Today is the first-ever National Hot Tea Day! The Tea Council of the USA has named January 12 as the day where tea lovers around the country celebrate the joy of hot tea drinking. It’s a time to relax and enjoy the wonderful health benefits of this amazing beverage. Below are 10 reasons why we all should be drinking more tea!
1. Hydration. Tea is my #1 source of hydration in the winter. I need to warm up all day long! Tea counts towards your hydration tally too. Although caffeine-free teas are best, caffeinated ones are fine too – the diuretic effect of caffeine does not offset hydration.
2. Tea is a great palate cleanser. When I’m sweating hard at soccer or hot yoga, water tastes delicious to me, but most of the time I like to have a little flavor in my liquids. Tea acts as a great palate cleanser, and there are so many varieties that you can find one for every time of day: energizing at breakfast, ginger after lunch, minty with honey after dinner.
3. Relative to other hot beverages, tea is low in caffeine and calories. Drink without worrying about getting the jitters!
4. There’s a tea for everyone. I’m not a huge fan of earthy or bitter green teas, but I love anything with mint! I also love black teas with flavors. The Moroccan Mint at Tea Bazaar and the Roasted Almond at Capital Teas are my very favorites! I’ve tried a lot of new teas this year and found quite a few that I love. Not all teas are “tea” – herbal teas are often just blends of herbs you can steep, but I have come to really like herbals!
5. Going out for tea has the opposite effect as going out for alcohol, so meet your friends for a tea date instead! Instead of getting dehydrated, consuming lots of calories and feeling fuzzy minded, tea hydrates, is calorie free and promotes deep, clear-headed conversation!
6. Easy. Tea is a super simple and easy beverage to make and take with you anywhere on the go. I often tuck a tea bag into my pocket and ask for hot water (which is free) when I’m out.
7. Disease prevention. According to the book Super Foods Health Style by Steven Pratt, M.D., research has demonstrated that regular tea consumption is associated with: Lower blood pressure, heart health, eye health, healthy inflammation response, healthy immune response, healthy blood sugar levels.
8. Antioxidant rich immune system booster! Various herbal and green teas are loaded in health promoting compounds called polyphenols, which are believed to give certain tea their immune-boosting and modulating effects. One study suggested that catechins (type of polyphenol) protect against the influenza virus! (source)
9. Ritual – morning, reading, relaxation and stress relief. Promotes healthy routines and positive lifestyle patterns.
10. Warm you up on cold days! Hot tea is a great way to stay warm during those cold winter months.
So… what’s your favorite kind of tea?
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
January 12, 2016 at 7:04 amTea is liquid wisdom….that’s truth!!!
Julia says
January 12, 2016 at 7:39 amI must say my favorite teas are herbal I love the peppermint I grow in my backyard and dry to use all winter. I also love all the Zinger teas from Celestial Seasonings but my all time fav for evening sipping is Nuwati Herbals Cloud Walking Tea. This tea is as relaxing as a glass of wine!
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
January 12, 2016 at 8:03 amHah! I love this!!! 🙂 I’ve also become much more of a tea drinker over this past few years. I’m a coffee person in the morning but I love a cup of tea in the evening!
Kelli @ Hungry Hobby says
January 12, 2016 at 8:21 amSo many good points! I definitely drink tea during the day because it’s been so cold and it definitely feels more hydrating than coffee! Plus you can’t go wrong with all the immune boosting effects! Drinking tea at night has become a bed time ritual for me and totally helped me cut down late night snacking!
Bethany says
January 12, 2016 at 8:26 amI love a nice Chai or a raspberry green tea. Yay for tea day!
Beks says
January 12, 2016 at 8:30 amIt’s been absolutely frigid here in the Midwest, so I’ve been drinking hot peppermint tea at work, and relaxing with a Sleepytime right before bed. I love Sleepytime tea.
