Many Americans hit the ground running in the morning, starting their day with a good strong cup of joe. But not everyone wants or needs that type of caffeine jolt.
Tea provides a less bitter, more mellow way to start your day. Compared to coffee, tea contains about half the amount of caffeine, and depending on what kind you use, provides more gradual lift in alertness and energy. And come midday, you won’t find yourself suddenly crashing the way you often do with coffee.
On top of that, science has been uncovering many long-term health benefits from tea. It may help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer, and could even help keep your weight down.
If you’re sold on the idea of morning tea, you can make it even better by adding CBD. Millions of people already know about CBD benefits for stress, exercise recovery, sleep, and even pets. Starting your morning with CBD and tea can help keep you calm and focused throughout the day.
So strap in, and we’ll take you on a journey through the world of CBD tea. Find out which kind of tea is right for you, learn CBD tea benefits, then make CBD tea for yourself!
Why Is Tea Good for You?
While just about anything steeped in hot water has been called “tea,” what we’re talking about here is the leaf of the Camellia sinensis plant. Both the plant and the word tea come to us from southern China.
Tea leaves are high in polyphenols, which are antioxidants. Oxidants are natural chemicals that your cells produce, but too high levels can attack important tissues, like arteries. So antioxidants are good for your health, especially heart health. They may even fight cancer.
Polyphenols also help control blood sugar, which explains why tea drinkers are less likely to develop diabetes than average people. That, in turn, lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease.
But not all tea acts on the body in the same way. Over the millennia, the tea-loving Asians developed different tea-making processes that affect both the drinking experience and the benefits.
Types of Tea & Their Benefits
There are five major types of tea:
1. Black Tea
The leaves are fully dried, then crushed and left out in the air for a long time. This process is referred to as wilting and oxidizing the leaves. Black tea is strong and dark in color.
Think English Breakfast tea, Earl Grey, and Darjeeling. Black tea is also the base of chai, the sweet, spicy Indian drink.
Black tea has the highest caffeine content of all teas. If you’re a sleepyhead in the mornings, a drink of CBD and black tea can help wake you up while keeping the jitters to a minimum.
2. Green Tea
The leaves are immediately wilted using steam or fire to prevent oxidation from occurring. The lack of oxidation means green tea is a more delicate brew with less caffeine than either black or Oolong tea.
Green tea is probably the most intensely studied tea because it’s very high in antioxidants, so it may have the biggest health benefits. For instance, in one study, it seemed to counteract damage from smoking in a way that black tea did not.
An animal study also found that green tea appears to increase muscle endurance. A cup of CBD and green tea could be a great way to start a day of exercise or heavy labor.
3. White Tea
The leaves are neither wilted nor oxidized; instead, white tea is made from buds of the tea plant, making it the mildest of all the teas. This fact also means white tea is lower in caffeine yet also relatively high in antioxidants, like green tea.
White tea is newer to Western markets than black or green teas, and it hasn’t been as well studied. Nonetheless, it likely brings similar benefits as green tea. Some test-tube studies of white tea have found some exciting cancer-fighting potential.
If you’re sensitive to caffeine and don’t like the bitterness of more processed teas, a cup of CBD and white tea could be the thing for you.
4. Oolong Tea
These leaves are the same as black tea, except they’re only left to oxidize for half the time, making it slightly more mild-flavored than black or Pu-erh tea. Tea connoisseurs describe its flavor as somewhere between light and floral and dark and chocolatey.
Oolong hasn’t got a ton of attention from Western researchers, but it’s a different story for the Chinese. Studies there have linked it to improved cholesterol and even modest weight loss, though the latter study didn’t have a non-tea-drinking group for comparison.
5. Pu-erh Tea
The leaves go through the same wilting and oxidation process as both black and Oolong teas do, but then it’s left to go through a microbial fermentation process. This ages and preserves the leaves, which made it ideal for transport and trade in ancient times.
The fermented leaves also help with digestion. The caffeine of Pu-erh tea also happens to be relatively low since caffeine deteriorates with age.
Studies have also tied Pu-erh tea to lower cholesterol, and it also seems to help a condition called metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of traits linked to heart disease.
Finally: How to Make CBD Tea!
Let’s start at the top.
Step 1: Boil the Water
Whether you do this using stovetop, in a kettle or saucepan, in an electric kettle, or the microwave, you’re going to need to get the water hot. We generally suggest avoiding the microwave, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
The electric kettle is probably the quickest of all the methods and is impressive in how fast it will boil water. It also doesn’t require any hot surfaces to burn yourself later on, so it’s less hazardous.
Some fancy electric kettles even have buttons for different types of tea. For example, the button for green tea will heat the water to 170 °F.
Step 2: Choose Your Cup
For cups and mugs, there are a few different options available.
The best material to drink tea out of is porcelain because it won’t absorb the tannins in the tea and also won’t alter its taste. Of course, you can use metal, ceramic, and glass mugs or cups; but if you’re going for the epitome of tea perfection, go with porcelain.
Step 3: Brew the Tea
Here’s another crucial step that can make the difference between drinking a cup of deliciously flavored tea and forcing yourself to gulp down cringe-worthy tea water. Despite common belief, the amount of time you leave the bag in the water is very important!
A good time range is anywhere from three to five minutes. Don’t just put the teabag in then decide to go catch up on a few episodes of Game of Thrones while it steeps – unless you’re trying to invoke the wrath of the tea gods.
Set a timer and meditate for a few minutes; it’ll make a big difference.
Step 4: Remove the Tea Bag
Remove. The. Tea. Bag. I repeat: REMOVE. THE. TEA. BAG.
Leaving it in is weird and unnecessary, and you also risk over-steeping the tea. Also, please don’t be lazy and leave it on the counter or in the sink. You’re an adult, and it’s called a trash can – don’t leave a stain you have to clean up later!
Step 5: Stir in Some CBD
And now that you have a perfectly brewed cup of tea, you can add some CBD tincture oil to make it even better!
Because oil and water don’t mix, it’s often best to put some cream in as well, so the fat can blend with the CBD oil. But if you don’t, the oil will just break up into a bunch of tiny beads so it will be perfectly drinkable.
Unflavored CBD oil won’t alter the flavor of the tea. But if you want to jazz things up, you can get fruity or minty-flavored CBD oils. And orange tincture, for instance, could give a bit of a Constant Comment aroma
If you’re using flavored CBD oil, try just putting in a few drops and taste-testing it. With unflavored oil, you can go ahead and put in a full serving, which is about half a dropper.
More For Your CBD Morning
We told you how to make CBD tea in the simplest way possible, but you don’t need to stop there. If your body needs some extra TLC, find out how to make CBD Detox Tea. Or if you’re a non-partisan who likes both tea and coffee, learn all about CBD coffee. Or just experiment on your own – there are lots of ways to make a great cup of CBD tea! Don't forget to share your favorite CBD infused tea recipes with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.