My experiments in healthy living often take the form of a month-long challenge. I figure that a month is long enough for me to test the effects of a certain regimen quite thoroughly, but short-term and low-commitment enough that I’m able to stick with it.
After doing some reading on the benefits of tea-drinking, and green tea in particular, I decided to try drinking green tea every day for the month of January to see if I noticed a difference in the way that I felt. Here are my findings. (I’d like to stress that I am by no means a health expert, and that these are simply my own personal observations)!
1. I definitely had more energy.
The little hit of caffeine that I got in the morning through drinking tea was a new experience for me (I’m a lifelong non-coffee-drinker), and I quite enjoyed it!
2. My skin was awesome.
In addition to drinking green tea, I also did a few green tea masks. My skin loved me for it, I think, because it was clear, bright, and elastic.
3. My stress level dropped.
I’m really not sure if this was an effect of the tea itself, per se… It might actually have just been the ritual of tea-drinking. January was an unbelievably hectic month for me, but I noticed that I was able to manage the stress really well, and I wondered if it was partially because of my daily tea break and how it forced me to rest and meditate a bit while sipping my brew.
4. My digestion improved.
This was the best benefit, in my opinion. As someone with a delicate-as-a-daisy stomach and multiple allergies and digestive issues, anything that boosts my health in this area is well worth it!
All in all, a successful experiment, and I plan to continue including regular green tea drinking in my natural health routine moving forward!
I also took my green tea drinking challenge as an opportunity to evaluate Numi’s line of green teas to determine my favorite flavors.
My top favorites are…
MATE LEMON. I love the citrusy kick of this one! It became a morning favorite because of the invigorating smell and bright flavors.
MATCHA TOASTED RICE. This is my “relaxation” tea. Mildly flavored and earthy, I feel like it’s a very grounding experience to slowly sip a mug of this blend.
GINGER LEMON. For the days that I forgot to drink my tea in the morning, I enjoyed Ginger Lemon Tea in the evening. It’s nice to have a good decaf option so that I can still reap the benefits of green tea even when I don’t want the caffeine.
CEREMONIAL MATCHA (or Matcha Classic, as I like to call it). I use this strong green tea powder for everything from hot matcha lattes to smoothie bowls. I’ve even used it in baked goods! The flavor can’t be beat, and the versatility is unmatched by any other green tea product I’ve used.
The Toasted Rice is my all time fav! I’ve even converted a couple of my friends over to it. I buy it by the case in the winter! It has a great flavor and I love that no matter how I ‘abuse’ it, (over-steep/let it get cold/microwave it a few times…) the flavor remains consistent. Which reminds me, time to stock up!