A Tea-riffic Taste Test

A couple of weeks ago I attended the Natural and Organic Products Show - a big trade show where natural and organic beauty, food and lifestyle brands showcased their products. Personally, I found it to be quite an eye opening experience as I'd never really understood just how many incredible vegan, cruelty-free and organic brands there are to choose between. Seeing them all together in one place really encouraged me to make better decisions about what I buy - not just for my own benefit but for the planet's too. Obviously it isn't an overnight sort of change, but I am going to try to be more mindful in my purchasing and consumption decisions. And one big change has been ditching Diet Coke...  or at least seriously reducing my consumptiom. In it's place, I've started to drink far more natural and organic herbal teas. I've found that this simple swap has improved the way I feel - both physically and mentally. Today I'm going to be talking you through the four new teas I've been drinking over the last month - hopefully you might some find tea inspiration of your own!

Higher Living Green Tea with Lemon* | rrp £4.79 for 15 tea bags

Higher Living is an independent, family-owned, British company who produce their 100% natural teas in rural Gloucestershire. Although their teas are relatively pricey I do quite like supporting British companies, plus, I do thnk that if you're not usually a fan of Green Tea then this particular variety might just change your mind. The subtle addition of lemon really alters the flavour without completely overpowering the Green Tea, and overall it's an incredibly rereshing option. I think that this tea would lend itself particularly well to being chilled and drunk ice-cold. All you have to do is pop a jug of tea in the fridge, add some ice and maybe a little squeeze of fresh lemon and hey presto you've got yourself a wonderfully refreshing beverage. I fell in love with home-made chilled teas last summer so I'll definitely be making up some more this year, they just make the perfect change from traditional soft drinks and juice. All in all, I think this is a particulalry good Green Tea and the flavourings are perfectly balanced - I'd definitely go out and buy this again!

Kromland Farm Organic Rooibos and Raspberry Tea* | rrp £2.99 for 40 tea bags

I'd like to start off by saying how impressed I am with the great value that Kromland Farm offers, this box of tea is the most affordable per cup of tea and  it's my favourite variety out of the teas I tried for this blog post.  Kromland Farm is named after the company's Rooibos farm in South Africa (which has been growing Rooibos since 1902) which is 100% organic and is noted for producing some of the highest quality Rooibos in the world. I'm not usually a fan of fruit teas as they're often too sweet or, alternatively, rather insipid. However, to my palette this Rooibos and Raspberry option struck a nice balance. I didn't find it too sweet but it still had a lovely flavour. If you're looking for natural or low calorie ways to curb sugar cravings then I'd definitely suggest reaching for fruit teas - they're becoming quite the staple in my household!

Dr. Stuart's Echinacea Plus Tea* | rrp £2.29 for 20 tea bags

I've never been much of a fan of echinacea. I've generally come to associate it with being poorly, as I was always encouraged to take echniacea as a child when I wasn't well. However, I haven't really explored echinacea since then and I'm quite interested in it's natural herbal properties, many people recommend drinking echinacea when you're starting to feel sick as it's supposed to strengthened the immune system. Dr. Stuart's Echinacea Plus Tea not only contains echinacea but also hibiscus and peppermint, which are all supposed to work together to give your immune system a boost when you need it most. Dr. Stuart's teas also contain the highest essential oil content possible in packaged teas, so when you choose to drink one you know that you're getting the most goodness possible. I have to admit that I was very pleasantly surprised with the flavour of this tea. It was quite unlike anything I remember about echinacea - it wasn't bitter or unpleasant at all. In fact, I love the depth of flavour and it strikes the perfect balance between a herbal and a deep, rich taste. If you're after something to reach for when you're not feeling your best then I'd highly recommend this - but I'll probably drink this as and when I feel like it because I just love the taste!

Pukka Serene Jasmine Green Tea* | rrp £2.39 for 20 tea bags

In my opinion, Pukka is one of the most talk about tea brands and I've seen their teas cropping up everywhere on the internet - especially on some of my favourite blogs and YouTube channels. I've drunk plenty of different varieties in the past and I've always been quite happy with them. Pukka's Serene Jasmine Green is a really lovely blend of jasmine and green tea, but I think that more of the tea's flavour comes from its jasmine element. As a lover of both jasmine tea and green tea I think that this is a pretty perfect blend, and I think that if you want to start drinking more green tea but you aren't a big fan of the flavour then this blend would be a nice choice. As with most good jasmine teas, this tea has a lovely fragrant quality that really makes drinking this particular blend quite a sensual experience. I'm a big fan of this tea and I'll definitely be getting it again!

Are you a tea drinker? 

Do you have a favourite brand or variety?