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Healthy Sugar Alternatives for Tea

Most people add milk and sugar as an additive to black tea, but there is a growing movement towards healthier sugar options as diabetes and other sugar related diseases are on the rise. Sugar alternatives come with their own flavour profile and there is a distinct impact that it has on the overall flavour of tea.

The most common sugar alternatives are artificial sweeteners, honey, maple syrup, agave nectar and stevia. There are many more alternatives such is Xyitol, Erythritol and Monk Fruit. In this topic we are going to stay away from artificial sweeteners and look at the healthier options of sweetening your cup of tea. 

Firstly, if you would like to avoid taking any form of sweetener but find tea too bitter without it,  we would suggest switching to a higher quality tea.  Black teas such as Darjeeling Goomtee, Darjeeling Jungpana Supreme or Keemun are delicious teas and can be drunk without milk or sugar.  Secondly, make sure that you don’t steep the tea for too long and follow some basic brewing guidelines. We suggest 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you like it.

Natural Sugars

Stevia:

Stevia is plant based and derived from Stevia rebaudiana. Stevioside, a sweet compound in stevia, which has been shown to help lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and insulin levels. It is much sweeter than sugar and some find it contains a bitter aftertaste or is similar to liquorice in flavour.  

Stevia is suited to a bold, malty and brisk tea, such as Assam Bargang.

Honey:

Is a common sugar alternative for tea and the most popular is clover honey because it has a neutral flavour. Honey is known for its health benefits but it is still a sugar and should be taken in small quantities if avoiding sugar.  

Tupelo Honey is delicious in herbal teas.

Sugar Alternatives

Maple Syrup:

Maple syrup is thick and sugary made by cooking down the sap of maple trees. It contains a good amount of nutrients and larger quantities of antioxidants than honey. It is known to be good for you and offers a lower glycemic index than sugar but should be consumed in moderation.  Maple syrup is a healthier option to honey. It offers a delicate flavour of maple.

Agave Nectar:

Agave nectar is very similar to honey and popular amongst vegans.  It has a similar flavour profile to clover honey but offers more neutral notes. It is sweeter than sugar and the glycemic index is slightly lower to sugar. It is debatable if agave nectar is healthy, but it does absorb into the blood stream slower than refined sugars.  It should be consumed in moderation.

Xyitol:

Xyitol is a sugar alcohol with similar in sweetness, flavour and texture to white sugar. It contains approximately 40% less calories than sugar and lacks fructose. It does not spike up blood sugar levels and is known to be good for oral health. The body tolerates xyitol well when consumed in moderation but more research needs to be carried out. Follow the article Controversies around Xylitol if you would like to learn more.

Erythritol:

Erythritol is similar to xyitol and is also a sugar alcohol. It contains less calories than xyitol and has a similar flavour profile to sugar. It is generally more difficult to source and can be expensive. It is known to be safe for consumption and does not spike up sugar levels. More research however needs to be carried out. To learn more about Erythritol.

Monk Fruit Sweetener:

This sweetener is made from the monk fruit and is much sweeter than regular sugar but offers a similar texture. Some manufacturers mix it with other sweeteners to reduce the sweet intensity. Research claims it is safe to consume and contributes to many health benefits. To learn more about Monk Fruit Sweetener.

The option for sugar alternatives is a matter of taste preference, but it seems xyitol, erythritol and monk fruit make a good choice if you desire no change in tea flavour.

How to make Matcha Face Mask for a variety of Skin Types

The extraordinary healing power of matcha powdered green tea qualifies to be labelled as a “superfood” in our opinion. There is so much to say about Matcha and here at Camellia’s Tea House, we have endless ideas and recipes to share with you, one of which is making homemade Matcha Face Mask.

Documented studies claim high levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties are present in matcha when drunk and the same properties can also be beneficial when applied to the skin. Matcha contains an antioxidant known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a helpful compound to reduce inflammation, rejuvenate dry skin cells and help improve skin elasticity.

Green tea extracts are found in many cosmetics and skincare products because it is scientifically proven to be the most natural way to improve skin health. Qualifying as an esthetician at a young age and progressing into the world of natural healing, our love for natural beauty has always been a top priority. At home we try to avoid unnecessary exposure to toxins by eating wholesome food, drinking lots of tea and tisanes and applying home made body products where ever possible. In this article, we are going to share tips on making face masks for all skin types.

matcha face mask
matcha face mask

We highly recommend using Ceremonial Matcha for making Matcha face mask, which is the highest quality tea grade used for centuries in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. This matcha has a  slightly nutty taste with a harmonious balance of bitter-sweet.

