We have entered the Bermuda Triangle of holidays, with Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas and New Year’s Eve looming large on the horizon. Welcome to the no-man’s land of overwhelming social commitments and expectations, depleted bank accounts and emotional reserves. To steer serenely through these rough waters, have a nice cup of tea.
Two new teas, certified organic, mad with antioxidants and available at Whole Foods and other natural food markets, offer what you need. Guayaki yerba mate gives you a little rev so you can face the music and face the malls. Organic India tulsi tea soothes your jingle bell-jangled nerves.
Both are available in a variety of flavors. Tulsi, Indian holy basil, comes in original, mint, chai, green tea, gotu kola and Darjeeling. Yerba mate (mate rhymes with latte) comes in traditional, mint, chai, rooiboost (rooibos with yerba mate – get it?), green and chocolatte (chocolate with yerba mate – get it?). The blended flavors disguise each tea’s basic flavor, which, dears, isn’t orange pekoe. Yerba mate tastes sort of green tea-ish. Tulsi tastes oddly herbaceous – even the chai smacks of basil.
Guayaki calls yerba mate the healthy stimulant. That’s because this ancient South American herb contains caffeine, the same or less than a cup of coffee (depending on strength and blend). I can only tell you Guayaki’s yerba mate makes me energized, whereas a full-strength cup of joe just makes me ballistic. I prefer the mate chocolatte to Guayaki’s other varieties – it’s a little chocolate, a little chai spice, and a nice way to breeze through the afternoon doldrums.
Organic India claims caffeine-free tulsi contains adaptogens, nature’s little stress-reducers. I thought, yeah, tell me another one, but midway through my second cup, I suddenly felt calm. Calm is rare for me, especially this time of year. There’s the taste issue – do you want a cup of pesto? – but it’s hard to quarrel with calm.
It’s also hard to quarrel with savings. A 1.5-ounce box of 25 Organic India tulsi tea bags sells for $5 in stores, but online at omorganics.com, they offer a steal-a-mundo – $1.50. Guayaki offers something similar. A 1.41-ounce box of 16 teabags retails from $6.95 to $8.95 depending on blend, but get Guayaki’s sampler pack online for 99 cents at guayaki.com. Cheers.
Comments are no longer available on this story