Whether you’ll be ringing in the holiday season in the humid depths of the tropics or on the acme of a snow-crowned mountain, there’s one winter treat that’s relished regardless of your region.
Eggnog, you might ask? Think again!
Rather, ‘tis the season to tea—a beverage that’s consistently ranked the world’s second most popular drink.
Why is tea deemed the trend that never ends?
Because it’s not only accessible and delicious, it’s also jam-packed with an array of wellness benefits, from protection against oxidative stress to excellent support for optimal blood pressure.†
And yet, now is not the time to sip on a cup brewed from that old Lipton’s bag you found in the back of your pantry. The holiday season is synonymous with savoring indulgences, and this includes the teas you choose to brew.
Read on for five of the most scrumptious teas to enjoy throughout the merriest time of the year—and the wellness rewards that arrive with them.
Holiday Tea Benefits & Best Types
1. Cinnamon tea
With its pungent but homey aroma, the mere scent of cinnamon tends to evoke the very feel of winter and the holiday joy that awaits.
Whether you make a cuppa of classic cinnamon tea or opt for a splendid twist—such as Twinings’ Orange & Cinnamon Spice—bear in mind that this spicy brew boosts of a bevy of health benefits.
Enhanced protection from free radicals and their damaging effects (like those telltale signs of premature aging) and blood sugar support are just two of the pluses cinnamon tea may afford you. In addition, cinnamon tea naturally nurtures cardiovascular health and cognitive performance.†
Celebrate cinnamon tea with… a teaspoon or two of raw Manuka honey. Not only is this sweet stuff rich in antioxidants, it also cuts the tang of the tea—and helps it taste as indulgent as a slice of Christmas cake.
2. Chai
Happen to find yourself with an unsettled stomach after luxuriating in, well, an actual slice of cake?
Reach for chai this winter—and throughout the year.
The word for “tea” in India, chai weds zest with both candied and earthy flavors to deliver you “love at first swig” while also organically nourishing sound digestion. This is with great thanks to its inclusion of several star spices. cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, anise, that aforementioned cinnamon—all are widely praised for soothing indigestion.†
What’s more, ginger—another chief ingredient in many chai infusions—possesses anti-nausea properties, while turmeric has been shown to diminish bloating and gas.† (Which, let’s face it, is the last thing you want at a holiday party.)
Celebrate Chai tea with…toasted hazelnuts. Also called filberts, they’re the ideal pairing for Chai, which naturally draws out the nut’s mild sweetness. Bonus points: Hazelnuts boast a remarkable nutritional profile, with admirable amounts of thiamin, manganese, copper and dietary fiber.
3. Peppermint tea
Peppermint sticks—the posher way to say candy canes—are always a hit over the holidays, no matter where you live or the magnitude of your sweet tooth.
And yet, while candy canes are relatively low in calories when compared to other holiday goodies—they’re 45 calories per pop, as opposed to the 200 calories you might find in a chocolate truffle—they also possess unsavory ingredients, such as artificial dyes and corn syrup.
Peppermint tea allows you to have your cake and eat it too—especially if you follow our advice for an extravagant enhancement below.
Deliciousness isn’t the only boon this invigorating brew offers. From alleviating bloat to fostering respiratory health, peppermint tea may promote relaxation and serve as the perfect antidote to the busyness of the season.†
Celebrate peppermint tea with… a handful of white chocolate chips dropped directly into your steaming mug. This gives the tea a luscious smoothness without breaking your (caloric) bank.
4. Silver needle white tea
True: You may not see this particular tea on the board at your local tea shop or favorite café, but its name alone stirs up recollections of the holidays.
In other words?
It’s well-worth sussing out this unique brew and enjoying it on a rainy evening.
Deemed one of China’s most quintessential teas, silver needle white tea—or bai hao yin zhen—has a crisp and satisfying flavor with lovely notes of fruits, florals and cream. And while it leans towards the spendy side, silver needle white tea will not only set your post-holiday dinner spread apart, it also brims with l-theanine—an amino acid, also found in green tea, that encourages a happier, healthier mood and a sounder night’s sleep. Meanwhile, white tea may help stave off the breakdown of collagen and leave you looking luminous.†
Celebrate silver needle white tea with…an assortment of decadent cheeses. Brie, Beaufort, and the ultra-buttery French cheese, Brillat-Savarin, all pair brilliantly with this tea’s clean, refreshing taste.
5, Chocolate hazelnut tea
Besides the glimmering lights, dressed-up trees and drop in mercury (yes, even in places like Hawaii), few things characterize the holiday season like the sheer assortment of sweets.
After getting your fill of bonbons and traditional chocolate hazelnut treats like Ferroro Rocher and Toffifay, you may want something a little warmer, cozier—and less impactful on your gut microbiome, which influences everything from metabolism to immune system strength and is affected immensely (like, in a negative way) by dietary sugar.†
Consider chocolate hazelnut tea a wonderful and welcome alternative.
Velvety in flavor, this tea holds whisps of cocoa, nuts and vanilla, all while giving you a wholesome break. And since many chocolate hazelnut infusions use black tea as its base, you’ll reap the bounties of the classic brew, including natural support for healthy cholesterol levels and greater mental focus.†
Planning on brewing a pot before you retire to bed? Select Stash’s Decaf Chocolate Hazelnut tea. It features the same rich flavors without giving you the jitters.
Celebrate chocolate hazelnut tea with…a slice of olive oil cake. Spongy in texture, with just the right amount of sweetness, its light citrus and cardamom tones compliment chocolate and hazelnut beautifully (which explains why the combination is such a sensation in Greece). Revel in it all in front of a blazing fire and you’ll surely feel the holiday season’s magnificence.
†These statements have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
Holiday Teas to Try
