Citrus May Boost Tea's Benefits

Purdue University recently published a study on the absorption rates of catechins in tea with the addition of various common tea flavorants. Lemon juice was found to be the best, followed by other citrus juices. Soymilk, ricemilk, and cow's milk were also tested. Read the full article here.

Tea Cocktails

Lately, I've been concocting some tea liqueurs and cocktails. I find that they are great for cold weather, especially at holiday parties. I just posted seven tea cocktail recipes on VeeTea. Here's the recipe for my current favorite:

Earl Green Liqueur

1 pint good quality vodka
3 teaspoons Earl Green Tealeaves (or, if you prefer, Earl Grey)
Simple syrup to taste (about 3/4 cup)*

Steep the tealeaves in the vodka for about 20 hours, but no more than 24. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Add simple syrup to taste. Serve chilled or over ice.

*Simple syrup is easy to make and can be used for iced tea, liqueurs, and any other liquid you don't want to heat in order to sweeten. It keeps for about 2-3 weeks sealed and refridgerated.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Bring water to a boil. Stir in sugar until it dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in a sealed jar or Tupperware container.


Check out more "mar-tea-nis" on VeeTea!

London Tourism Ad Campaign... with Urination

As one of the world's leading tourist destinations, you'd think that London wouldn't have to go to sad extremes in its tourism ad campaigns. You'd be wrong. What's really weird (but not weirder than urination in a teacup as a tourist lure... perhaps I mean "also weird") is that the guy is supposed to be a punk, but looks more like a skinhead neo-Nazi. What was the stylist thinking?!

Caffeinated Cities

A recent study investigated caffeine consumption in major US cities (or, as I like to call it, "Caffeination Across the Nation"). Read the full article, or just skip to the tea results, which I've copied below.

Most Tea Consumption (Green tea, iced tea, black tea):
1. Miami
2. Tampa
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Philadelphia
5. Atlanta

Least Tea Consumption (Green tea, iced tea, black tea):
1. Minneapolis/St. Paul
2. Detroit
3. San Francisco/Oakland
4. Seattle/Tacoma
5. Boston

Seattle and Boston were non-shockers for the "Least Tea Consumption" list, for obvious reasons. San Francisco, on the other hand, was completely unexpected. Perhaps it's because of the "(Green tea, iced tea, black tea)" specification. What about other types? Had oolong, white, and pu-erh been included, would SF be off the list for "least tea consumption?" Another arguement for SF's low level of caffeination: "...considering how much it costs to live in San Fran (and New York City, which was also on the list), I'm surprised anybody there can afford caffeine once they get done paying the rent." Two points for Widge at NeedCoffee.

Tea Towels

Check out these hipster tea towels from down under. (Click "Tea Towels" under "Top Ten.") Very cool. My favorites are the boy with the teaware behind him and "I (heart) Tea Time with you." Cool.

Have a good weekend!

More FAQs

I get a lot of questions through VeeTea. Every now and then, I compile them for my blog.


What kind of acid does tea have?

The types of acids in tea are naturally-occurring in plants. They include phenols (which tend to be aromatic and flavorful) and tannins (which give black teas a more "tart" taste). Tannins include catechins, which have a variety of health benefits. EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate, reputed to aid in weight loss and prevent cancer) is the most common catechin in tea. Though tea does not contain hydrochloric acid, the caffeine in it increases hydrochloric acid production in the stomach of people with caffeine sensitivity. Contrary to popular belief, tea does NOT contain tannic acid.


I'm having an allergic reaction to a tisane I drank. What should I do?

Consult a doctor or an herbalist immediately if your symptoms are strong, get worse, or do not go away. Please note that I am NOT a doctor or an herbalist. Herbs are very potent things, so try to be careful with which ones you make into tisanes. (For example, if you have hayfever, you should stay away from chamomile.) Do a little research on what you're drinking. If it's commonly used, read up on it a bit. If not, consult an herbalist before making into a tisane. That way, you can be sure to have the right variety, right part of the plant, right dosage, and right herb for you. Also remember that your reaction may not be to the herb itself. It could be to pesticides or fertilizers applied to the plant, or to an added flavoring. It could also be the dosage (too high), the pot you made it in (aluminum*), or a reaction with another herb or medication you are taking. Don't let this scare you off tisanes any more than the nutrition label scares you off your favorite junk food--just be aware of what you're taking in.

*Please NEVER prepare your tisanes in an aluminum pot, as aluminum is highly reactive and can make your perfectly good tisane turn toxic.


If you're a tea consultant, then why do you have free information on VeeTea and your blog?

Because I'm a generous and caring person. And because it's very, very good for web optimization. (Also, I'm not just a consultant--I write copy for other sites for the same reason. Strong content pulls in way more traffic than a simple sales site ever could.)


Left wanting more? Read a previous list of VeeTea FAQs.

Holiday Teas

In recent years, season teas have become more and more popular. One side effect is the explosion of "holiday teas." Some are surprisingly good, some are wretched, some seem to bear to connection to any kind of holiday except in name. If you're looking for holiday teas, complete with holiday-themed packaging, names, AND flavors (plus an unexpected French influence), check out Lupicia Fresh Tea. Happy Holidays!