5 Teas to brew in the winter

William Ewart Gladstone has beautifully written about how beautifully tea compliments the winter season. 

“If you are cold, tea will warm you;

if you are too heated, it will cool you;

If you are depressed, it will cheer you;

If you are excited, it will calm you.”

There’s nothing quite as therapeutic as a hot cup of freshly brewed tea on a chilly day. Let’s admit it, all you need is a comfortable couch to curl on with a soft blanket to wrap around yourself and a cup of hot tea bringing in the much needed warmth. Winter season calls for all those beautiful borosilicate carafes and insulated stainless steel kettles to be put to good use and experiment with old and new flavours of some of the finest teas. Not only do they help beat the winter blues and gloomy skies, Tea makes for a delicious solution acting as an immunity booster against cold, flu, congestion and the seasonal ailments. It soothes, decongests, relaxes the muscles and kicks back the sluggish immunity in order with a cup of goodness. 

We’ve got you a list of the top 5 teas to brew this season and enjoy the chills, just not in your spine. 

Ingredients required- 

Serves 2

• 500ml water
• 1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon tea leaves, for each cup
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey, for each cup

Start brewing-

• Heat the water in a flameproof carafe 
• Add ginger before it begins to boil
• Use a 100% borosilicate glass carafe to see the process clearly 
• Add honey and lemon just as it starts to boil
• Strain and pour into insulated stainless steel kettles to keep your favourite cup warm for long and enjoy!

Benefits- Honey is traditionally used in many concoctions to manage the cold and cough while lemon loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants strengthens immunity. When combined with the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of ginger, this brew is sure to be a winter favourite. 

Ingredients required-

Serves 2

• 5-6 leaves of tulsi
• 2 teaspoons honey (add to taste)
• 500ml water
• 2 teaspoons green tea

Start brewing-

• Thoroughly wash the tulsi leaves before chopping them roughly
• Boil the water in a  flameproof carafe and add green tea
• Add the tulsi leaves and allow it to seep in for 5-10 mins depending on how intense you want the brew
• Add honey and mix well to sip into a cup of warm deliciousness

Benefits- A cup of Tulsi Green Tea during winters relaxes and relieves the bodily stress, keeping one alert and active. Tulsi Green Tea, due to its Tulsi content cleanses the body from within and negates the effect of all those bacteria and viruses that our bodies are exposed to during winters.

Ingredients required-

Serves 2

• 2 cups water
• 1 lemon cut into 4
• 2 ginger pieces cut into 8
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon honey for each cup

Start brewing-

• Add water, 3 slices of lemon, and ginger slices in a  flameproof carafe. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Add 10 mint leaves and simmer for 10 minutes
• Add honey to taste
• Strain and store the tea in insulated stainless steel kettles to retain taste and temperature. Serve the tea with half a slice of lemon and one mint leaf

Benefits- While ginger offers a range of benefits like soothing ailing muscles, aiding digestion and assimilation, mint acts as a blood purifier and lemon helps boost immunity. The  tea will help fight some bacterial and viral infections pertinent in winters.

Ingredients required-
Serves 2

• 700 ml water
• ½ teaspoon haldi
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• 1.4th teaspoon black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon honey for each cup

Start Brewing-

• Take a  flameproof carafe and add water, and put it to boil
• Bring it to simmer and add all the other ingredients one at a time
• Stir the contents well and keep the water boiling till it reduces to half 
• Strain and store in an insulated stainless steel kettles and serve hot whenever you want

Benefits- Not only does it boost immunity, but haldi (turmeric) is an excellent pain-reliever that is packed with anti-inflammatory properties. If you are a fan of herbal teas, a brew packed with turmeric, black pepper, honey and ginger that will cleanse your body from the toxin overload will be the only thing you would want to brew on those cold winter mornings.

Ingredients required-
Serves 2

• Black tea powder (assam or darjeeling tea is suggested)
• 500 ml water
• Milk (as per preference)
• Sugar or honey to taste
• Spices including cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom, ginger
• Additional spices as per preference - mint leaves, lemongrass, nutmeg, black pepper

Start brewing-

• Add 1 inch cinnamon with 2-3 green cardamoms, 2 cloves and 1 inch peeled ginger to a mortar-pestle
• Crush all the other additional spices as per preference
• Ensure that the ginger is flat and Crush coarsely with the pestle. Then set it aside
• Heat 500ml water in a flameproof carafe 
• Let the water come to a boil and add all the crushed spices and boil for 2-3 minutes.
• Add sugar to taste
• Add 2 spoons of tea and boil for a minute or more, depending on how strong you want the brew
• Don’t leave it on boil for too long, else the taste might get bitter
• Add milk, mix, strain and store in  insulated stainless steel kettles
• Serve the classic fragrantly spiced masala chai and enjoy

Benefits- The quintessential Indian chai that can wake up even the laziest of us from deep sleep just by its aromatic spices like cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and much more, this kadak cup of masala chai is sure to keep cold at bay.

We can safely say that to warm up your hands as well as your tummy, a good tea makes for the perfect way to beat the cold during this season and contains all kinds of great health benefits that can help you get through the winter feeling good. So start brewing and thank us later!