Try Me-Teas
Coffee and I have a love-hate relationship. My friends, family and husband love it, and I hate it. Makes for a really unfortunate lack of opportunity to hang out with friends. You can’t just say “let’s go grab a coffee” because then I have to find something other than coffee to drink at a coffee shop, which can be quite a challenge. I just don’t get the hype. I’m that annoying person who wakes up and is awake. I don’t need the caffeine hit to start my day. Unlike my husband. I can literally see the shades come up on his brain as he sips his morning coffee. I’ve tried it numerous times. I’ve had authentic coffee brewed by my Puerto Rican mother-in-law. I’ve tried coffee ice cream because all of my coffee-drinking friends say it doesn’t taste like coffee. They Lie. I’ve tried drinking it with copious amounts of sugar and milk, and while mildly palatable, I don’t see the point. At 55, I don’t need to cultivate that habit or addiction. I don’t want it to stain my teeth. I don’t want to be reliant on something to wake me up. I don’t need the jitters it can elicit, and I definitely don’t want the dehydration it can cause.
I’ve never even really been a tea drinker either, but again, thanks to my gut reset last spring, I’ve incorporated teas into my mornings for health benefits. I’ve been using a combination of Peppermint and Dandelion. Peppermint is known to relieve gas, bloating, and indigestion. It has a natural menthol effect to help open up airways and calm a cough. It has a calming effect on the nervous system and it’s caffeine-free free so it won’t mess with your circadian rhythm or sleep. Dandelion tea stimulates bile production, supporting the liver to process toxins more efficiently. It contains bitter compounds to activate digestion and improve nutrient absorption. Some studies show it can help with blood sugar regulation. It’s rich in antioxidants, and for those of us in the menopausal shift, it can help with estrogen metabolism.
I combine them because I need all of the benefits, and I don’t love the taste of the dandelion on its own. The peppermint gives it a nice, cool, refreshing boost to its otherwise earthy, slightly bitter taste on the palate. What’s in your cup?
