How to get started on your herbal tea journey.
Whether you’re looking for an escape from the £1 library coffee or a remedy for the seemingly endless freshers’ flu symptoms, herbal tea may just provide the solution. With a variety of flavours and health benefits, there are many advantages to drinking herbal tea. But, there’s no denying that with the hundreds of options available; ranging from the simple to the completely bizarre (pigs in blankets flavoured tea anyone?), the world of herbal tea can be overwhelming. Luckily whether you’re a regular at Tchai-ovna or your experience is limited to the free teabag in your freshers’ welcome pack, The Glasgow Guardian is here to help with a beginners’ guide to herbal tea.
For very beginners, peppermint is the perfect place to find your feet in the world of herbal tea. Available from your local supermarket, it is affordable, tasty, and tastes a lot less like toothpaste than you might imagine. Furthermore, the reported benefits of this delicious beverage are abound, with claims that it can help ease digestion and even increase energy. However, if more energy is the least of your worries, how about chamomile tea?
Famous for its calming properties, chamomile is ideal for before bed and some studies have shown that it can actually improve sleep quality. Or, for those still plagued by freshers’ flu, why not give lemon and ginger tea a go? Not only is it delicious, but it is also perfect for fighting those winter colds or soothing your throat after a late night in Hive. Peppermint,chamomile and lemon and ginger are great starting points, but they are just a few of the options that you can find in your local supermarket; as winter approaches you may even find festive teas such as chocolate orange, mince pie and brussels sprout.
Having sampled what your local Tesco had to offer, why not kick it up a notch? Pop along to Bird and Blend on Byres road (conveniently close to the Learning Hub) which has over 100 teas to choose from. With beginner-friendly options such as cookie dough, pumpkin spice and birthday cake, you would be hard-pressed to not find something you fancy. If, however, Bird and Blend’s options do not inspire you, the Glasgow Uni student favourite
café Tchai-ovna is definitely worth a visit. With cute seating, vegan and veggie food, and an extensive tea menu it’s the perfect place to enjoy a herbal brew between classes.
So put down that library coffee and break up the study sessions with a fun herbal tea flavour. You might just discover that the world of herbal tea is not so overwhelming after all!
