As a Chinese American, I quite literally grew up drinking tea (or at least living in a house that always smelled like tea) because it's such an important part of Chinese culture. So naturally, when I started needing supplements to stay awake during the day, I turned to tea before coffee. And now that college has required me to consume large amounts of caffeine in a short amount of time, I have decided it's my duty to rank my favorite teas, on the basis of taste, smell and strength.
1. Green
This is what tea leaf fields look like!
I drink green tea more than any other tea because it tastes amazing. I might be a little biased because my mom has an entire shelf of green tea leaves that she stews daily, but it's just the best! The smell always calms me down, and it keeps me alert (especially when I'm at an early class). You can even brew a few cups before the flavor is even a little diluted because the leaves are just that strong.
2. Black
Black tea is a very versatile drink. It's actually called "red tea" in Chinese because the color of the fluid should be closer to red rather than black (which describes the color of the leaves). It's so good because you can sweeten it to make sweet tea- which is crucial to my diet as a Southerner - or just drink it plain if you need a big boost to your day.
3. (Spiced) Chai
I'm not calling it chai tea because chai literally means tea, but chai is delicious. I normally don't like ginger but when it's added to tea with milk, it's perfect. This is also the best tea to have with a dessert like snickerdoodles or coffee cake; the flavors really play off each other.
4. Milk Tea
Apparently milk was first put into tea by the British, but when I hear the phrase "milk tea" I think of the Taiwanese drink of tea with milk and tapioca (or other toppings). If you're familiar with the concept, you probably call it boba or bubble tea, and it might sound weird but I promise it's good. When you're friends with me, you'll come to love milk tea out of love for me (because I will make you to drink it until you do).
5. Orange Tea With Honey
Winter + school = illness. When you're sick, you need vitamins. Especially vitamin C in citrus! Orange tea with honey is my go-to whenever I'm even feeling a little under the weather, because it works wonders. The orange gives you some energy/strengthens your immune system and honey is just good for you. Stay healthy this winter by drinking this every single day.
6. Chrysanthemum
We love a natural ingredient.
Chrysanthemums come in a bunch of different colors, but the most common ones used for tea are white or yellow. This type of tea is also a staple of Chinese tea culture, which explains why I like it so much. It could also be because the flowers themselves don't really hold a lot of flavor, so people usually add sugar to it and make it really sweet. It also calms me down and helps me relax so it's best to drink after a long (or cold) day.
By the end of this article, you might be feeling thirsty or tired. Or maybe you're feeling totally fine. Either way, it's never a bad time to boil yourself some tea. It tastes great and warms up your whole body.
Plus, coffee is so last season. And that's just the ~tea~ on that!