Kori says
January 12, 2016 at 8:48 amI have to say I’m a lover of black tea and flavored black teas the most, but I love green tea too! I’m also coming around to loving herbal tea. Awesome post, and I love Roosevelt’s quote!
[email protected] says
January 12, 2016 at 9:49 amHappy Tea Day! Oh, I do love tea. Never can get enough. Most of my work office is chugging down their coffee and here I am just sipping my tea all day every day.
Julie says
January 12, 2016 at 9:57 amThis post made my day. Thank you so much!
Ellen says
January 12, 2016 at 10:03 amJust curious why you’re wearing sunglasses in the first photo? Seems a little random for posing with a teapot, but maybe there’s a story behind it? 🙂
KathEats says
January 12, 2016 at 10:15 amJust for something fun and different : )
Ann says
January 12, 2016 at 11:16 amI almost wrote the same thing so I’m glad someone else asked!
Marieke says
January 12, 2016 at 10:21 amWinter tea(with winter spices such as cinnamon), liquorice tea and chai vanilla with some milk
Katie D. says
January 12, 2016 at 10:50 amDrinking a mug of Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride, right now! 🙂
Ann says
January 12, 2016 at 11:19 amI loooove tea. My favorite write now is yogi tea’s Choco.
What does “ritual – morning, mom, reading…” mean? Am I missing something?
KathEats says
January 12, 2016 at 1:10 pmHaha nope – something was added : ) Must have been thinking about my mom who loves tea!
Hilary says
January 12, 2016 at 11:19 amI am a huge tea person! I have been loving the stress relief tea by Yogi but one of my favorites is a pineapple green tea and blueberry green tea from a local tea shop!
Jennifer @ Peacefully Fit Fellowship says
January 12, 2016 at 11:20 amCandy Cane Lane green tea! I stock up during the holidays to enjoy it as long as I can…until Christmas rolls around again. 🙂
Elisabeth says
January 12, 2016 at 11:20 amMy favorite is Tazo Refresh Mint (I love minty teas period) with just a bit of cream.
Blythe says
January 12, 2016 at 12:08 pmMy husband and I are big tea drinkers, especially during the winter months. We usually make a kettle of Oolong to share in little teacups with saucers. We might be in our 30s- but our hearts are in their 60s!
Ruth says
January 12, 2016 at 12:24 pmNumber 10 is definitely my favorite – I love having a hot cup of anything in the mornings! I love this post. All of the pictures and quotes are cute, encouraging, and too much fun 🙂
Melanie says
January 12, 2016 at 12:24 pmI am obsessed with almost everything Republic of Tea sells! Vanilla Almond is like a little dessert in the evening or as my afternoon pick me up – I add my daughter Claire’s Silk Vanilla Almond milk to it! I also love the fruity green tea blends like Acai and Raspberry. And I just ordered a Chocolate Peppermint variety that I can’t wait to try! Teavana Youthberry is so pineappley and yummy, I get it at Starbucks a lot. Also love Mighty Leaf brand teas, though they are a bit too expensive for my everyday drinking. Happy teatime, Kath!
Samantha @ WhatsUpUSANA says
January 12, 2016 at 12:36 pmI love tea! My favorite tea is lemon and ginger, or lavender with chamomile. I like to add a little honey to lemon and ginger tea. At bedtime, I’ll usually drink peppermint tea to help me unwind. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Kath!
Paula says
January 12, 2016 at 1:23 pmYogi makes an Egyptian Licorice Mint that sounds strange but is my current favorite. I also like to use Tazo’s Coco Mint Mate to make lattes with almond milk and a little maple syrup or honey.
Beth says
January 12, 2016 at 2:18 pmAnything from Smith Tea out of Portland, Oregon is excellent. This was the passion project on Steven Smith the tea genius behind many other great tea brands and his last, sadly he died last year but his legacy lives. Seek it out, you will not be disappointed.
