TEA KEY TO LONG LIFE?

Forget expensive pills and exotic potions. The elixir of life could be as simple as a cup (or two) of tea.

Women in their 70s and 80s lived longer if they had two cuppas a day, research shows.

TEA! GET ME SOME MORE!

They were 40 per cent less likely to die during the five years they were studied than other women of a similar age. Tea, or more specifically, the flavonoids in it, also seemed to protect against the ravages of heart disease and cancer. Flavonoids are health-boosting plant compounds that are found in chocolate, fruit, red wine and coffee.

However, tea made the biggest contribution to the flavonoid count in the women-only study.

Australian researchers analysed the health records of more than 1,000 women aged over 75.

Detailed information about their diets, including the amount of tea and coffee drunk, was used to work out what level of flavonoids they were consuming.

Some 88 per cent of them were still alive by the end of the study - and those with the most flavonoids in their diet were particularly likely to have survived.

Deaths from heart disease and cancer, the two biggest killers of elderly women, were down, as well as the overall risk of death.

Crucially for women and men looking for simple tips for a longer, healthier life, the amount of flavonoids that provide protection is easily achievable.

The Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that the required amount of 350mg a day can be found in just two cups of tea.

Previous research has credited flavonoids with lowering blood pressure, cutting the risk of blood clots and strengthening bones.

Dr Carrie Ruxton, an independent dietician, said: "Studies in younger adults also show that regular tea drinking lowers the risk of heart disease because tea flavonoids improve vascular flow."

This article was originally published here.

BRAND AMBASSADORS 2016

Click here to apply.

There are a staggering number of tea drinkers who love their tea and sometimes never leave on home without it - ever. Their tea is there for them when they are happy, not so happy and all the times in between.

They secretly sneer at others who do not enjoy or prepare tea the way they do but deep down know that so long as tea is drunk no matter how it is prepared, served or enjoyed the world is just for a moment a better place. 

These tea drinkers believe tea is for everyone. And so do we.

If you believe you are this type of tea drinker, we would like to invite you to apply to be part of our Tea Total Brand Ambassador Programme for 2016.

In case you missed the link above...click here for more information and to apply.

COLD BREW TEA

With summer well and truly upon us in New Zealand, iced tea season is also here. Iced tea can be made by conventionally brewing tea using boiling water and then leaving to cool or pouring over ice. An alternative method, however, is to make a cold brew tea. 

Cold brewing tea in fact produces a chemically different brew to the hot brew method. With boiling water, the fast moving water molecules hit the tea particles at speed which helps to break off all of the molecules that flavour the tea, including large molecules like caffeine and tannins. Cold water, on the other hand, contains less energy, so is only able to bring the most soluble molecules into solution. These are the carbohydrates – sugars. This means that cold brew teas can have quite a different taste to their hot brewed counterparts, often lacking the bitterness or astringency that can be found in a hot tea. 

Cold brewing tea is exceptionally easy to do: simply put a couple of teaspoons of your favourite TEA TOTAL loose leaf tea or  a couple of TEA TOTAL Pyramid Tea Bags in a jug or jar, fill with cold water and leave in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Strain out the loose tea and it’s ready to drink. Depending on preference you may wish to sweeten black teas with some sugar or honey or any sweetener of your choice.  

Fruit and flavoured green teas are often just ready to drink as they come.  

CHRISTMAS TEA TONICS

Whether you serve a Christmas Tea Tonic with alcohol or on its own, this easy-to-make twist on iced tea will add a touch of magic to your festive drinks that will have friends and family asking for the recipe, guaranteed.

Christmas tea is available either loose or in pyramid tea bags here.

LITTLE TIN OF TEA SAMPLES

Looking for a great little gift for someone you care about or for yourself this festive season?

Check out The Little Tin Of Tea Samples...

Visit TEA TOTAL to get yours now.

SMOKED FOOD USING TEA...

