I don’t know about you guys, but I’m partied out. All the festivites… the wining, dining, indulging… with mutliple holidays/reasons to celebrate (Christmas, New Years, a House-warming, and a Birthday), I’m more than ready for a detox.

So let’s get down to it: tea. Tea is probably the easiest, healthiest and most natural solution to the “I ate too many fatty/greasy/sugary things this holiday season and now I feel like an elephant” problem. It’s also a great resolution to drink more tea this year if you’re a little late with coming up with one, because there are copious benefits to drinking tea that most people are unaware of. Whether you have a cup to start your day, finish your lunch, or snuggle up before bed with, it could quite literally change your life (or at least how you feel). Here are some of my recommendations for getting your detox on:

Green Tea: This tea type has been proven to suppress the appetite and pump you full of antioxidants. Antioxidants destroy free radicals which allows your body to heal and maintain well-being. It is probably the best tea to drink if you’re trying to lose weight (along with Oolongs) as they increase your calorie burning ability by speeding up your metabolism.

White Tea: A more delicately processed tea that is extremely rich in antioxidants, meaning it is the best fix if you are trying to boost your immune system. It is also the least oxidized of the teas so the caffeine levels are very low. There’s a new trend happening of companies using white tea in their skincare products too, so you might even notice yourself with a bit of a ‘glow’ from drinking this tea.

Pu’erh Tea: A fermented black tea that tends to be earthier in flavour since it is buried underground in caves in China and left to age (and just like wine, it gets better because of this). It contains probiotics like yogurt, which have a lot of potential benefits, like lowering both cholesterol and blood pressure. Pu’erh teas also aid with digestion and could possibly help to maintain lactose intolerance.

Rooibos: This caffeine free tisane is a powerhouse! It comes from South Africa and has been known to cure insomnia, hangovers, and even prevent dementia. Plus, it’s another great fix for your skin! Other benefits include it’s anti-viral, anti-spasmodic and anti-allergy properties, as well as iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin C and fluoride. How does it all fit in one cup?

Tea with Ginseng: Ginseng has been used for thousands of years to improve health, so it’s a guarantee fix. It has benefits such as lowering cholesterol, increasing energy and endurance, reducing fatigue and the effects of stress, and preventing infections. It is said to have a sharp, coppery taste that might be somewhat bitter, but you may find it blended in a tea with other ingredients that make it more pleasing to your palette.

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Interested in learning more? You should be able to find out a lot just by doing a Google search, but you can head right over to Your Cup of Tea and get a thorough break down of the history of tea drinking and many of the benefits involved. You should also visit sites like Chinese-Herbs.org to find out more about specific ingredients to look for in your tea and why.

Make sure to check back next week for Part 2 of It’s Tea Time! This time around I’ll be focusing on how to use and serve tea at a special event. Hope you’re as excited as I am. Until then, happy detoxing!

{images from *Cinnamon,  michenv, and Archangeli on Flickr}