Are You A Drinker?

What is your drink of choice? For me it is tea all the way. I enjoy soda (or pop, as we in the Midwest like to say) but am trying to steer clear of it more and more so go back to my old standby of tea.

My parents are also big tea drinkers, but don't dabble much in flavored teas. They introduced me to tea as a child when I was sick or wanted to feel like a grown up, but I never really liked it. I didn't realize until later that I didn't like it for the sole reason that my parents put milk in their tea, lots of milk. When I experimented with tea as an adult I found that I like tea just as it is, seeped in a hot mug of water until strong. No milk or sugar for me. I also grew up in a household of Lipton tea drinkers. No experimenting with flavors there, it was mainly just black tea or orange and spice. My mom will now try different flavors but most of the time you can find them drinking just those two teas.

When I went to Florida to be a nanny for a few months, there was a cupboard stocked with tea at their house (Hi Jacki!). They were from Republic of Tea and those flavors were what turned me onto tea for good. My all-time favorite was Cherry Blossom (or was it Spring Cherry?) and every once in awhile I will splurge and buy a container of it. If you want to really indulge your senses, stop by your local Borders or Barnes & Noble Bookstores and look at all the flavors that Republic of Tea makes.

I pulled out several of my teas to take a picture for you. You will see some Lipton, some Republic of Tea, and some herbal teas. I drink a wide variety and am always trying new flavors. Tea isn't just a yummy drink to warm you up (or cool you down with iced tea) but is also good for you. Tea has many health benefits and the different types of tea (black, green, white, red) all have different health benefits. Herbal teas are in a whole different category entirely and can help certain ailments and improve your quality of life. When I am pregnant I drink several cups of Red Raspberry tea which helps tone the uterus and makes for a quicker birth, I believe. It also helps shorten the bleeding time after birth and tones the uterus up more quickly. It is a huge help when it comes to any female reproductive issue and I often drink it to help relieve cramps during my cycle. It also tastes good so I drink it when I just want a good tasting cup of tea. The Cranberry tea I keep on hand for when I feel as if an urinary tract infection is coming on. We also have Mullen tea for when we are sick with a cold, peppermint tea to help digestive issues, Melatonin tea for before bed if we are having troubles sleeping, and more. And they work! I believe God made different plants to help us with different ailments.

So you won't find me drinking coffee, rarely find me drinking soda or alcohol, but when it comes to tea I have to have it at least once a day.

What is your favorite drink and flavor?