Oily Skin

  • 1 tablespoon matcha powder
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey (ordinary honey if you are allergic to pollen)
  • 1 teaspoon raw egg white
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients to make a paste and apply to clean skin for approximately 20-30 minutes. Wash off with clean water and pat dry.

Dry Skin

  • 1 tablespoon matcha powder
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey (ordinary honey if you are allergic to pollen)
  • 1 teaspoon raw egg yolk

Combine all the ingredients to make a paste and apply to clean skin for approximately 20-30 minutes. Wash off with clean water and pat dry.

Normal/combination skin

  • 1 tablespoon matcha powder
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey (ordinary honey if you are allergic to pollen)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • Little water to make into a paste

Combine all the ingredients to make a paste and apply to clean skin for approximately 20-30 minutes. Wash off with clean water and pat dry.

Any Skin conditions such as eczema, allergic rashes, acne

  • 1 tablespoon matcha powder
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey (ordinary honey if you are allergic to pollen)
  • 1 teaspoon Beautiful Skin tea grinded into a powder
  • Little water to make into a paste

Combine all the ingredients to make a paste and apply to clean skin for approximately 20-30 minutes. Wash off with clean water and pat dry.

A Guide To The Best Summer Iced Drinks

How have you been enjoying the weather? Here are some recipes for you to play around! Let’s make the best summer iced drinks and get over the heat of summer together.

At Camellia’s Tea House, we have experimented different flavour combinations and sampled new concoctions and have created a number of truly delicious summer drinks for you guys.

Generally, we cold brew the teas that we use for our ice drinks, as we have found that the brew has a sweeter, fuller flavour. Usually, iced drinks contain tonnes of added sugars, so cold brews are a great option for those of us trying to cut down. Cold brews also contain less caffeine and are much higher in anti-oxidants and vitamin C.

Cold brews need to steep for quite a while – we usually leave ours overnight – and as a result, new flavours develop, giving the teas extra depth. It is easy to combine different blends, and you can get creative and add other ingredients to the mix too. We have found that citrus fruits, berries and mint all make great additions.

Don’t forget to share with us your home-made iced tea by tagging @camellias_teahouse on social media!

Berry01

Very Berry Iced Tea
Having all your favorite berries in one cup!
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 2 teaspoons of Very Berry Fruit Infusion per cup.
2. Brew with boiling water in 5 minutes.
3. Remove the infuser and fruit from the tea. Let the tea cool down in room temperature.
4. Stir in sugar/ honey.
5. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with fresh berries.

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Matcha Mango Smoothie
Energy Boost!
Blending Instruction:
Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
1. Use 1 teaspoon of Premium Matcha Powder per cup
2. 1/2 cup of milk
3. Half of the mango
4. Pinch of sea salt
5. Garnish with a slice of mango

Summer-Pineapple-Punch-8

Sparkling Summer Punch
Festive Drink!
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 1 teaspoon of Peach Green Tea and 1 teaspoon of White Orange Tea per 6 ounces of water.
2. Steep green tea for 6 to 8 hours in the fridge.
3. Add lemon-lime soda or any sparkling fruit juice to each cup as preference.
4. Fill with ice and frozen fruits.

IcedGreenTeaMojito
Green Tea Mojito
Brewing Instruction:
1. Muddle the lime juice, mint, and sugar syrup together in a tall glass until the leaves bruise lightly and the flavors release.
2. Add ice until glass is about 3/4 full and then pour in rum and green tea.
3. Pour in cold-brew China Gunpowder Green Tea
4. Stir well and garnish with mint and lime.

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Lemongrass-Lime & Mint Cooler
Summer Detox
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 1 teaspoon of Zest Tea and 1 teaspoon of Peppermint Herbal Infusion per cup.
2. Brew with boiling water in 5 minutes.
3. Remove the infuser and herb from the tea. Let the tea cool down in room temperature.
4. Add in lime/lemon juice.
5. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with fresh mint leaves, lemongrass, and lemon slices.

