Tea is meant for all seasons, particularly if you are in India. So the tagline of a popular brand that says, 'India runs on chai' isn't surprising. Whether it's winter or summer, ask tea addicts and the occasional tea drinkers, and both will agree that tea is good to drink at anytime, and in any weather.
But what if your cup of tea comes packed with health benefits? Black, green, herbal, tisane or oolong tea, these teas are loaded with the goodness of fruits, flowers, herbs, and special ingredients such as lemongrass and kaffir lime. “The ingredients used in these teas are known to have different health and wellness benefits, apart from helping keep the body cool,” says Dhiraj Arora, co-founder of Karma Kettle, Blending & Production, which is known for its exotic blend of teas with a tearoom in Kolkata.
Explaining the benefits of the ingredients used to make these bunch of decoction, Dhiraj explains, “Mango is packed with vitamin C, which is vital for the growth, development, and repair of all body tissues; lemongrass helps boost metabolism; passion fruit is a rich source of antioxidants and fiber and is known to reduce anxiety; rose helps improve blood circulation and promotes glowing skin; peach fruit is known for aiding digestion and protecting the skin; and strawberries come with the goodness of vitamins, fiber, and high levels of antioxidants and have the bonus benefits of being a low-calorie food; butterfly pea flower, popular for its striking blue and indigo colour, is particularly known for being a stress buster and a calming agent.”
Apart from general tiredness, fatigue, and sweat, the hot and humid summers in India lead to dehydration, clammy skin, headache and dizziness, and sometimes cramps, nausea, and palpitations. The best way to counteract the debilitating effect of the summer sun is to sip cooling beverages such as iced teas and cold brews. “Iced teas especially help replenish the electrolytes in the body, which get depleted due to excessive sweating,” says Dhiraj.
Karma Kettles’s Fruitea collection includes ice teas such as Tahiti, Passionately, Pina Colada, Savanna, Blue Lagoon, and Aam Salaam. “We recommend drinking not more than three-four cups of green tea or oolong tea in a day, and slightly less if it’s black tea. This is because of the caffeine content in green, black, and oolong teas, which is still close to half the amount that you would find in one cup of coffee. Herbal teas or tisanes, on the other hand, have no restrictions on consumption as they don’t contain any caffeine. Tisanes are made entirely from a combination of flowers, fruits, or herbs, making them an all-natural beverage, with zero side-effects and plenty of health benefits,” assures Dhiraj.
The best way to enjoy these teas is between your meals - after breakfast, lunch, or in the late evenings. “We recommend avoiding tea on an empty stomach, especially first thing in the morning, as the tannins in tea cause the release of stomach acids, causing some people to experience nausea,” says Dhiraj. The iced tea collection features three tisanes: Blue Lagoon (butterfly pea flower, lemongrass, and kaffir lime), Tahiti (strawberries, cockscomb, and hibiscus flower), and Savanna (spiced apple rooibos with clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg).