. With over 100 different teas, she as something for everyone. 

She enjoys sharing her love of teas with everyone by offering free tea tasting in your home or hers, as well as an opportunity to have your own tea business.

She loves to help people create that perfect cup of tea.

Changing people’s lives one cup at a time.

Picking your infuser

Have you ever asked “What do I do with loose tea?”

You want to place them in some sort of device that makes them easy to remove from the water.  These devices are referred to as infusers.

Choosing the correct infuser can help you make that perfect cup of tea.

Something to consider when picking your infuser includes the size of the holes. Some teas have smaller pieces and may escape. 

Another consideration is how easy is it to clean.  

Tea balls can be difficult to latch and close for a tight fit. 

Plus, tea balls usually keep the tea compressed and does not give much room for large leaf teas to fully expand, keeping the full flavor of the tea from being released.  

Another option is the Tea Sac.  Simply place your loose leaf tea in the provided tea bag filter, and seal it using an sealer or just fold it over your cup, and you instantly have your own tea bag.

There are also many options for cups, travel mugs or tea pots that come with their own infuser. A lot of these are great because you can use them in other cups as well.

When it comes to making a decision, make sure that you choose based on the ease of use, and ease of cleaning, as well as durability of your infuser.   

Cathy began her tea journey with Steeped Tea after seeing the founders get a deal on Dragons Den in 2012. Proud to represent this Canadian company who sell quality loose leaf teas,  beautiful mix and match accessories, baked goods and more. With over 100 blends of teas with no artificial flavours and many organic options too, she as something for everyone. 

She enjoys sharing her love of teas with everyone by offering  an incredible tea tasting event in your home, with an exciting shopping spree for  the Host! Plus an opportunity to build your own tea business.  

She loves to help people create that perfect cup of tea.

 Changing people’s lives one cup at a time.

New Tea Pot

Did you just get a new Tea Pot? 

Have you ever got a new tea pot and weren’t sure if you should do anything before making your first pot?

The answer is yes.

You should rinse out the teapot first, then boil your water and make a strong pot of tea. Let this pot sit overnight. This will season the teapot and then create a better cup of tea.

Never use soap in your tea pot, it will affect the taste of your tea. Making your next pot taste soapy or not quite right. Vinegar is better but can still leave a funny taste.

If you feel you must wash it, use just baking soda and water.  This will remove the stains and not affect the taste of the tea.

However, I recommend you just rinse out the pot every time you use it.

Now enjoy your favourite tea from your new pot!

 

Cathy began her tea journey with Steeped Tea after seeing the founders get a deal on Dragons Den in 2012. Proud to represent this Canadian company who sell quality loose leaf teas,  beautiful mix and match accessories, baked goods and more. With over 100 blends of teas with no artificial flavours and many organic options too, she as something for everyone. 

She enjoys sharing her love of teas with everyone by offering  an incredible tea tasting event in your home, with an exciting shopping spree for  the Host! Plus an opportunity to build your own tea business.  

She loves to help people create that perfect cup of tea.

Changing people’s lives one cup at a time.

Rooibos is taking the world by storm!

Have you heard about the hottest new trend in tea?
Rooibos is taking the world by storm!

Rooibos… it sounds funny, doesn’t it? Pronounced “ROY-bus”, it is literally defined as “red bush” tea. It does not come from the Camellia Sinensis plant like black, green or white tea, but rather it comes from a plant that is native to South Africa. Although this excellent caffeine-free option for tea drinkers is still considered a tea, it is largely misunderstood, due perhaps to the fact that many people have not even heard of it! But rooibos tea holds a vast range of vitamins, minerals and other healthy components that will boost your health and make you feel great from the inside out.

Rooibos tea is typically grown in the Cederberg, a small mountainous area in the region of the Western Cape province of South Africa. Although a green, unoxidized version of rooibos tea is also available, typically the tea leaves are oxidized (or fermented) before consumption. This produces the trademark reddish-brown colour of the tea leaves and enhances the flavour. The tea is traditionally prepared in the same way as black tea, with milk and sugar added to taste. Other add-ins include a slice of lemon or a shot of honey to sweeten.