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Apricot Cold-brew Tea
A Tropical Taste
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 1 teaspoon of White Tea Apricot per 6 ounces of water.
2. Steep white tea for 6 to 8 hours in the fridge.
3. Serve the tea as is or with add-ins of your choice: fresh apricot/ peach.
4. The cold-brew tea will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 5 days.

Tea of the Month – August

Beautiful Skin
Red clover is such a common sight in our fields during the summer, but did you know it has amazing health benefits? When researching for this piece I was shocked to find that this simple flower can have so many positive effects on our health, particularly when brewed as a tea. Often used fresh in salads, we chose to use dried flowers in our Beautiful Skin tisane, and combined the clover with other summer blooms, dandelion, elderflower and chamomile, knowing this would be the best blend for promoting healthy, clear skin.
Like all of our other bespoke wellness teas, Beautiful Skin benefits the whole body, particularly the respiratory system, but as red clover is said to contain compounds that mimic estrogen, it is particularly good for the skin. It promotes elasticity, reducing the appearance of aging, keeping the skin youthful and supple. Combined with  chamomile, a famous anti-inflammatory, dandelion flowers, rich in minerals required for healthy skin function, and nettle, a powerful astringent, this tea is an antioxidant powerhouse, tailored to promote healthy, clear, beautiful skin.
It brews to a light gold, almost clear, and has a delicate, slightly floral flavour. It would be perfect just before bed.
Extravagant Earl Grey
Earl Grey, one of the most widely drunk teas in the world, is given a decadent lift in our bespoke Extravagant Earl Grey. We combine our bergamot infused Chinese black tea with rose flowers, lavender and cornflowers to produce a deliciously floral, aromatic, tea that has a wonderful hint of sweetness.
There are many stories about the origin of the Earl Grey blend, which has been known in England since at least the 1830s. It is assumed to be named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, the British Prime Minister in the 1830s. The most exciting of these stories proclaims that the blend was presented to the Earl by a grateful Chinese diplomat whose son was rescued from drowning by one of Lord Grey’s men!
This perfumed black tea is very versatile, and as we love experimenting, we chose to add our Extravagant Earl Grey to a cake mix to create a decadent Earl Grey and Lavender sponge layer cake. It’s proving to be extremely popular! Similarly, we have found that this blend of Earl Grey works really well as a latte, both hot and iced. With the pink rose petals and blue cornflowers, this is a beautiful blend to use as a cold brew.

Tea of the month – July

MANGO BLACK TEA

With mango season in full swing, it only makes sense to pay tribute to our Indian roots and choose our black mango tea as one of our teas of the month. The bright yellow pulp, protected by a thick waxy skin, dark green with a rosy blush, is synonymous with summer desserts. Our black tea, which is scattered with sunflower blossoms, will bring this sunshine into your tea break, along with a little caffeine boost.

Whilst lovely as a hot brew, we’re really enjoying this tea blend as a cold brew drink at the moment. Given the recent heat wave, it made sense to us to develop a range of cold drinks, and this has proven to be one of the most popular choices with customers in the shop! Cold brewing means it tastes naturally smooth and sweet, so there is no need to add sugar, like you usually would with an iced tea. Without getting too scientific, this is because cold water extracts a different chemical balance from the tea than hot water, resulting in less of that black tea bitterness.

Cold brewing is something you can easily try at home. All you need is a large bottle, a few scoops of tea, and a space in the fridge! We usually brew ours overnight, but it needs a minimum of 4-6 hours. The sunflower petals and mango cubes make this a really pretty blend to have brewing.

HAPPINESS INFUSION

Our happiness infusion has this name for a reason! A cheerful blend of lemon verbena, rose buds, fennel and rosehips, this is an uplifting infusion which helps to clear the senses and revitalise the spirit. Winner of a Great Taste Award, this blend harks back to the age of foraging and preserving plants and herbs for medicinal purposes.

Lemon verbena has a number of health benefits, primarily decreasing inflammation, thereby protecting muscles and boosting the immune system. It can also clear up congestion and reduce fevers. When paired with rosehip, a seed famous for its high vitamin C content, it is great for preventing and treating colds and flus. The delicate rose buds add a gentle floral flavour, as well as some colour.

As this is a wellness infusion it won’t over brew like a regular tea would. We usually recommend leaving for around 5 minutes before enjoying. If you leave the tea for longer however, you will notice that the brew, initially a light green, will darken to a russet red as the rose hips come into play and it will taste more tangy. This is a truly versatile tea as it can adapt to different taste preferences, without getting bitter.

