5 Best Tea Flavors for Beginners

There are only two types of people in the world: people who love coffee, and tea lovers. In the Philippines though, it’s usually a choice between coffee and milk tea. With hundreds of shops opening, and patrons craving some boba on the go, let’s spill the tea here–the milk tea craze has officially taken over the country.

While milk tea is a millennial favorite, tea is usually seen as a drink for the older generation but who says that it can’t be for young adults as well? Black Kettle Craft Tea Bar and Cheesecakery shares with How To 101 the best five teas for beginners. Maybe this will unleash your inner tea-ta or tea-to!

What’s the tea?

No, it’s not the gossip I’m talking about.

Tea is a beverage made from herbal infusion of different herbs. Technically, tea and tisane are two different beverages. “Real” tea uses the leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant. Drinks made with fresh or dried leaves, roots, seeds, or flowers of va

rious plants are technically called tisane, but most people just call it tea as well.

Tea types differ according to their caffeine level and the way the leaves are processed, which gives them a different flavor. So if you want something to drink while browsing this year’s book releases, or if you just want to try a healthier beverage but don’t know where to start, here are some teas that you should try:

Green Tea

Matcha is a favorite among Filipinos, but in truth, the wide variety of flavors of green tea, such as Sencha and Genmaicha, is still relatively unexplored in the country. Matcha has a herbaceous flavor, which most Filipinos are not used to, but it’s actually a good source of caffeine and has a lot of proven health benefits. So if you want a healthier alternative to coffee, green tea is a tea-rrific choice!

Quick trivia: Matcha powder is not artificial as this is made of actual ground tea leaves. Compared to regular tea, where you extract the flavor from the leaves, with matcha powder you are actually consuming whole tea leaves, which means higher levels of caffeine and more health benefits.

Black Tea

Earl Grey and English breakfast are just a few of the popular blends, but generally black tea is a good start for first time drinkers. This is perfect for those who want something robust and stronger in flavor. It also has more caffeine than green tea, but both still have only a third or a fourth of the caffeine of coffee.

Chamomile Tea

Say no to anxie-tea with the relaxing chamomile tea! This tisane is made from the chamomile flower, and its calming effect makes it perfect for people who have trouble sleeping. It’s helpful for women too, as chamomile tea contains compounds that help relieve muscle spasms, such as menstrual cramps. This can also help with mood swings!

Quick trivia: The strong scent of peppermint helps reduce appetite and suppress cravings, which makes it a good addition to your diet plan if you’re planning to shed some weight.

Hibiscus Tea

Did you know that hibiscus tea is made from the same family as the gumamela plant? Like the pretty flower, hibiscus tea also has pretty good benefits for anyone who drinks it. This helps reduce blood pressure so you can avoid hypertension, and lowers your cholesterol level to help prevent heart disease. Its bold color and unique, tart flavor make it a must-try in any season.

Quick trivia: Hibiscus tea is a popular natural sports drink. Its natural cooling effect is helpful in quenching thirst.

Whether with milk, lemon, or sugar, you can never run out of ways to enjoy tea. Not only is it the perfect partner for books and cheesecakes, but it also is a good way to keep your health in check.

Fancy a cup? Let us know which tea flavor would you like to try now!

TA Interns