The Tealady, Anna Salek, talks you through the simple process of smoking food using Lapsang Souchong tea. Whether you use salmon, chicken, mushrooms, beef or even cheese, tea smoked food is easily done in your own home.  Take a look and have a go!

MAKE PERFECT GREEN TEA...

I'm often asked how to brew green tea so it doesn't taste bitter. In this video I'll share three simple tips for making green tea perfectly every time...

Enjoy and see you again soon!

TEA TASTINGS AT TEA TOTAL

I am really excited to tell you about our new offering at Tea Total. TEA TASTINGS.

We've now got a purpose built Tasting Room within our concept store at Apollo Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland. For years I've wanted to share the knowledge I've accumulated around tea, not to mention my enthusiasm for the intricacies of the beverage.

Tastings take around 1 and a quarter hours and cover a variety of teas: white, green, black, Darjeeling, fruit and herbal, 20 in total. Whether you're a staunch Tea Total drinker over many years or a relative newcomer to the tea scene, there's something for everyone.

The cost (investment into your tea knowledge) is $25 per person and includes refreshments, 2 free sample bags of your choice plus 15% discount on any products purchased at the tasting.

We have the following dates available before Christmas:

 

• Tuesday 20th October at 10am 
• Tuesday 3rd November at 6pm 
• Saturday 14th November at 2pm 
• Tuesday 24th November at 10am 

I have left December free to cater your private functions, groups of friends, Christmas gatherings etc. Cost is $300.

Please see here for more details. To book email tastings@teatotal.co.nz or phone Bevan on 09 488 0818.


Yours in tea,

Anna Salek - The Tea Lady

P.S. For out of town customers, we're happy to accommodate group or individual bookings for your next Auckland visit.

LIFE AFTER MORNING TEA

For most of us tea drinkers, tea leaves or bags serve once to brew a cup and then end up straight in the bin. However, those lovely little leaves still have a lot to offer long after the pot has gone cold. 

There are many great ways old tea leaves can be used to get the most out of them. Here are just a few ideas…

1. Feed your plants

Your garden and pot plants will love tea as much as you do. Sprinkling used tea leaves at the base of plants creates a great natural fertilizer. The leaves are still full of minerals that haven’t been extracted through brewing.

You can also refill your tea pot with cold water to make a weak second brew that can be used to water pot plants and help them thrive.

2. Neutralize odours

Tea leaves naturally absorb odours; sprinkle some used leaves in a cat’s litter box, leave some out in the fridge or at the bottom of a bin to neutralize bad smells around the house. 

3. Wash your hands

Get rid of those lingering traces of garlic and onion on your hands by rubbing them with used green tea leaves before washing.

4. Sooth your skin

The tannins naturally found in tea can have anti-inflammatory properties. Cool used tea leaves and bags can provide relief to minor burns, stings and puffy eyes. Alternatively, add used tea to a bath for an all-over soothing soak.

But first, you need to have some tea to do this! Visit us at www.teatotal.co.nz to enjoy your favourite brew and also try your hand at the suggestions above.

20 YEARS IN TEA

At TEA TOTAL we have always dared to be a bit different - we brought boutique loose leaf tea to New Zealand when gum boot was the only option on the menu.  We perfected our Manuka & Flower Detox tea long before Kim Kardashian uttered the words "flat tummy tea".

This August marks 20 years of pioneering the tea industry in the land of the long white cloud.  To celebrate we have created New Zealand's first concept tea store which captures everything we love about tea.  A playful but organised space to experience the world of tea and fall down the rabbit hole.  An area for tea connoisseurs and novices alike to engage the senses, explore and learn.

And finally a place to showcase our exquisite range of brew gear sourced from the Netherlands and beyond.

We would love for you to come and experience the TEA TOTAL Concept Store at 5 Apollo Drive, Mairangi Bay, Auckland.

Thank you for being part of the 20 years of TEA TOTAL.