Wimbledon Tennis Championships

The Wimbledon Tennis Championships have started, which that means that the London summer is in full swing. City summers are so different from the countryside, and believe me, when I’m like a sardine on the central line, I would much rather be in rolling fields with the breeze in my hair. However, there is something special about living in a city during the summer months.

In this weather, it’s a pleasure to walk home from work, iced tea in hand, surrounded by barbeque smells and kids playing on their bikes. With the evenings being so long now, you have time to walk through the parks or along the river and stretch your legs. It’s so much easier to be active in summer, and, inspired by the greats, many people opt to improve their backhand, with varying levels of success… The oldest, and arguably the most prestigious, tennis tournament in the world, Wimbledon has a great many traditions, one of them being, for sure, leaving half of London with aching muscles and tennis elbow!

It’s lucky, really, that we are here to help! We have a number of single herb infusions and wellness blends that are great for rejuvenating you after exercise, but none can be better than the perfectly named Aching Muscles blend to get you but up and out there! A soothing mixture of chamomile, passion flower and oat straw, it smells just like sun-warmed grass. Hints of lemongrass and spearmint come through when it is brewed, lifting the blend. It is a deliciously light and refreshing infusion, and the passion flower, thought to have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helps to lower blood pressure, thus reducing muscles cramps.

A tisane, this blend will not over-brew, however, we recommend you brew this for around five minutes before you enjoy it. Generally brewed as a hot infusion, this would also work well over ice to help you cool off after exercise.

Iced Drinks

In was confirmed in the news this week that this May has been the hottest in the UK on record! It certainly makes a nice change from all that snow we were having a couple of months ago… How have you been coping with the heat? Here at the Tea House we have found the best way to manage is to drink copious quantities of ice tea! With so many infusions to choose from, we have enjoyed exploring different flavour combinations and sampling new concoctions and have created a number of truly delicious drinks for you guys.

Don’t worry, we still have the classics, such as iced coffee and iced matcha latte, but what we’re really excited about is the drinks we have developed through our teas, such as our blended ice chai latte, our green tea mojito, and our peach tea lemonade. We won’t be giving away the secret recipes here, but we can assure you they are absolutely delightful! Generally, we cold brew the teas that we use for our ice drinks, as we have found that the brew has a sweeter, fuller flavour. Usually, iced drinks contain tonnes of added sugars, so cold brews are a great option for those of us trying to cut down. Cold brews also contain a lot less caffeine, and are much higher in anti-oxidants and vitamin C.

Cold brews need to steep for quite a while – we usually leave ours overnight – and as a result, new flavours develop, giving the teas extra depth. Its easy to combine different blends, and you can get creative and add other ingredients to the mix too. We have found that citrus fruits, berries and mint all make great additions.

The other great thing about cold brews is that they make a great base for cocktails. We’re currently in the process of developing our cocktail menu, and you can be sure that cold brewed tea will make an appearance.

Drop in and cool off with us!

Summer Sun Iced Teas

Are you prepared for the summer?

Despite the recent wet weather that the UK is so famous for, it seems that things are about to change. It’s reported that Britain is in for the hottest summer and only weeks away from a flaming 100F/37C with tropical heatwaves driven by the “Spanish Pluming”. Before the panic sets in and people rush to buy electrical fans and other cooling mechanisms, we suggest that you stock up on plenty of tea leaves and ice and be prepared to be taken on an iced tea journey around the world. We believe there can be no better way to keep cool then drinking healthy and tasty iced teas.

Historically iced tea has not been widely consumed in the UK as the rest of Europe and the USA. In the UK it started to become more popular in recent years especially for those seeking healthier choices to carbonated cold beverages.

Tea drinking traditions was brought to the US in colonial times by British settlers. Afternoon tea became a weekly practice but rather than drinking hot tea Southerners preferred it cool to keep themselves refreshed in the hot piping heat. In the US iced tea makes up about 85% of all tea consumed and mainly consumed in Southern America. Apparently iced tea recipes go back to the 1870s when it was on sale mainly in hotels and railroad stations.

