A cup of the best herbal tea can be a source of mental and physical comfort. Unlike black, green or oolong teas, herbal teas do not use camellia leaves. Instead, these usually caffeine-free blends use a combination of various spices, roots, leaves, stems, flowers, and herbs. As a result, there are as many different types of herbal teas as there are tea drinkers, from functional infusions to relieve inflammation and nausea to herbal teas to help you unwind before bed. Whether it’s Indian tulsi, South African rooibos, or Florida jaupon, here are a few herbal tea blends to keep Bon Appétit editors comfortable at the start, middle, and end of the day.
The flavored version of black tea is the most popular product, but I like the herbal version, which is made from natural decaffeinated rooibos. I drink gallons of it at my relatives’ apartment, especially when we visit on holidays. The combination of cinnamon, cloves and orange peel creates a festive yet not overly Christmassy feel, making it perfect for my family’s circle from October to March. Despite the characteristic sweetness of tea, no sugar or sweeteners are added to it. Apparently, H&S received a lot of incredulous emails because the product page says, “Some of you asked if we added sugar or sweeteners to this tea; we assure you that it is not. Sweetness from cinnamon.” — Kendra Vakulin, Associate Editor, Food Division.
I rarely say “I’m like Oprah” but we have one thing in common: I don’t like to drink water unless it’s hot or I’ve been working hard. The taste was a bit underwhelming so I was looking for ways to make it more interesting. Gorgeous dishes, beautiful ceramics, let’s get started. Then I came across The Qi, a tea line that uses organically grown whole flowers and nothing else. I especially love their royal chrysanthemum tea, which seems to reduce anxiety and promote balance, and Shangri-La Rose tea, which The Qi says helps with digestion and soothes inflammation. Both invoke the essence of their colors without overwhelming the palette. The pleasure is above all, serving tea in a glass vase or in The Qi’s exquisite teapot so you can watch the buds float in the water. I don’t know if I’ll get beauty and health benefits from qigong, but I do know that I’m drinking more water – that alone could set me back. — Don Davis, Editor-in-Chief
When I visited my parents, our nightly routine consisted of several cups of Mighty Leaf Mintélange tea while we watched TV. My mom likes to serve it just like that, with a little milk and a spoonful of honey. Each refreshing sip of mint soothes my post-dinner stomach, and the soothing scent leaves me relaxed and ready for bed. We’ve tried many mint teas, but Mighty Leaf seems to capture the pure, fresh essence of mint best. -Kate Kassin, Associate Editor
Luxmi Estates African Rose Tea leaves me feeling fresh from the very first sip. Sweet floral notes of hibiscus, rose petals and chamomile are like a ray of sunshine as I wait for the beer to cool. Luxmi Estates claims that rusty rose tea can help boost the immune system and provide detox support, but if the sweet and sour taste isn’t your thing, they also offer a range of other options, including turmeric, ashwagandha blend, mint, and ginger. tea and sedative from valerian root and chamomile.
I’m usually a fairly dedicated green/jasmine/oolong tea drinker. But when I first tried Yaupon Brothers’ Lavender Coconut Tea, I was hooked: it was refreshing and summery, unlike anything I had ever drunk before. The taste is barely floral, with hints of coconut and slightly greenish hues. While all of the other herbal teas on this list are caffeine-free, this blend contains about a third less than a cup of coffee. In fact, yaupon is the only known caffeinated plant native to the United States. (This is a tree whose antioxidant-rich leaves are used to make tea.) The Yaupon brothers in Florida, where the Timucua tribe ritually drank, traded and used the yaupon, is a confession of thousands of Native Americans. Learn about the mill’s history by submitting a sale over the years to NATIFS, a non-profit organization co-founded by Chef Sean Sherman, to recreate Aboriginal eating patterns to create wealth and improve the health of Aboriginal communities. In addition to lavender coconut, the company also produces yaupon spiced tea and fire-roasted smoky tea. I brewed a tea bag with a pint of water, and the next day it was a lightly brewed, ready-to-drink iced tea. — Alex Beggs, author
I am a coffee drinker and often feel like I am surrounded by tea drinkers; in fact, I’m married to one of them. While I will never understand what motivates people to wake up and drink a cup of carefully selected, freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee (or at least something caffeinated), my wife’s favorite tea comes closest to a convincing argument. Harney & Sons Rooibos Chai is bursting with cinnamon-infused aromatic cardamom. Smooth and round, with a creamy flavor that most herbal teas don’t have; it pairs well with any type of milk and really has a honey sweetness to it. When I hit my daily caffeine ceiling, it gives me an equally powerful dose of self-care, turning a 5-minute coffee break into a feeling worth planning all day long. -Chris Morocco, Director of Nutrition
I’m going to contradict myself: I don’t like lavender in cooking. Also, my current favorite tea is Teapigs Calming Snooze Blend, which has a strong… lavender scent. My boyfriend’s mom got me hooked on this thing years ago, maybe because I associate tea with her snuggling up on her couch watching Jeopardy! I find the floral scent very attractive. Drinking is like a bubble bath: warm, cozy, and easy to doze off. The lavender in the bag is mixed with real apple pieces (not apple flavor!) and chamomile flowers, so the tea tastes fruity-sweet, floral, and a bit quirky. Teapigs, a British company known for its focus on sustainability and sourcing, also makes a range of other herbal teas, such as Happy’s invigorating lemon balm blend. Personally, I’ll top up my glass of Teapigs Snooze all night after work until I can’t stay at all – ZZZzzzzz. — Ali Francis, staff writer
My partner used to work for a big tech company that sold really good snacks like individually wrapped flavored marshmallows and black sesame matcha protein bars (not to mention ready-made kombucha – why should I work in the media?). But of all the interesting treats he hid in his backpack and brought home for me to try, the best was the never-ending supply of Bushwick tea. These silky live goat bags on the label (the tea is also available in loose leaf form) contain a very coarse blend so you can choose different ingredients in it. Bright golden ginger tea with turmeric for its refreshing properties is my favorite. Since I can’t drink this tea at fancy jobs, I buy myself and feel good in 100% compostable sugarcane-based tea bags without chewing gum. —KV
A few years ago I wrote an article about what Asian Americans owe to tea companies, and since then I have become obsessed with Araya’s Darjeeling and Assam teas. Founders Ash Chhabra and Smith Satyani kindly slipped me something extra into the box at the time of refilling – a bag of organic mint tea. Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is a sacred plant for many people in India and may have anti-inflammatory properties. With its pungent, almost spicy flavor, this is my favorite after-meal herbal tea when I crave something a little more refreshing than mint.
Post time: Mar-06-2023