Chai Tea For Me
I stopped drinking coffee well before I began my venture into the world of veganism. I wonder if it was the seeding that started my quest for a healthier lifestyle? Hmmm...
About 5 years ago, when I owned my clothing line, life was stressful to say the least. I was 23 with so much responsibility including a payroll and partner, live-in boyfriend (yes, Richie), and orders to fill and too many receivables. Long story short, I would lie in bed at night thinking about how to keep my business alive and busting my butt during the day to follow through on all those late night ideas. I never really depended on coffee like some, but I definitely used it to keep me going through the day (I usually had a couple cups per day). I'm not sure at which point coffee stopped giving me a boost and started making me jittery, but it was not a fun sensation! I would get anxious and shaky every time I'd drink some joe. I think the stress and caffeine combo was a really bad one for my body, so one day I decided to cut it out and went totally cold turkey.
I've never looked back and have become a tea freak! I LOVE tea. I drink tea all day long. I ice it and keep a pitcher in the fridge and drink first thing in the am and always before bed.
Caffeine is so bad for all of us on so many levels. According to the Skinny Bitches (who at one point changed my life and made me laugh and so I infinitely respect): "Caffeine can cause headaches, digestive problems, irritation of the stomach and bladder, peptic ulsers, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, anxiety and depression. It affects every organ system from the nervous system to the skin. Caffeine raises stress hormone levels, inhibits important enzyme systems that are responsible for cleaning the body, and sensitizes nerve reception sites...Furthermore, coffee beans, like other crops, are grown with chemical pesticides...So every single morning, you are starting your day with a dose of poison...A much better way to start the day is with a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea- organic of course. Decaffeinated green tea is like a wonder drug."
They go on, and you should totally read what they have to say, but, they're totally right. Tea is amazing, and has so many health benefits while coffee is, well, a little, sludgy, don't you think?
A really fabulous way to transition away from coffee is with chai tea. It's spicy and strong and so yummy. Most coffee houses have it, though they serve it as a latte with tons of milk and sugar. You can always get it with soy (or better off almond) milk if you're out. But if you're home you can make it yourself with a tiny bit of agave and a splash of nut or oat milk and you've got a grand slam breakfast drink. I drink mine without anything in it sometimes.
Yogi makes a few fabulous versions. I love the Chai Green and feel totally healthy drinking it (to be honest, I'd love to be totally off caffeine, but every once in a while the tiny bit in a green tea is exactly what I need). When writing this post I noticed they make a Chai Rooibos which looks superyum. I'm going to hunt it down today to try!
What's your favorite tea? And how do you prepare it?!?