La boîte à thé

Thés aux herbes, thés aux fruits… Vous les connaissez sans doute déjà. Après tout, camomille, menthe, gingembre ou framboise sont des classiques de cette catégorie : il faudrait avoir fait bien des efforts pour ne jamais en avoir entendu parler!

Seulement, la mention de thé aux herbes ou aux fruits n’est pas tout à fait correcte. En effet, même si le « thé aux fruits » sert d’excellente base à un thé glacé sucré et peu calorique et que de nombreux « thés aux herbes » possèdent des vertus médicinales, on les reconnait plutôt sous le nom de « tisane ». For only receives the name of tea from the products derived from the Camellia sinensis plant - which also means that rooibos is not considered a "real" tea, either.

ZERO CAFFEINE

The biggest difference between teas and herbal teas is perhaps in its differences of stimulants. That is to say that herbal tea does not have. No caffeine: This explains why a cup of Chamomile tea is often recommended before bedtime! Nobody would sip coffee or black tea with the hope to fall asleep right after!

Suddenly, herbal or fruit teas are often appreciated for pregnant or lactating women. Attention however to verify well that plants making up the infusion are not dissuaded for your specific situation!

INFUSION IN HERBS AND IN FRUITS, SAME FIGHT?

Besides this absence of caffeine, what distinguishes these two types of herb teas?

The infusions in herbs, as for them, are highly varied - and several have medicinal functions going back to centuries and centuries! If you like the alternative medicines, it is maybe the time to turn you to various herb teas in your reach.

The infusions in fruits are often taken for gustative reasons: sweet, soft, fresh and delicious, "fruit teas" are comforting in winter and perfectly refreshing on ice cubes in summer. They are often little calorie, thus but they contain some sugar - therefore monitor! Let us note however that they are also full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants!

Unlike many other types of tea, white tea remains "pure": by not undergoing any fermentation and keeping the drying stage at a very minimal duration, white tea remains fairly unaltered. Moreover, unlike green tea, white tea is neither withered nor rolled. And it is this lack of significant transformation that allows white tea to retain the maximum amount of nutrients and beneficial substances.

With a delicate and delicate taste, it is advisable to brew the white tea between 5 and 10 minutes in a water not exceeding 70 degrees. In addition, to keep the refined aromas of this type of tea, do not brew it in the same teapot where you are infusing your black tea: the strong taste of the latter will change the effect of your infusions more subtle.

Slimming supplement

White tea has many virtues. One of them? Accelerate your metabolism and thus allow better weight loss. In addition, by eliminating (or reducing) the retention of water, white tea helps prevent bloating and some extravagant beads ...!

Note that given the low caffeine content and the absence of caffeine, white tea is drunk at any time of the day. The relevant health recommendation: a cup of tea in the morning when you wake up, a cup after lunch, and a last cup just before falling asleep!

Other cool benefits:
- Many antioxidants, to keep your immune system strong and your cells young
- Concentrated vitamins C and E, to prevent colds and small winter flu;
- Thanks to a low concentration of caffeine, a diet of white tea can lower your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels!

But to better absorb these health effects, remember not to add milk or sugar, which would block antioxidants! Enjoy all the delicate aromas of white tea without altering it: your health and taste buds will rejoice

Stronger and more energetic than the favorite green tea of ​​Asian countries, black tea is a commodity particularly appreciated by Westerners. In Great Britain, black tea variants are the favorites and infuse a majority of teapots.

According to the little story, it seems that a long, long time ago, when the English did not know yet about tea, China would have prepared a packet of green tea. During the boat trip, this tea would have had time to ferment in its packaging. This small mistake was greeted with enthusiasm. Indeed, the English loved this intense taste, preferring even green tea. For this reason, they re-ordered, to the confusion of the Chinese.

Today, black tea is the most drunk in the world. Not in Asia, however: Asians are content to export it to countries that have adopted this "error" of black tea. It must be said that black tea has several advantages. As it is fully oxidized, it lasts longer on the shelves: no need to hurry, it is not the aromas of black tea that will degrade anytime soon!

Health benefits

Although green tea often steals the spotlight on "good for the body" drinks, black tea does not fail to score some good points! Its content of theine and tannin is perhaps higher, and its amount of antioxidants a little lower ... However, this amount of caffeine is negligible: it would be said to be beneficial, insofar as it serves to enhance the moods and mental abilities.

Flavonoids in your cup of black tea will also have an unexpected effect, ladies: this type of antioxidant increases your calcium intake. British studies put the increase at 3% - a modest figure, but enough to reduce osteoporosis in women drinking at least three cups of black tea a day.

Leaves rolled in a pretty reddish color, a name with the appellation contrôlée, capricious origins, but faithful - the rooibos tea (in Afrikaans language "red bush") is a small marvel of the world of the teas. Without caffeine and with a high antioxidant content, rooibos also has many health benefits.

Health benefits

If rooibos has carved a place in Western markets, it is thanks to the content of its red leaves. With few tannins and no caffeine at all, rooibos has a much less astringent finish than other strong teas. It therefore replaces beautifully full-bodied black teas. Moreover, what rooibos lacks in theine and caffeine, it compensates for antioxidants! The polyphenols in question protect the body from several ailments: stress, skin diseases, cardiovascular disorders, aging cells ... By preventing cells from oxidizing, the body manages to avoid many sores!

Production and preparation

Strangely, rooibos seems to grow only in one place: South Africa. More precisely, in the mountains of Cederberg. And this, despite the various efforts to transplant plantations in areas with similar climate!

In South Africa, rooibos tea is drunk hot, with milk and sugar. However, as its natural flavor is rather sweet, rooibos can be drunk without adding anything, hot and cold! To prepare it, just boil water (yes, yes: the rooibos requires a boiling water to 100 degrees!) And infuse the desired amount of tea between 7 and 10 minutes. You can then add a little honey, lemon or sugar - the rooibos pairs wonderfully with citrus scents !!

Fans of Japan will probably already have some knowledge of the tea ceremony. In mangas and animes, in films and on old drawings, this refined and formal ceremony does not lack representations. But what are his codes really? Here we give you the outline.

THE ART OF ZEN

There are two major terms to know about Japanese teas and ceremonies. First, chanoyu: it's the art of the ceremony, the tea service according to the Japanese codes. Then chado (or sado). The "chado way" represents the way of tea. The idea is to look at the tea ceremony from a spiritual angle - after all, the tradition comes from Zen Buddhism. It is no wonder that the tea master and his guests see the tea ceremony with much more spirituality than the English set their own tea time.

THE DOMAIN OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

The practitioner of chanoyu should not be good to prepare and pour the tea! The knowledge needed to fulfill this role is vast ... and varied. Indeed, the tea master must know calligraphy, kimonos, floral arrangements, ceramics, incense ... and that's not to mention the knowledge of tea! Practitioners need to understand the origins of producing the tea they serve - as well as all other types of tea! Like the masters of sushi, tea masters study and refine their practices and knowledge throughout their lives. We do not become tea master in one night!
Moreover, guests must also have some knowledge base to participate in formal ceremonies. The polite phrases, the recommended gestures, the correct ways to stand and drink your tea - these are all points to know and apply to honor the tradition.