Tea has always been an in-demand beverage in ancient times. To this day it continues to be popular, and according to recent statistics, there has been an increase in the number of tea drinkers as the global consumption of tea amounted to 6.4 million tonnes in 2021. Drinking tea not only soothes and calms the mind, but it also promotes physical wellness. Not to mention, it’s a fantastic beverage for those who enjoy a wide variety of flavors in their drinks. There are hundreds of tea variants out there, so how do you pick one that would give you the best tea drinking experience? Fortunately, there are ways to narrow down your choices– here are a few fun ways to find your new favorite tea.
Know Your Reason for Drinking Tea
A lot of people drink tea because it’s part of their culture, and most prefer it over other beverages because it’s accessible and relatively cheap. However, knowing your reasons for drinking tea could help you choose the perfect variant so you can get the most out of every cup. For instance, if you’re thinking of gradually cutting back on your coffee consumption by drinking more tea, try matcha or chai tea. Both are flavorful and are said to be healthier alternatives to coffee. Meanwhile, if you want to lose weight and belly fat, then you may want to try green tea, puerh tea, or black tea. Green tea in particular is touted to be one of the most effective teas for weight loss. In a study, it was found that those who drank green tea lost about 7.3 pounds more than people who drank a placebo beverage.
For those who love to discover new flavor profiles or are hoping to become tea connoisseurs, subscribing to a tea club could be a smart move to have access to various teas from all over the world. You’ll get different types of teas each month, and these often come with instructions on steeping techniques, as well as information on flavor notes. Take note of the variants that you like the most, and experiment by pairing them with different teatime snacks and adding flavors, such as lemon, honey, milk, or spices.
Follow a Few Teafluencers
Tea influencers, or teafluencers, have gained a significant following on social media due to their knowledge about tea, as well as their pretty and aesthetic tea presentation photos on Instagram and Twitter. Consider following some of these influencers to get some tea drinking ideas, deals on tea brands, and brewing tips. Some of the best teafluencers to follow on Instagram include teaformeplease, ohhowcivilized, and teaaholic. If you’d rather watch videos to learn tea recipes and tea making techniques, follow the YouTube channels of Kayla’s Kitchen, Ash Arnez, HannahRuthTea, Mei Leaf, and Nannuoshan.
Go to a Tea Festival
If you’d rather take the adventurous path to discover tea, why not go to a tea festival? It’s an event to celebrate tea, and there are some that take place in major tea producing countries. There’s the Assam Tea Festival in India, which takes place in the month of November. This festival enables you to participate in tea tasting sessions, tea garden tours, and more. There’s also the Boseong Green Tea Festival in South Korea, which is held in the first week of May. Here, you get to learn more about picking and brewing green tea, and you even get to sample tea-flavored snacks that you can’t find anywhere else in the world. Meanwhile, LA is where fans come from all over the world to join the International Tea Festival which takes place in the month of August. You’ll learn all the latest tea trends here, and enjoy quirky, tea-related activities that’ll make you appreciate this beverage even more.
Finding a new favorite beverage can be fun, so step out of your comfort zone and try these tips to find your new favorite tea. Be open to new flavors and experiences so you can expand your knowledge on tea and find the best variants that will become mainstays in your pantry for years to come.
