10 Exotic & Delicious Teas To Try From Around The World
The origin of tea is lost, and it is difficult to distinguish the moment in which history and legend merge. Green tea, black tea, white tea there are numerous teas worldwide, and some are more expensive than others.
The main varieties of tea all come from the East. How teas are classified depends exclusively on how the leaves are prepared, processed, and the are they are cultivated. The drink has become so culturally rooted that there is a multitude of brewing methods.
If you are a tea enthusiast or simply want to try something different every now and then, these exotic and delicious teas are worth a shot.
1. Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea is obtained from a shrub native to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. It has 50% more antioxidants than those found in green tea. Also, it is free of caffeine and tannins, unlike other varieties of teas.
As rooibos tea is free of any caffeine content, it is highly suitable for insomniacs. Drinking red tea reverses the severe effects of too much caffeine, relaxes your tired nerves, and calms you down.
2. Mate Tea
This is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink. It is the trifecta of hot beverages because it possesses the strength of coffee, health benefits of tea, and ultimately, the joy of chocolate.
Besides its distinct flavor, yerba maté is rich in vitamins, amino acids, and polyphenols, which are plant compounds that may improve health. Due to the polyphenol antioxidants in the drink, it is a valuable dietary addition for those who wish to lose weight.
3. Hibiscus Tea
Hibiscus tea is an herbal tea that originated in North Africa and Southeast Asia and is made by steeping the hibiscus plant in boiling water. The tea has a tart flavor similar to that of cranberries and can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
Besides being packed with antioxidants, the tea is also high in polyphenols, which are compounds that have been shown to possess potent anti-cancer properties.
4. Peach Cobbler Guayusa
Guayusa is a rare herbal tea. It is one that is produced from the leaves of a holly tree native to the Amazon Rainforest of Ecuador. Guayusa tea is naturally caffeinated with an awakening effect similar to coffee and yerba mate.
On the other hand, the Peach Cobbler Guayusa has a savory, delicious aroma of caramelized sugar, juicy peaches, and spice. It brews up a silky smooth tea that will bring to mind a slice of peach cobbler fresh from the oven.
5. Tieguanyin Tea
This is a highly aromatic tea that is one of the most famous oolong teas globally and one of the ideal representatives of a long and versatile Chinese tea history. It is a semi-fermented tea between green and black tea.
Tieguanyin contains tea polyphenols, alkaloids, vitamins, various amino acids, and trace elements. Traditional Chinese medicine uses Tieguanyin tea for mouth and tongue sores, dizziness and drowsiness, memory decline, obesity, short red urine, and other diseases.
6. Bai Mudan Tea
Also known as white peony, this authentic white tea of exceptional quality is from China's Fujian Province's misty peaks. It is made from the Da Bai tea bush's delicate buds and most tender leaves, favored by the 11th century Song Emperors.
The highest grades of tea usually have over 30% more polyphenols than most other teas. The main composition of this tea's polyphenols are catechins and flavone, making this tea rich in antioxidants. Also, reports have it that the tea has helped prevent hardening of the arteries and remove toxins from the body.
7. Indian Chai
Indian lore suggests that chai originated in a royal court thousands of years ago. Accounts of this court's location vary from India to Thailand. Besides, chai has always been highly versatile, with preferred spices and preparation methods ranging dramatically from one region to the next.
Chai tea is traditional Indian milky tea that you make from a blend of black tea, ginger, and other spices such as star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, fennel, black pepper, and cloves. You can consume it in various forms and may provide a variety of health benefits.
8. Matcha Tea
Matcha is a type of green tea that has been enjoyed in China and Japan for years. You can brew matcha by taking young tea leaves and grinding them into a bright green powder before whisking them with hot water.
Some people say matcha is sweeter and creamier than regular green tea even though they are from the same leaves. Besides, it is rich in antioxidants, especially catechins, which can reduce your chances of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, among other issues.
9. Turkish Tea
Although tea passed through Turkey as part of the Silk Road trade in the 1500s, it did not begin to become a part of daily life until nearly four centuries later.
Tea is at the nexus of many social events in Turkey, and Turks prepare tea using a double teapot. This tea is also rich in antioxidants.
10. Moroccan Mint Tea
Moroccan mint tea has indeed survived the test of time due to its delicious taste, intoxicating aroma, and other benefits for the body and the mind. People in northwest Africa have been drinking this tea, but particularly people in Morocco.
Its benefits range from soothing indigestion and regulating sleep schedules to maintaining good oral health. Besides its natural mood-stabilizing and sedative qualities, the tea also contains an amino acid called I-Theanine.