While rooibos tea does not contain caffeine and has a pretty low tannin level (compared to black or green tea), it does still contain polyphenols (compounds otherwise known as antioxidants that science has shown to be quite good for us as humans). These polyphenols have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-mutagenic qualities. They are most often praised for their antioxidant properties, which act as scavengers of free radicals throughout the body

Rooibos tea carries health benefits ranging from its use as a cure for nagging headaches, insomnia, eczema, asthma, hypertension, bone weakness, allergies and even premature aging. There are no known side effects to drinking rooibos tea. It has even been shown to boost the immune system of the human body. In fact, its medicinal attributes have been confirmed by the US Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, which affirmed that rooibos tea is capable of reducing cancer, heart disease, premature aging and other serious conditions! It also contains no oxalic acid, meaning that it can be consumed by people who have kidney stones. It is rich in many mineral contents such as iron, calcium, potassium, copper, fluoride, manganese, zinc, magnesium and alpha hydroxyl acid.

Rooibos tea can be especially useful in treating small children who suffer from colic or stomach pains. It has even been shown to help balance your blood sugar, improve insulin resistance, improve glucose absorption by your muscles and boost insulin secretion by the pancreas. This results in it being an excellent defensive shield against developing Type II Diabetes. One really neat trait that rooibos tea has is that it contains antioxidants that may even slow down the human aging process while boosting the strength of the immune system.

Above all of the other health benefits, rooibos tea makes an excellent beverage for any time of the day! It does wonders for professional athletes, hyperactive children and anyone who travels often.

Despite all of these health benefits of rooibos tea, there can be a downside for some people! Since rooibos tea is so powerful, it can interfere with treatments for various conditions, including chemotherapy for cancer patients. Also, rooibos has shown estrogenic activities in certain studies, so it might not be a good idea to use if you have a hormone-sensitive cancer like breast cancer. Finally, if you have existing kidney or liver conditions, rooibos might be more harmful than helpful. It should be used as a preventative measure for these conditions, not a cure. Make sure you speak to your doctor before adding any new dietary elements or beverages to your normal routine, particularly one as powerful as rooibos tea!

For best brewing:

It is preferable to brew rooibos tea in heartily boiling water. Try to keep the water at this temperature for the entire brewing process. Rooibos tea has a longer steeping time than most other teas, and so the shortest amount of time that it should be allowed to brew for is four to five minutes. Studies have shown that steeping rooibos tea for as much as five to ten minutes greatly increases the amount of antioxidants and nutrients in the finished cup.

Although this tea is (in my opinion) best served straight up with nothing added, many people enjoy it served with milk and sugar or honey for added sweetness. And did I mention that it is also great served iced?

So raise a mug! Cheers to your excellent health!

Cathy Skidmore began her tea journey with Steeped Tea after seeing the founders get a deal on Dragons Den in 2012. Proud to represent this Canadian company who sell quality loose leaf teas and fun and trendy accessories. With over 100 different teas, she as something for everyone. 

Cathy enjoys sharing her love of teas with everyone by offering free tea tasting in your home or hers, as well as an opportunity to have your own tea business.

She loves to help people create that perfect cup of tea.
www.mysteepedtea.com/cathyskidmore
@cathyskidmore1
https://www.facebook.com/CathySkidmoreSteepedTeaConsultant?fref=ts

Changing people’s lives one cup at a time.

White Tea

White tea – not as mysterious as you might think

There is a huge misunderstanding out there about white tea. Too many people seem to think that is some mysterious beverage, rare or hard to find, and to many it just doesn’t seem like it would ever become their beverage of choice.

But once you give it a chance… get ready for a shocker! Although it might not be as well known as other teas, white tea is a fabulous option for a beverage that will not only taste great, but also offers a range of health benefits.

White tea is sometimes considered rare and is usually more expensive than green, as it can only be hand picked during a few days of early spring and has to be handled with such care. White tea also tastes different than green tea, having a smoother, gentler and almost sweet taste.

The processing method of white tea is different than that of green and black teas as well. Whereas black tea is fully fermented and green tea is partially fermented, white tea is instead steamed rapidly and then dried. Because white and green teas are treated gently and not overly processed, they retain most of their beneficial antioxidants. In fact, since white tea is the least processed, it retains the highest amount of antioxidants compared to green and black teas. White tea actually contains the same types of antioxidants as green tea, but in greater quantity. These antioxidants are found to have many health promoting properties including boosting cardiovascular health, helping to lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of cancer and enhancing weight loss. While any type of tea is a great healthy choice for a beverage, white tea contains even more antioxidants and less caffeine, making it an even healthier choice.

White tea may also have profound power fighting against cancer-causing cells and against many different types of cancer, such as colon, prostate, and stomach cancers. Flavonoids, a class of antioxidants found in white tea, inhibit the growth of cancer cells and prevent the development of new ones. In some cases, white tea has been found to work as well as prescription drugs, but without the side effects.

Other studies have shown that white tea can thin the blood and improve artery function. Because of this, it helps lower high blood pressure and maintain a healthy one. By promoting strong and healthy blood vessels, white tea guards against the ravages of stroke.

Catechins, another group of antioxidants, have been found to reduce cholesterol… and white tea is teeming with them! Cholesterol is a special type of fat and is necessary for health, but there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol... white tea increases the good while decreasing the bad. This helps prevent hardening of the arteries and blockage of blood flow. Lowering your cholesterol is a very beneficial “side effect” of drinking white tea, as these days this is a problem that affects so many people.

By thinning the blood, lowering blood pressure and reducing cholesterol, white tea also protects the heart and the entire circulatory system. Researchers have also discovered that people who drink two or more cups of tea a day are almost 50% less likely to die after suffering a heart attack.

There are even more health benefits, from giving you stronger bones, healthier teeth and gums, healthy skin and more… too many to list here, in fact! White tea has proven to be a truly remarkable tonic for just about any ailment.

These days, many people are consuming too much caffeine, and because of this, some people have been advised by their doctor to lower the amount of caffeine in their diets. These people are especially well-suited to using tea as a sort of medicine! If caffeine is a consideration for you, then white tea is perfect – green tea contains around 20g of caffeine, compared to white tea that only has around 15g. In comparison, black tea contains around 45g.

A tip when buying white or green tea: choose organic as the tea plant readily absorbs fluoride from pesticides.

For best brewing:

White tea has a gentler flavour than most other teas, very subtle and relaxing. Both white and green teas come from the same Camellia Sinensis plant, but white tea leaves are harvested at a younger age than green tea leaves. This type of tea owes its name to the pearly white hairs on the buds of the tea plant which emerge after drying or withering in the sun. These gentle tea leaves need to be treated with care when brewing, as otherwise you may risk scalding the leaves, which may result in a burnt flavour.

For simple everyday brewing of white tea leaves, all you’ll need is a tea pot that is big enough to allow for full expansion of the leaves, decent temperature control and the possibility of re-infusion (just like green tea; white tea leaves can be brewed more than once).

White teas like a temperature of 180 to 185° F, so be careful not to scald the tea with water that is too hot. Some electric kettles can be set to turn off before the water reaches a boil. If you're using a stovetop teakettle, measure the water with a thermometer to get comfortable with how long it takes to heat to 180° F, or how long it takes to cool off to the correct temperature after reaching a boil.

Be generous with the tea – use up to 2 tablespoons per 8-oz. of water. For leafy white teas, steep 4 to 5 minutes. For bud-only teas, add another minute or two for the flavors to truly develop.

What you'll experience:

White tea offers a greater dimension of body than most other teas and lacks some of the bitterness that you may be familiar with in other teas. Its soft, delicate flavors range from buttery to sweet, fruity and floral, and of course each tea is different.