Iced tea is versatile and can be drunk sweetened or unsweetened, carbonated or non carbonated, blended with fruit and combined with alcohol to produce delicious cocktails. The ideas are endless and consumed worldwide according to the cultural traditions. For example in Brazil Mate is the most popular beverage and is drunk iced and sweetened with occasional flavouring. In Hong Kong strong black tea is brewed and served with simple syrup and lemon. India prefers iced tea with lemon and ginger whilst in Japan, green and oolong iced teas are more common. This usually comes unflavoured and unsweetened.

Health benefits of iced teas

The health benefit really depends on whether you prefer to have it sweetened or unsweetened. Having it slightly sweetened with honey or agave might be the best option if you have a sweet tooth. Iced teas offer a crisp, slightly astringent flavour which helps you to keep cool whilst replenishing your body’s fluid levels. Unsweetened iced tea contains a good source of manganese, helps increase your fluoride intake and provides beneficial flavonoids (which are antioxidants).   The body incorporates fluoride into the bones and teeth, and consuming fluoride fights tooth decay.   Antioxidants help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease and clogged arteries.

To get you ready for the summer we have shared some our favourite simple iced tea recipes with you. Despite the predicted scorching sunny summer, we hope you keep cool and refreshed by trying out our recipes below.

 White Apricot Iced Tea

Ingredients:

5 teaspoons of  White Apricot loose leaf tea

5 mugs of 80 degrees hot water (before the boil)

Ice

Simple syrup or honey (optional)

Method:

Place the loose leaf tea in filter bags or a large stainless steel infuser. Place the infuser in a large heatproof glass pitcher. Pour hot water into the pitcher and let it steep for at least 8 minutes. Remove the infuser or filter bag (if using a filter bag then give it a good squeeze till the bag is drained of tea).

Refrigerate the tea until cool. To serve, fill iced tea glasses with ice and pour the tea over the ice. Sweeten with simple syrup or honey if desired.

Any teas can be used for this simple and basic recipe. Teas loved best from our collection are Lung Ching green tea, Chamomile tea, Cherry Blossom tea, Extravagant Earl Grey, Green Mint tea, Lemon Verbena tea, Mango tea, Rose Bud tea, Turkish Apple tea, Very Berry tea and Zest tea.

For a slight twist to the tea, fill ¾ glass with the ice tea and top up with lemonade.

Camellia’s Arabian Nights

Ingredients:

5 teaspoons of  loose leaf Rose Tea

Mixed berries (optional)

5 mugs of hot boiling water

Ice

For the syrup:

7 teaspoons of Very Berry Tea

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

Method:

Place the Rose tea in a filter bag or a large stainless steel infuser. Place the infuser in a large heatproof glass pitcher. Pour hot water into the pitcher and let it steep for at least 8 minutes. Remove the infuser or filter bag (if using a filter bag then give it a good squeeze till the bag is drained of tea). Refrigerate the tea until cool.

To make the syrup, place Very Berry tea in a paper filter tea bag and put in a small cooking pan. Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer till the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Leave to cool. Once cooled discard the tea bag.

Fill half a glass with ice. Throw in a few mixed berries if desired. Pour in the rose tea and top with the syrup to taste.

Can a Cup of Tea Fight Inflammation?

Inflammation is a process by which the body’s white blood cells and substances they produce protect us from infection with foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses.

However, in some diseases, like arthritis, the body’s defense system triggers an inflammatory response when there are no foreign invaders to fight off. This is known as autoimmune diseases.

There are two types of inflammation: acute and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation arises after a cut or scrape in the skin, site of injury or sore throats. It is short-term and the effects subside after a few days.

Chronic (sometimes called systemic) inflammation is long-term and occurs in conditions such as lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies and asthma. If left untreated, chronic inflammation can unfortunately lead to more serious health issues. Some key factors that contribute to autoimmune diseases can be due to lifestyle, genetic predisposition, lack of exercise, stress, poor diet, smoking, excessive alcohol and pollution in the environment.

Thankfully, by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle choices may keep inflammation under control. By learning how specific foods influence the inflammatory response could be the best strategy for containing it, even though some establishments say that hard evidence is lacking.

Anti-inflammatory food diets are generally what health nutritionist advice you to eat such as fruit and veggies, whole grains, nuts which contain healthy fat to stop inflammation, fish, herbs and spices.

