Our herbal tea section at the Shoppe includes a number of my favorites – here’s what we carry and why I like each one and/or how I use them:
Traditional Medicinal Throat Coat Tea (caffeine free)
This tea contains slippery elm and marshmallow root; two herbs that soothe and heal the intestinal lining. They also soothe the mucous membranes in the throat.
I’ve given this tea to my kids since they were babies (I just poured it into a bottle for them) whenever they had a cough or sore throat.
Name Rooibos tea (caffeine free)
Rooibos, also known as red tea, is an herb native to the Cederberg region of South Africa. It has a deep, earthy vanilla flavor, is rich in antioxidants and is known for its calming effects. Made from pure broad-leaf tea from 500-year-old wild tea trees, it contains no caffeine and is great for bedtime.
This pure Rooibos tea contains nothing other than the leaves of ancient trees; which naturally have a vanilla undertone. Although it’s also good for bedtime, it’s actually my favorite breakfast tea. It tastes just as good on its own as with a dash of almond milk. I easily drink 3-4 cups of this rooibos per day.
Name Honeybush Tea (caffeine free)
Numi is a special tea company because it does not use flavoring oils in its teas, but instead flavors its teas with whole dried fruits, herbs, spices and flowers.
Honeybush tastes similar to rooibos, but has a lighter, milder flavor and a hint of natural sweetness. This is my favorite tea to drink in the evening or over ice.
Numi Matcha roasted rice green tea (caffeine)
Please note that green tea contains caffeine. I first experienced this special style of green tea with roasted rice when I lived in Tokyo and I was immediately hooked!
I know it sounds strange, but it doesn’t taste like rice at all – instead, it tastes like the best green tea you’ve ever had, with a nutty, roasted aroma. Yummy!
Consider purchasing a stylish teapot with matching cup(s) – something that reflects your unique style and makes you feel a certain way when you look at it. It could make you happy, peaceful, rested, or make you laugh. I have different teapots that I use to create or reflect different moods – my frog teapot (purchased at HomeSense for $11!) never fails to elicit rave comments. Teapots can be purchased very cheaply at discount stores or Chinese markets – just make sure they are made of ceramic or porcelain. Look for teapots and cups made from inert materials that won’t transfer chemicals or heavy metals into your tea (cast iron would be fine, though, especially if you’re anemic!).
Original post July 2011. Last updated July 2020.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
