The Perfect Herbal Spring Tea
I love the feeling of spring in my step. With the birds singing, flowers blooming and longer daylight hours; I feel renewed, joyful and energetic. It’s also the time to celebrate Easter, a wonderful happy time with family and friends. When I feel this good, I know it’s time to explore the depth of my creative skills. Happiness Tea was born from the idea of wanting to create a visually beautiful, caffeine-free tea infusion.
Love for Health & Beauty Health,
Beauty, lightness and joy was the main inspiration behind Happiness Tea. I wanted to create a colourful and vibrant tea that looked like potpourri, with delicate and balanced flavours of flowers and spice. Happiness tea has been artistically blended with sweet and floral rosebuds, whole citrus lemon verbena leaves, a touch of tart rose hips and finished off by sweet and spice notes of fennel seeds. The flavours combine well to make this infusion a Gold Taste award-winning tea! I love Happiness Tea either hot or iced and sometimes infuse this to desserts or make a simple syrup which I add to soda water for a complete rejuvenating experience.
How to Make Iced Tea
There are two methods depending on what works best for you. Traditional iced tea is made by steeping tea leaves in hot water first. Once the tea is brewed it is served over ice or chilled in the refrigerator and then served cold. With cold brew iced-teas, you simply leave out the hot water part and steep leaves in cold water instead. The process requires a much longer brew and can be refrigerated overnight. Which version tastes better? I like both but this generally depends on what type of tea I am drinking and how strong I would like the brew to be. I like to cold brew certain herbal infusions and green teas as well as the Earl Grey variety. The result of a cold brew iced-teas is a sweet and smooth texture with a crisp and clean finish without the bitterness from the tannins. A cold brew tea won’t extract much body and depth but you will still enjoy the soft flavourful and aromatic notes.
Which version is healthier Cold-brewed or Hot-brewed Ice Tea?
It appears there is not much difference in health benefits although some may argue that you extract more antioxidants from a cold brew. I sometimes use the traditional method to make herbal iced teas, this is because some herbs have their medicinal compounds buried deep within their structure, which requires a full goodness extraction using hot water. Happiness tea does well on both types of brews. How can I learn more about cold brew vs hot brew? Read our Blog “Cold Brew vs Hot brewed Iced-Teas” to learn more.
How to make a herbal seltzer?
I start by making a simple syrup from Happiness tea. I pop in approximately 1 tablespoon of tea into a paper filter tea bag or any type of infuser. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup water and ½ cup sugar (I usually go for Xylitol), bring to a simmer until the sugar has dissolved, lower the heat and add in the tea. I usually let it simmer gently for 5-10 minutes. Let the syrup cool before using it. I usually store it in a glass jar for further use. Fill a glass with ice cubes, pour in the syrup (usually around 2 tablespoons but you can add more or less depending on your preference) and top with sparkling water. I like to sometimes squeeze in a little lemon juice as I find it awakes the flavours and not to mention that you get the extra dose of vitamin c and antioxidants in your glass. If you fancy making a simple syrup using other teas to change up the flavour profile, then I suggest using the Tea Finder which guides you to the perfect tea according to what mood you are in.
Spring Fever
Dr Paul Janson wrote in the Emergency Medical News that “Illness struck patients in the springtime for centuries, rendering them weak with joint swelling, loose teeth, and poorly healing wounds. The name given this disease of listlessness and weakness was Spring Disease or Spring Fever, and that name has continued into our time to describe the listless loss of ambition that accompanies the first few days of warm weather. A few centuries ago, however, it was actually scurvy that caused this illness, precipitated by the lack of vitamin C, and it was a major threat to life in the 18th Century.” [1] Is Spring Fever the real deal? Spring fever remains a fuzzy medical category, but there has been a great deal of research on how seasonal changes affect our mood and behavior. Nowadays, spring fever is referred to as restlessness or lethargy as the body tries to adapt to the new season.
Health Benefits – How Can Happiness Tea Help?
Good scientific research suggests that Rosehips contain a rich source of vitamin C and flavonoids and the combination helps reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, knee and hip arthritis. Furthermore, rosehips are considered to have antiscorbutic effects which are a scurvy preventative. Rosebuds are also known for their vitamin C content and anti- inflammatory properties with a special affinity to the skin. The rosy infusion and aroma offer a calmative and soothing effect to agitated and nervous dispositions. Lemon Verbena is also known for its calming and restorative properties and can have a grounding effect to symptoms of restlessness.
In conclusion, spring fever to me has always meant having a sudden burst of energy with restlessness to get out into the daylight without having to wear heavy winter clothes. We all react differently to seasonal changes depending on our body’s constitution. Some experience a lack of energy and enthusiasm, whilst others may go through mood swings. Overall, Happiness tea makes a wonderfully supportive and nutritious tea for anyone who needs a little help adapting to a new season. Depending on the severity of symptoms, one may require a nutritionist or a specialized health practitioner to help balance out the body. I hope you love this tea as much as I do! Wishing you all a very happy Easter!
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