Springing Forward Brings Seasonal Inflammation—Tea Can Help
With the spring equinox arriving today—the day every spring when light and darkness evenly divide the hours—we think about balance, as discussed at length in last week’s blog and newsletter.
But we also look ahead to what will seem like accelerated change. As every day between today and June 20 (the summer solstice) yields increasingly more sunlight, plants that have rested dormant for months begin sprouting buds and leaves. Flowers from bulbs poke through snow and wet soil to brighten landscapes. It grows warmer. We spend more time in the outdoors, from al fresco dining to longer hikes.
Along the way, those enlivened plants broadcast pollen into the air. The expansion of sunlight’s grip on the day can interfere with sleep. Our diets shift, and our exercise regimes might witness a boost—more time on the trails, rivers, lakes and seas.
What does Ku Cha mean in Chinese?
Annual seasonal shifts like these remind us about the meaning of our tea business’s name. Ku Cha means “bitter tea.” The word “bitter” is not normally associated with positive vibes. So why when we started Ku Cha House of Tea 20 years ago this year, did we use ku or “bitter” as the first word in our name? Because without bitter, none of us would understand and experience sweet. We need the bitter to savor the sweet pleasures, and we wanted to enshrine this sentiment in our business name.
Traditional Camellia sinensis tea, in fact, is naturally bitter. But when the tea leaves are excellent, and the tea gets brewed with care, that bitterness quickly diminishes. It transforms, in fact, into a ravishing sweetness.
All of this change—from the seasons to the see-saw between bitter and sweet—encourages us to consider wellness with more focus. As the natural world evolves, it affects our bodies. Pollen can triggers allergies. Over-exertion taxes our bodies. Sleeplessness clouds minds, and can cause inflammation.
Tea as wellness champion
Tea serves as an exemplary wellness companion. The beverage category was trending at the natural and organic products industry’s biggest show of the year, Expo West (one of the largest trade shows in North America), earlier this month. Why? Wellness! New ready-to-drink tea brands are flooding the market, leaning into botanicals to create drinks that can help with everything from focus to serenity.
We welcome the newcomers. The more that consumers understand about tea’s many virtues, the better. But don’t let the emergence of so many RTD brands persuade you that wellness teas only arrive in cans. In fact, brewing healthy teas on your own delivers more benefits than taking sips from a can. When you steep whole-leaf tea and begin drinking it minutes after brewing, those botanicals are especially available—packed with vigor and electric with taste.
Step into these days of ever-increasing sunlight—and widening opportunities for health setbacks—holding cups of tea! The ancient beverage can help your body navigate the volatile seasons better than any other agricultural products.
Wellness Teas: Organic Tulsi Twist Herbal Tea
From allergies to diminished sleep to upped exercise, the pivot to spring invites inflammation into our bodies. Those red eyes and sore calves signal stress, they manifest the tough toil the body is shouldering as atmospheric conditions and pursuits change.
Our Tulsi Twist revolves around shepherding anti-inflammatory botanicals to the body. According to Ayurvedic medicine, tulsi or “Holy Basil” reduces inflammation, invigorates the mind and relieves fatigue without caffeine. It also supports kidney and liver health. With zippy notes of ginger and lemon, as well as health-giving botanicals like strawberry leaf (anti-inflammatory), lavender (calming, and digestion enhancer) and marshmallow root (blood sugar optimization and lung and throat elixir), this beautiful wellness tea delivers powerful health benefits and energy boosts, too, without caffeine.
Wellness Teas: Lemon Blossom Oolong
Our passion for oolong has led us toward carrying a broad diversity of the style. For this iteration, we lead with a lightly oxidized oolong from China, which grounds the blend in a bewitching bright earthiness. To that we add lemon and apple, for flavor and lift. And then we incorporate heather blossom and red cornflower blossom. Both of these botanicals get used by naturopathic medical practitioners to address conditions like insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, chest congestion and more. In addition, they are considered detoxifying and grand for mitigating inflammation.
This tasty tea is a fabulous spring partner!
Wellness Teas: CHA Awake
All classic Camellia sinensis teas offer wellness benefits. Rich with myriad botanical ingredients, classic tea, which has been widely researched by medical professionals, serves as an excellent source of health help. Among all of the classic styles, though, none offer quite as many wellness advantages as puerh, the famous fermented tea of China. The fermentation process adds even more health benefits to the already nourishing tea.
This special Ku Cha blend, crafted in collaboration with CU Boulder’s Center for Humanities and the Arts (CHA), rests on a foundation of both puerh and black tea. Organic orange peel contributes flavor and additional botanical benefits. And then cinnamon joins the party for flavor, of course, but also health benefits. Among other things, people navigating blood sugar issues frequently use cinnamon to help.