Since white tea has lower levels of caffeine than other teas (and higher levels of catechins!) go ahead and enjoy a few more cups! Enjoy this tea any time of the day. Best served with friends and family.

 Resources:

http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/white+tea+vs+green+tea,13045

http://www.whiteteaguide.com/whiteteahealthbenefits.htm

http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/02/tea-technique-white-tea-how-to-brew-how-to-steep.html

Cathy Skidmore began her tea journey with Steeped Tea after seeing the founders get a deal on Dragons Den in 2012. Proud to represent this Canadian company who sell quality loose leaf teas and fun and trendy accessories. With over 100 different teas, she as something for everyone. 

Cathy enjoys sharing her love of teas with everyone by offering free tea tasting in your home or hers, as well as an opportunity to have your own tea business.

She loves to help people create that perfect cup of tea.

www.mysteepedtea.com/cathyskidmore

@cathyskidmore1

https://www.facebook.com/CathySkidmoreSteepedTeaConsultant?fref=ts
Changing people’s lives one cup at a time.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas and your health

Welcome to the 21^st century! We live in a time when our lives are ruled by our iPhones, the internet, smart cars and all sorts of other technology that claims to make our lives “easier”. While some of these gadgets and gizmos do appear to make things run more smoothly, for the most part, it’s the simple things that really make our lives ideal.

What sort of simple things, you ask? It can start with something as simple as what you drink daily… I’m talking about tea.

Herbal teas are a beverage that I feel are largely misunderstood. While they most certainly are the beverage of choice in countries such as England, that does not by any means imply that this is all that they are! It also does not mean that these are the only places on earth that enjoy tea – in fact, it is enjoyed across the globe. Why? It is not just the taste that brings people to the table at tea time… it is also the smells, the enjoying time with friends, the experience. For many, it is the healing aspects of the beverage that draws them to it. In fact, herbal teas can be a remarkable tool for healing the human body in ways we can barely begin to imagine.

What sort of benefits are we talking about?

There is scientific evidence to support the fact that herbals teas are excellent vehicle for healing everything from indigestion, to insomnia, to headaches, to many other ailments affecting the human race these days. Some are more well-known than others, and some are actually quite surprising. But all of them are beneficial, so I am going to talk about some of the more useful, everyday beneficial effects of drinking tea.

Ginger tea

If you are prone to having an upset stomach, then you may want to try a mug of ginger tea. Known for its soothing properties, ginger is used across the globe as a cure for all that ails your digestive system. Ginger tea is also very warming, making it a great choice in the winter.

Chamomile tea

Best known for its ability to soothe, chamomile is most people’s go-to when they are looking for a tea that will help them sleep. It has a soft flavour and combines well with other teas.

Specialty teas

Just about any ingredient can realistically be made into a tea… just place it in a teapot, cover with water and steep for a few minutes! Try things like peppermint, licorice root, star anise or even fenugreek seed! You can make up endless combinations of flavours.

Tea just makes it all come together…

It’s amazing how something as simple as a mug of the right type of tea at the right moment can change everything… it can elevate your mood, help level out your blood pressure, calm a headache, ease a sore tummy or even help you sleep. There is truly a tea-based solution for just about any problem out there; you just need to do the research to see what the answers really are!

References:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/tea-types-and-their-health-benefits

Cathy Skidmore began her tea journey with Steeped Tea after seeing the founders get a deal on Dragons Den in 2012. Proud to represent this Canadian company who sell quality loose leaf teas and fun and trendy accessories. With over 100 different teas, she as something for everyone. 

Cathy enjoys sharing her love of teas with everyone by offering free tea tasting in your home or hers, as well as an opportunity to have your own tea business.

She loves to help people create that perfect cup of tea.

www.mysteepedtea.com/cathyskidmore

@cathyskidmore1

https://www.facebook.com/CathySkidmoreSteepedTeaConsultant?fref=ts

Changing people’s lives one cup at a time.