Tag: tea pairings

WHICH IS THE BEST TEA TO HAVE WITH YOUR CHOCOLATE EASTER EGGS…

With Easter around the corner and the Easter eggs stacking up ready to eat, I thought a post on the right tea to drink with your chocolate might go down well.

You can look for tea/chocolate pairings that share similar flavour characteristics, thereby enhancing one another. You can also find very satisfying combinations where the flavors of the tea and chocolate contrast. Finally, look for tea/chocolate pairings where the characteristics of each aren’t necessarily the same, but are compatible or complementary in some fashion.

Flavour Enhancers

Flavor Contrasts

Complementary Flavors

Lastly, a note on flavoured tea and flavoured/filled chocolate. There is absolutely nothing saying that you can’t extend this pairing approach to include flavoured teas or filled/flavoured chocolates. That said, it’s important to keep it simple, and let a couple of flavours to take the spotlight.

According to Linda Villano from SerendipiTea. “When approaching the Tea & Chocolate pairing, the possibilities are endless so first narrow down the number of teas you will be pairing within each category and identify them on paper. Keep things simple and well organized. Focus on specific groupings using your basic tea tasting rules, for example work with White Tea first, then move along the color spectrum from light to dark, ending with Pu-erh.  Taste the tea independently of the chocolate carefully minding the general characteristics, aroma, flavor notes, and mouth-feel of each tea you plan to pair. Do the same with each of the chocolates independently of the tea.  Take your time, munch on a bit of plain cracker between each tasting to clear your palate, and take copious notes. But most importantly, enjoy the process.”

Source: SerendipiTea, Arburteas,

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5 HERBAL TEAS THAT INTERACT WITH MEDICATIONS…

We all love our daily cuppa but did you realise that some teas can interact with certain medications? Here is a list of 5 herbal teas that do just that.

  1. According to Live Strong Chamomile Tea which is known for its mild tranquilizing effects may also help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. According to a small January 2016 study in ​Nutrition​, short-term intake of chamomile tea has beneficial effects on glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. But drinking copious amounts may significantly lower your blood sugar.
  2. Green tea has also been shown to interact with some medications that are used to treat heart conditions. Green tea leaves (dried) contain vitamin K, which can increase blood clotting. Large amounts of vitamin K may interfere with the activity of some blood thinners, like warfarin.
  3. Green tea and ginger is another possible tea that interacts with medication. However, there is little research to suggest that drinking green tea and ginger could be harmful. Nonetheless , too much ginger can cause diarrhea, heartburn, and even an irregular heartbeat, writes Web MD.
  4. Ginseng and licorice teas can reduce the effectiveness of anticoagulant medications including warfarin. Avoid these teas if you experience blood clots and have deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or other health conditions that are treated with anticoagulants. Ginseng can also reduce the effectiveness of certain chemotherapeutic and HIV agents, calcium channel blockers, some statin medications and certain antidepressants.
  5. St. John’s wort interacts with a variety of medications, including antidepressants, birth control pills, cyclosporine, HIV drugs and blood thinners, so make sure to talk with your doctor before you drink teas with St. John’s wort. Live Strong point out that although many people claim that St. John’s wort can help treat depression in combination with antidepressants, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says that adding St. John’s wort to your depression treatment plan can lead to dangerous levels of serotonin in the body.

Source: Live Strong, Web MD Science Direct NIH