The Tea Pig Trials - Chapter 2

The Teapig Trials continue as I search for healthy teas I like.

Have You Tried Any of These Teas?

Chilli Chai (Drink It Raw)

Chilli Chai invoked my adventurous side. Described as a traditional chai (cardamom pods,ginger, cinnamon and vanilla) with a chili flakes for an extra kick. Chilli is known to have many health benefits,  it  is full of capsaicins that have a thermic effect on the body, speeding up the metabolic rate, aiding weight loss, and keeping colds at bay.In the bag it smells really strong, the kind of strong that throws you backwards, but it's rather intriguing. The cocktail of spices in the bag look like something you would throw into a curry, it's all very exciting.

In the cup it's still smells incredibly strong, but just like the winter spice, the smell is no reflection of the taste. It's delightfully refreshing, at first it just tastes like lightly flavoured hot water, but as the water hits the taste buds you get a sweet aroma instantly followed by the kick. It doesn't burn or feel uncomfortable but is very warming and is great for clearing the sinuses. I would definitely recommend this for someone who likes something different, exciting, and looking to keep the colds away.


Pure Lemongrass Tea (Soothing Sweetness)

I love lemongrass!!!! I love the smell and taste of tai green curry and other oriental foods so I couldn't wait to dig this out the box. Lemongrass contains a number of volatile oils, including citral that acts as an antioxidant that can help protect your cells from damage by free radicals. Studies have also shown it to be anti-inflammatory as well as possessing sedative effect that can help you sleep. This really excited me as I know my sleep quality is not great, I get more than enough sleep, but never wake up feeling refreshed and awake.

The little bag of sticks make for an interesting looking tea bag, however the smell is a little disappointing, it just smells like tea. However, again when you pour the hot water on you get that beautiful sweet lemony aroma that I would honestly wear as a perfume. It's a very honest smell, it doesn't that doesn't suggest the tea will be strong, but tinted with taste. I can't deny that I'm a little disappointed that this tea wasn't a bit stronger, however it is lovely non the less. It's very refreshing at the end of the night, I could imagine it being lovely in the summer. The water has a delicate citrusy ting to it that makes it very enjoyable and relaxing. I will definitely be buying more of this tea, I think if your looking for something refreshing that may also help you sleep, think about Lemongrass.

Have You Ever Seen Such Delicious Looking Tea Bags?

Silver Tips White Tea (The Great White)

I have never tried white tea before, and in all honesty I won't be trying it again. White tea is supposed to be the healthiest tea of all, it is the least processed and has the highest anti-oxidant levels. It actually has loads of other benefits to, from keeping the heart healthy to the skin, I would seriously recommend researching this one. I was so disappointed by this tea though. So the bag looks like a load of little twigs and they smells earthy and muddy.

In the hot water the smell is more diluted, but the taste is really bitter and muddy. It may be full of antioxidants but to me it tastes worse than green tea. The water was almost colourless, I added some milk to see if it would improve the taste, and it did slightly, but it was no way near as nice as a normal cup of tea. If you like green tea and want to take it to the next level you should definitely try this, if your not too keen I would give this a miss, theres' plenty of other ways to get healthy.


Super Fruit (Berry Blast)

I have tried many fruity and berry flavoured teas, and while I don't mind them, they don't really excite me enough to choose them over regular tea. I hoping Super Fruit would be stronger and more exciting, filled with the well known super food cranberries and blueberries, it looks colourful and vibrant in the bag and smells fruity sweets. Cranberries are full of antioxidants and are also inflammatory, whilst blueberries are even better with studies showing they improve memory, heart health and decrease risks of cancer!

So with the hot water added the water turns to a vibrant shade of pinkie red and smells like a hot berry filling. I'm pleased to say that this one actually tastes stronger than other fruity teas I have tried, in fact it's almost like drinking warm juice. It's defiantly something I could get used to, particularly in the summer I think it would taste brilliant as an iced tea. I all honesty though the best way to get the benefits of this tea is to eat the berries themselves, but those looking for a fruity boost will probably enjoy this.


Only one more chapter to go!!!! Tune in next week for the final instalment.