If you are looking to keep your inflammation levels under control through lifestyle changes and dietary means, then you may want to consider the following;

  • Eat a variety of colourful, whole, plant food in their natural state
  • Avoid or limit processed foods
  • Stay hydrated with water
  • Exercise often – ensure regular movement in your daily routine
  • Sleep – make sure you get good quality sleep and find breathing exercises and meditation to keep stress levels down

The best anti-inflammatory herbs and spices known are cloves, turmeric, black pepper, cayenne pepper, basil, sage, coriander, ginger, and peppermint.

Drink tea to fight inflammation

 The best teas to help fight inflammation are peppermint, fennel, cinnamon, ginger, nettle leaf, rose hips, matcha and most types of green teas. Black teas also help with keeping inflammation at bay because it is rich in quercetin, a bioflavanoid that has anti-inflammatory effects. Black tea can be high in caffeine depending on how it’s brewed so you may want to brew lighter infusions.

 Its best to try a variety of teas over the week so that your taste buds develop and learns to appreciate the healing effect of different flavours and subtle notes of sweet and woody herbs and floral and fruity characters of green teas.

 Here are some recommendations from the Camellia’s Tea Collection which we think will help the body to alkaline and reduce inflammation.

 Handmade wellness herbal infusions:

Can a Cup of Tea Help Fight Inflammation

For the healing effect try longer brews for herbal infusions to boost the tea’s potency.

Green teas:

  • Anji Bai Cha is a delicate spring green tea with a very pale green colour
  • Ceylon Green tea – this is rare and one of the finest organic green teas
  • China Gunpowder is one of the most widely drunk teas in China
  • Green Mint is invigorating which combines strength and quality
  • Lung Ching also known as “Dragonwell” renowned for its quality and flavour
  • Matcha Premium is of a ceremonial quality and classic for the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony

Avoid steeping green in water that is too hot for longer than 3-4 minutes, as this will result in a bitter brew.

Matcha Has Taken The World By Storm

Matcha-01-CropIt looks like everybody is going Matcha crazy; it has taken the world by storm and the craze just continues to grow! Matcha is so versatile that you can’t help creating recipes outside the cup. There are many fun things you can do with Matcha, from creating delectable desserts and exotic drinks to cosmetic skincare and mouthwashes – the list just goes on!

So why is everyone sipping Matcha? Well, it is classified as a superfood and one that is particularly high in anti-oxidants, which is linked to numerous health benefits, and since you actually drink and ingest the whole ground tea leaves, you capture more nutrients than regular brewed tea.

Even coffee drinkers are switching to Matcha these days, as it yields energy which prolongs concentration, focus and is a perfect pick-me-up without the jitters or feeling over-caffeinated. It is believed that a cup of 2g of Matcha may contain about 80mg of caffeine. If you compare that to a shot of coffee (90-100mg) or a Red Bull (80mg per can), it’s definitely up there with the caffeine content. But what makes it so special? Caffeine in tea leaves bonds to larger plant molecules, which makes the breakdown in the blood stream slower, extending the release of caffeine without the sudden high and then a subsequent crash of a strong coffee.

There are various grading of Matcha tea, so first of all you have to decide if you are going to drink it or cook with it. For ‘Matcha in a cup’, you should only use ceremonial grade – it is the highest quality tea grade used for centuries in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. Culinary grade Matcha is by no means a low-quality tea, it’s just prepared differently. Because of its robust and bitter taste, culinary grade Matcha is meant to be blended with other ingredients.

There is so much to say about Matcha and here at Camellia’s Tea House we have endless ideas and recipes to share with you. We are launching some new exciting Matcha blends using ceremonial grade tea combined with wellness ingredients to create a heavenly and healthy Matcha experience for you. The first in our Matcha series is the pairing of Matcha and Turmeric.

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With all the media fever surrounding turmeric curcumin, we have decided to look into it deeper. To tell the truth, turmeric has been around for over 5,000 years and to this day it plays an important role in traditional cultures throughout the Eastern world. Its benefits have been known for centuries and widely used in Ayurvedic Medicine. Apparently, from just 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric you can get 20% of your recommended daily intake of manganese, 10% of iron, 5% of vitamin B and 3% of potassium, copper and fiber.

Here is why we have decided to combine Matcha and turmeric to create a super healthy and tasty drink for you.

