Tea Giving: Day 18 (Cinnamon Rooibos)

 

Not all cinnamons are created equal.

There are two types: True Cinnamon (Ceylon) and Cassia Cinnamon. The later being more common and what you find on supermarket shelves. But it’s really True Ceylon Cinnamon that we love and use in our blends.

Cinnamon is made by cutting the stems of cinnamon trees. The inner bark is then extracted and the woody parts removed. As its drying the strips of bark curls into rolls which are cinnamon sticks which can then be ground into cinnamon powder. That famous cinnamon aroma is caused by the oily part of the bark and is high in a compound called cinnamaldehyde, AND THAT is cinnamons secret weapon for wellness.

Here are a few things you can expect from cinnamon:

• Loaded with Antioxidants and polyphenols to protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals. It’s considered a superfood and outranked garlic and oregano in antioxidant levels.
• May cut the risk of heart disease and has been been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.
• Helps with type 2 diabetes: 1 gram or about half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to have beneficial effects on blood markers.
• Reduces levels of “bad” cholesterol, the LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, while keeping the “good” HDL cholesterol stable. 120 mg per day of cinnamon increased “good” HDL cholesterol levels.
• Cinnamon can improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin, the key hormones that regulate metabolism, energy use and is essential for transporting blood sugar from your bloodstream to your cells. It can also dramatically reduce insulin resistance.
• Has a powerful anti-diabetic effect and can lower blood sugar by decreasing the amount of glucose that enters your bloodstream after eating by interfering with numerous digestive enzymes, which slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in your digestive tract. It can also mimick insulin which improves glucose uptake by your cells, though it acts much slower than insulin itself.
• Beneficial effects on neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, both of which are a progressive loss of the structure and function of brain cells.
• Helps right bacterial and fungal infections, treat respiratory tract infections and can also inhibit the growth of certain bacteria, including Listeria and Salmonella. Its antimicrobial effects of cinnamon may also help prevent tooth decay and reduce bad breath.

That’s quite a list of reasons to include cinnamon in your diet. And we haven’t even talked about how good it tastes. Especially when blended into a Tea or Rooibos.

The natural sweetness of a true cinnamon comes as a shock to people when they taste Cinnamon Rooibos. “Surely, you’ve sweetened it with sugar?” is what I’m always asked. The answer is always, “Nope.”

I’ve lost track of how many people love this blend. Especially due to the fact that it helps with sugar cravings – especially at night – that time of day when you just want to pop on Netflix or Hulu and dig into a sleeve of cookies. Is this the cure for late night sugar cravings? Indeed. A cuppa Rooibos Cinnamon and you immediately forget what you were digging for in the cupboard. That’s quite a mighty endorsement and tells you how powerful this blend is.

Today is Day 18 of our 25 Days of Tea Giving which means that today you get to enjoy 25% OFF our Cinnamon Rooibos. Just use code TEAGIVING25 at checkout on the website.

Happy (low sugar) Sipping!
~The Chief Leaf

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Anti-Everything

Turmeric root and ground

Last fall one of our beloved tea customers (a scientist from NINDS National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH) who specializes in researching brain health and Alzheimer’s Disease) asked me if I had a turmeric tea. I didn’t. Though I’m very familiar with the benefits of this spice, her weekly discussions and generosity with sharing her research opened the door to the idea of a new tea blend.

 

I’ve worked in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association in the past, creating 3 blends for their Woman’s Initiative luncheon so this really peaked my interest – along with the fact that my kooky, one-of-a-kind grandmother Evelyn (Evie) was a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease and one of the influences behind Pearl Fine Teas.

I had to really think about this and adding a new infusion to the tea menu. Especially since, we don’t grow up with turmeric as regular spice in our meals in the US. For many people, the taste seems bitter, strong and off-putting. We’re familiar with it from eating delicious curries and delights at Indian restaurants, but it’s not typically an everyday enhancement for Americans.

So, with all her info in hand, I started by deciding to take a 30 day turmeric “challenge” and at her urging used ground turmeric instead of the pills in the store – which are expensive. Each day I increased the scoop a little more (using as much as a full rounded teaspoon or more) and mixed it into a very small amount of organic apple juice (about 1/2 a shot glass). She emphasized that the benefits of apples each day were important for long term health – especially for the brain. (You can read about it here.)

I was worried about too much sugar, so I kept the amount of apple juice low. In my family on my mother’s side, arthritis is present and shows up in our hands. I have had issues with my left hand since I was a kid. Strangely it’s only localized in my middle finger. I can hear the giggles. Even though I’m from New York originally, I can assure you it’s not from overuse of that finger. <smile>

30 days pass and during this time I can say with certainty that the use of my left hand improved by at least 50%. Even I was shocked. I’m a believer in many things and a skeptic at the same time which is why I have to test things out on myself first.

Anti-Inflammatory Tonic

Next came field research and trying/cupping many existing blends to see about taste and ingredients. What I noticed was that many turmeric blends had licorice added to help sweeten it. American’s like sweet. The other thing I noticed was that many were missing a very critical ingredient: Black Pepper. Turmeric’s power comes from curcumin and that needs a receptor to get absorbed into the body. That’s where black pepper comes in  because its enhances bioavailability.

 

With all this turmeric floating around in my system, I have come to actually love the taste of it, but the challenge was/is how to get others to want to drink it and like the taste. Enter the magic of Cinnamon! The natural sweetness from cinnamon is truly a gift from Mother Nature. Not only does it deliver sweet, it lowers blood sugar. (How did she do that?!) The blend also contains elderberry and added orange peel which along with the cinnamon leaves a nice natural sweet finish.

I’ve had this at our Farmers Markets the last 2 weeks and have sold out each time. Clearly there is a lot of inflammation out there and a lot of people wanting to balance their systems, increase wellness and just plain feel better. Here is a breakdown of all the health benefits you may receive from a daily cuppa of our new Anti-Inflammatory Blend and you’ll understand why I almost named it the Anti-Everything Tonic:

Turmeric: Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Oxidant, Improves Liver Function for Detoxing, Hearth Health, Menstrual Issues, Cancer Prevention, Improved Brain Function, May help with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Ginger: Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Fungal, Boots Immunity, Digestive Aid, Relief from Nausea, May Help fight Cancer, Ulcer Healing, May Lower Blood Sugar, Improves Heart Disease Risk Factors, May lower Cholesterol, May help with Alzheimer’s Disease. Considered a “Superfood.”

Cinnamon: Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Fungal, High in anti-oxidants, Protects Heart Health, Fights Diabetes, Improves Sensitivity to Hormone Insulin, Helps with Cognitive Decline and Brain Function, May lower risk of Cancer, Helps fight infections/viruses, Prevents Candida, Benefits Skin, May help fight HIV Virus, Naturally Sweet.

Rooibos: Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Viral, Anti-Mutagenic, Anti-Spasmodic. Relieves Stress, Nervous Tension. Aids Bone and Cardiovascular Health. Contains Asphalathin which balances Blood Sugar and improves insulin resistance. Great for Skin. Contains Quercitin and Bioflavanoids. Rivals Green Tea in its level of Anti-Oxidants. Caffeine Free

Elderberry: Cold and Flu Relief, Lowers Blood Sugar, Natural Diuretic/Laxative,  Cardiovascular Protection, Respiratory Health, Boosts Immunity, Aids Diabetes, Bone Health and Inflammation, Skin Health.

Cacao: High in Anti-Oxidants, Plant-Based Iron, Magnesium, Calcium. Contains 300 Phytochemicals, Balances Hormonal Swings, Protects Heart, Prevents Cardiovascular Disease, Blood Thinner, May prevent Premature Aging, Natural Mood Elevator/Anti-Depressant.

Orange Peel: Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Allergic, High in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Trace Minerals, Enzymes, Fiber, Pectin. Relieves Respiratory Problems, Prevents Digestive Complications, Improves Heart Health, Improves Skin Appearance.

Black Pepper:  Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Bacterial, Respiratory Relief, Enhances Bioavailability, Aids Respiratory Conditions, Cognitive/Neurological Health.

I hope you’ll give this new 100% Caffeine Free infusion a try and let us know if and how it benefited your health. You can find it in the NEW ARRIVALS section of the website.

Happy Sipping!
-The Chief Leaf