In recognition of one of the most popular and widely consumed beverages in the world, the month of January celebrates National Hot Tea Month. Drinking hot tea, as seen in many cultures around the world, is beneficial to your health and well-being. According to the Tea Association of the USA, drinking hot tea can increase blood flow for cardiovascular health, increase energy expenditure which can help fight obesity, and contain antioxidants to reduce cancer risk.
Since January is also National Stay Healthy Month, what better way to kick off the New Year than by making smarter choices that are healthier for your mind, body, and spirit? Here are 12 ways to celebrate National Hot Tea Month:
1. Wait for the tea tasting. Join an event where a tea expert helps attendees identify the individual characteristics and notes of various types of tea.
2. Learn to combine tea with food. Pairing is as common as pairing with wine or beer. Certain types of tea will complement certain flavors of different foods.
3. Go to a tea house and enjoy an afternoon tea ceremony. Scones and other snacks are usually served during this afternoon event.
4. Discover portable tea containers. Invest in tea glasses or tea travel mugs when you want to drink tea on the go! Like coffee, tea lovers want the convenience of steeping and enjoying their hot beverage, while in transit.
5. Learn about the instruments of a tea ceremony. Cha-no-yu, the essential instruments of a tea ceremony, introduces the ritual in a calm and spiritual way.
6. Grab some books to familiarize yourself with the history and journey of tea.
7. Sponsor tea businesses that give back to the community through many charitable projects. Find out about the organizations they support and get involved with them.
8. Learn about exquisite accessories and containers like dunk glasses, gaiwans, mustache glasses, and samovars.
9. Read about the different types of tea (white, oolong, black, herbal). What gives these various types their unique characteristics?
10. Take a look at works of art and poetry inspired by tea and its accessories.
11. Write about recipes related to tea.
12. Find out how the quality of the water you use can affect the taste of your hot tea. Some affordable water filtration systems will provide clean filtered water that won’t compromise the taste of your tea.
Celebrate the art of tea by taking a tour of palatial gardens or fields in regions like India or China. In the United States, there is only one subtropical garden located in Charleston, South Carolina, called the Charleston Tea Plantation. If you can travel and experience what type of tea is best grown in certain regions of the world, you’ll appreciate enjoying a great cup of this hot brew even more, no matter where you are or what time of day. it is.
