We have all been told some time in our lives that if we can’t sleep, we should drink a warm glass of milk. However, that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Teas on the other hand, come in a variety of flavours, and contrary to popular belief, there are several zero or low caffeine teas meant for lulling you to sleep. Teas are probably the most versatile beverage. Whether you need to sleep to wake up early in the morning, or are intending to party till the sun rises, we have a tea for you.
Satiate your sweet tooth with dessert tisanes
Love sweet but trying to keep your weight in check? Try dessert tisanes for your post-dinner desire for a sweet course. Tisanes are brewed from flowers, fruits, and other naturally occurring flavours.
If you’re a coffee lover you could try a tiramisu flavoured tisane. For the lovers of classic desserts, lemon cake or apple strudel flavoured tisanes are the way to go.These tisanes are made by infusing the flavours of desserts with a brew made from its ingredients. Lemon cake tisane, for example, is made from fennel, lemon grass, orange peel and a few other ingredients that amplify the taste.
Since tisanes are caffeine-free, they are optimal for the night time so you can easily fall asleep. They are also low in calories making them the guilt free option for ‘something sweet’ after dinner.
Wind down with fragrant white tea
Need to relax after a stressful day? Take recourse to white tea.
White tea is made from the white buds of the camellia sinensis plant. This tea is widely produced in the Chinese province of Fujian where people routinely drink white tea at night. The floral aroma of white tea calms the nerves and relieves stress as you begin brewing the tea. The liquour is pale yellow in colour, and has relatively low amounts of caffeine.
The tea earlier known as the emperor’s drink, later became popular among the general public owing to its medicinal properties. White tea restores the body’s fluid balance and its fluoride content improves oral health. This tea has also been associated with better bone health. It is suggested that the tea leaves are steeped in water that has been brought to a boil and allowed to cool down for a richer and more aromatic infusion of flavour.
Induce sleep with Chamomile tea
Do you often lay awake at night wishing you were asleep? Chamomile tea may be able to help. Chamomile or matriciachamomila comes from the same family of plants such as sunflowers and marigolds. This flower resembling herb when brewed, results in a light yellow beverage. It is mildly sweet and earthy, which soothes our taste buds and isn’t overwhelming.
Chemically known as a phenolic flavonoid, Chamomile is a caffeine-free tea that rocks you to sleep. A study conducted on seeds with high phenolic flavonoid content showed that the compound has hypnotic properties and is thus is a natural supplement for sleep.
Chamomile tea has also been associated with reducing depression and anxiety, controlling muscle spasms, and combating allergies. Of all teas, chamomile tea is the most suitable for inducing sleep.
Host a party with tisane-infused cocktails
Gearing up for a house party? Have a good time with cocktails made from tisanes. For your upcoming party, impress your friends with cocktail recipes with flavours of citrus, caramel and desserts.
The key with most cocktails is to have one is to one ration of the alcohol with the tea or tisane. 35ml of each is the standard for one cocktail.
With tisanes giving a flavour of apple strudel and caramel, you can steep the teabag directly in alcohol, making it easier to mix. White rum, in this case, would be an ideal mixer. You could garnish it with a stick of cinnamon and some pickled apple segments for extra flair.
Similarly, you could also steep a teabag of caramel flavoured tisane in whiskey.
For the teetotallers, you could prepare a blood orange tisane mocktail. Simply add equal parts of lime juice to your blood orange tisane with sugar and salt to taste. Once you’ve tried tisane cocktails, there’s no going back! These delicious drinks will definitely make for a night to remember.
From bedtime teas to cocktails, teas for the night time come in all colours and flavours. There is no reason why we can’t start our day with tea and go to sleep with it too. The next time you can’t fall asleep or you host a party, try these teas and find kinship with tea lovers the world over.