Mallory says
January 12, 2016 at 2:36 pmI love all tea, especially black and oolong, and my favorite flavor is masala (a.k.a. chai! According to Padma Lakshmi in India all tea is chai, but the flavor we know as chai is masala). My favorites chais are from Teavana: Cha Yen Thai Black Tea, Maharaja Chai Oolong Tea, and Dosha Chai Rooibos Tea.
Kate says
January 12, 2016 at 2:42 pmI’m much more of a coffee drinker, I toss coffee around all day in my business industry job. These pics are so cute and fun tho. Stay warm!!
Linda says
January 12, 2016 at 4:12 pmLove the Zoolander pose. Zoolander pours tea! haha!
Julie says
January 12, 2016 at 4:48 pmI love Earl grey teas, anything minty and Rooibos. I drink tea every evening, love that ritual. Even my 2 year old loves to sip fromm my tea cup (once it’s coolex of course). He actually asks me for tea now!
Alice says
January 12, 2016 at 5:09 pmI love Morning Thunder, for the caffeine! Was it hard to think of so many ways to hold up a teapot for the camera with different faces? Good job blending humor into the post! I love the faces you make.
Lisa C says
January 12, 2016 at 5:12 pmI love unsweetened iced tea. I have a glass pitcher that I throw 3 tea bags in, fill with water, and place in the fridge. I read once that cold steeping preserves many of the healthy components of tea. And it’s easier! I drink close to a pitcher a day!
Kathy Birkett, RDN, LD says
January 12, 2016 at 6:07 pmI love my daily hot tea—have my entire life. I prefer a steeped English breakfast tea; leaves impart more flavor. I drink it after the English fashion with a bit of milk (low fat). Warms my body and soul! Thanks for the article!
Judy says
January 12, 2016 at 7:36 pmNighty night tea!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
January 12, 2016 at 7:48 pmI definitely go through phases with tea, but I love David’s tea – they have a grilled pineapple green tea that is amazing!
eva says
January 12, 2016 at 8:01 pmLove this! Personally I find that culture affects my consumption a lot. When I’m in a country where it’s super mainstream (I grew up in southeast asia) I drink it with all my meals but the moment I’m back in the states, I ask for iced water with my meals. While I can down pots of green/black tea, wheat tea is my favorite and I see it as an “occasional treat” (I’ve found it’s usually only served in japanese restaurants.)
Haven’t been able to get into herbal or floral tasting teas though.. (I like lavender or rose flavored ice cream and macaroons, I generally don’t like consuming that sort of taste) It’s got so many health benefits though so I will keep trying!
maxwell says
January 12, 2016 at 10:20 pmTea is amazing! I’m a big fan of organic ginger.
Nikki says
January 13, 2016 at 9:10 amI too love a little flavour in my drinks and tea is great when you want a no calorie option with lots of flavour. Herbal tea can be a great before bed option as well.
Liz says
January 13, 2016 at 2:38 pmBengal Spice from Celestial Seasonings is my absolute favorite. It’s spicy and sweet and the perfect after-dinner tea.
Judy Zakreski says
January 13, 2016 at 5:42 pmBest tea for an afternoon pick-me-up is Good Earth’s “Sweet Chai of Mine” – have you tried it?
KathEats says
January 13, 2016 at 7:30 pmYes it’s good!!
Maggie says
January 14, 2016 at 1:39 pmLoved this post and your creative use of photos!
Kelsey says
January 15, 2016 at 9:29 amLove your posts!! I work at a bakery and have become slightly addicted to coffee and espresso. Trying to wean myself off of having a second coffee everyday and switching with tea. This was a perfect post to do just that! ** Also just started a blog! You inspired me to start it up 🙂 Thanks Kath!
Beck says
February 16, 2018 at 9:06 pmHello, Great article!
No matter what the season, tea can be always my priority. Tea is life. It is also beneficial for our health. Research shows that drinking tea can actually improve our health. Tea has less caffeine that coffee. That means you can consume it without those bad effects on your nervous system. Tea is also known to help reduce stress. Tea will give you a boost of energy without the caffeine.