Weight loss and fat reduction – Curcumin is the active ingredient found in turmeric that offers most of the health benefits. Studies have shown that it helps suppress the growth of fat tissues in the body. Combine this with Matcha tea powder, a healthy diet and exercise, and  you will be able to meet your weight loss goals in no time!

Alzheimer’s Disease – Some research has reported that turmeric has positive effects on the prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, though research is still on-going.

Inflammation – This can present itself in many disorders such as arthritis, digestive disorders and autoimmune conditions. There has been a lot of media coverage based on turmeric and the anti-inflammatory nature of curcumin. Studies have shown that curcumin could be just as effective as over the counter drugs designed to reduce joint and muscle ache and help reduce inflammation. Those with sever conditions should always speak to their doctor first. Green tea is also known to have strong anti-inflammatory properties and we believe that the combination of the two could be very beneficial for fighting inflammation in the body.

Anti-Oxidant – Both turmeric and green tea are specifically known for their anti-oxidant properties which helps reduce cellular and DNA damage that causes some cancers. By increasing turmeric and green tea in your diet you may help to prevent some cancers from forming.

Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure – Both curcumin and green tea are known to help reduce cholesterol which protects the blood vessels and the build-up of plaque which causes high blood pressure. Oxidised cholesterol can cause blood clots and make it difficult to reduce high blood pressure, so by increasing turmeric and green tea with cardio exercise you should find this helpful to your condition.

We will keep you updated with our launch date for Matcha Turmeric Tea, but in the meantime keep an eye out for the next blog in our Matcha Tea series and don’t forget to drink more green tea and add more turmeric to your diet!

Research Indicates that Green Tea Improves Focus and Memory

We can never stress enough just how beneficial tea drinking is for our overall health and we are always excited when new tea research is conducted and the results reveal the positive effects of our favourite drink.

For example, a recent study conducted in Switzerland and published in the March 2014 issue of Psychopharmacology shows that there is a link between drinking green tea and our memory.

Although the research was limited in scope and included only twelve healthy volunteers, the results were quite promising, further proving that tea deserves its ‘superfood’ status.

The participants were divided into two groups – one group was given a soft drink which included 27.5g of green tea extract and the other, the control group, a soft drink that had no additional tea extract. None of test subjects knew which of the drinks they were given, as they underwent a series of tests focused on their working memory.

As compared to the control group, participants that consumed the tea extract enriched soft drinks showed a notable improvement in their cognitive functioning. These results could now lead to further studies of how tea could help combat the effects of dementia.

Green Tea helps Hepatitis C sufferers

At Camellia’s Tea House, one of our passion’s is to talk about the truly wonderful health benefits of drinking tea and herbal infusions and this month we wanted to share with you the latest research on Green Tea and its ability to inhibit the Hep C virus.

Individuals receiving a liver transplant who are vulnerable to infection by Hepatitis C virus may find green tea inhibits HVC re-infection.

End stage liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus is the most common reason for a liver transplant, accounting for about 30 percent of liver transplant surgeries, according to a review of the research on the website Hepatitis Central.

HCV is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease affecting 170 million people worldwide. Reservoirs of the virus outside the liver often re-infect those receiving a liver transplant. According to German researchers the antiviral properties of EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) contained in green tea may prevent HVC re-infection.

In a paper published in the December 2011 issue of the journal Hepatology, Sandra Ciesek and Eike Steinmann said “green tea catechins such as EGCG and its derivatives epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechingallate (ECG), and epicatechin (EC) have been shown to exhibit antiviral and anti-oncogenic properties; our study further explores the potential effect these flavonoids have in preventing HCV reinfection following liver transplantation.”

Results showed that EGCG inhibits entry of HCV into liver cells and it is believed that the HCV is prevented from entering liver cells.

“The green tea antioxidant EGCG inhibits HCV cell entry by blocking viral attachment and may offer a new approach to prevent HCV infection, particularly reinfection following liver transplantation,” according to Ciesek.

“The range of health benefits characteristic of EGCG span so many desirable areas – from lowering cholesterol to deterring cancer development to inhibiting liver disease progression – that it seems to be the obvious choice for those concerned with health preservation. However, this new research provides motivation for those with a new liver due to advanced Hepatitis C to make green tea their new, preferred beverage,” according to a review of the research by Nicole Cutler.

Source: Hepatology (December 2011); Hepatitis Central; Times of India


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