COLOMBO: Let’s Make Tea The Healthy Way. Check Out 10 Hacks Here

COLOMBO: India is a land where tea is
held in high esteem. However, nowadays, many of us are asked to ditch our
favourite cup because of health issues. While some people believe that tea can
actually help in maintaining our health, others cite its caffeine content and
call it the reason behind increased anxiety, headaches and disruptive sleep
patterns. To help us come out of this straitjacket over tea, life coach Luke
Coutinho has suggested ways to make tea healthier. The best way is to keep it
simple and not to overdo its intake, he said. Here are some pointers that he
shared on Instagram.

Addicted to tea? Try these tips to make tea the
healthy way

1. Tea Leaves

Always go
for good quality tea leaves in the market. Although expensive, they taste
better and benefit our health.

2. Lactose Intolerance

If milk
bloats us or if we are lactose intolerant, we can choose “ethically
sourced” milk over packaged ones. If that doesn’t help, ditch the milk and
switch to black tea.

3. Artificial Creamers

Use no
artificial creamers. Use only real cream or milk. Or leave it altogether.

4. Artificial Sweetener

Instead
of using artificial sweeteners, use stevia or natural jaggery instead. Or, have
it plain.

5. Spices And Herbs

To boost
the health properties of tea, add clove, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon,
lemongrass, tulsi or saffron to the cup. 

6. Timings

Luke has
suggested that we shouldn’t have tea on an empty stomach. It’s also not a good
idea to have it before going to bed. 

7. Caffeine

If
caffeine in tea is making us more acidic or disturbing our sleep patterns, it’s
better to leave it. However, we can switch to herbal infusions like tulsi tea
that do not contain caffeine.  

8. Regularity

We can
safely continue drinking two cups of tea every day unless our doctor suggests
otherwise. But if we’ve made it a habit to drink five or more cups a day, it’s
time to gradually step away from the habit.

9. Sugar

We can
opt for a teaspoon of normal sugar if we are keeping good health, have no
health issues and are happy about our body weight. Do not over-consume sugar.

10. Honey

Do not
boil tea with honey and do not drink chai when it is boiling hot.

Now, it’s
time to enjoy our cup of chai in the right way.

(Luke
Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach – Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine)