Darjeeling tea is grown in India and exported around the world. The tea is unique because it can be processed into four different colors: white, black, green and oolong. Each of the tea colors has different flavors and varying benefits to the body. It is made from the Chinese tea plant Camellia sinensis. The tea flourishes in three different seasons: March to May, June to August and October to November.

Just like other teas, it has major health benefits to the drinker. The caffeine levels in it are low but it could still affect those people who have recurring stomach problems. For those curious about the health benefits from the beverage, here is a list of them:

  • It improves the digestive system by reducing acid refluxes that cause indigestion or unbearable pains in the stomach.
  • It contains antioxidants that greatly reduce one’s chances of developing cancer or heart diseases.
  • The antioxidants also prevent hair loss hence keeps it shiny and makes it grow fast.
  • It fights off skin ailments like eczema. The drinker thus expects to have good and healthy skin.
  • It also boosts one’s immunity system. The tea protects the body from viral infections, chronic diseases and bacterial inflammation.
  • The tea is beneficial to those people looking to lose weight as it actively oxidizes fat.
  • It regulates blood pressure by lowering it thereby reducing the chances of getting a stroke, heart attack or kidney damage.
  • It increases bone density thus prevents the risk of contracting osteoporosis.
  • It reduces one’s chances of getting Parkinson’s disease because of the presence of thearubigins and theaflavins. The compounds protect the cells and tissues from stress-related damages.
  • Lastly, it contains L-theanine which massively reduces our stress levels by calming down our nerves.

Every meal should nourish the body. You have observed how beneficial the tea is, so it must be accompanied by an equally healthy meal. As stated earlier, the tea can be processed into different colors. We will identify the food pairings that blend well with the various tea colors below. For an exhaustive list of food pairings, you may also visit this.

Oolong tea food pairing

Oolong tea can either be light or strong depending on the level of oxidization. Strong teas are oxidized for a long time while light teas are oxidized for a shorter time. Strong oolong tea goes well with rich meats like pork, chicken and crab, while light teas go well with lighter meals like smoked meats. For oolong teas, you should leave out greasy foods entirely.

White tea food pairing

This type of tea is light and delicate. It is best drank with light desserts such as white forest cake and black forest cakes; and light meals such as salads and fishes. It is advisable not to pair the tea with very rich meals since they tend to lessen the white tea’s flavor.

Black tea food pairing

This tea is best paired with heavy meals. It has a malty taste, so chances of the rich meals interfering with its flavor are minimal. Pair the tea with breakfast meals such as eggs, sausages, bread, spicy foods, meats, and so on.

Green tea food pairing

The green tea type is light just like white tea. Just like white tea, green tea is consumed with lighter foods such as fish, chicken and salads.

Where to purchase the tea

To enjoy your meals with this beverage, you need to know where to purchase it from. Due to the digital age, many people hardly visit tea shops in-person to purchase tea. People instead order tea and other food items online.

The shops display the product and gives it a brief description. From the description, you will be guided on how to brew it, learn the brief history of the tea, and where else you could purchase it. There are also customer reviews about the tea to help you decide whether to buy it or not.

The digital space is the best way of acquiring this tea since not all countries possess this tea. Through the website, the website administrators can gather a client’s information and ship the tea to them regardless of their location.

Those unfamiliar with online platforms and who happen to reside within Nepal or India; can purchase them from supermarkets or their local shops.

Preparing the tea

Before you purchase the tea, you have to decide in what form you want it. They come in two major forms: tea bags and loose leaf tea. For tea bags, all you need to do is drop them in a cup of hot water. An advantage of this method of preparing the tea is that you do not need a sieve.

On the other hand, loose leaf tea does not come packaged in tea bags. Since they are not ground into powder, they maintain that aroma and quality. To prepare it, you will need to boil some water in a pot. After it has been boiled, introduce the leaves into the water. You can either add some sugar to the pot or add it to your cup afterward. Once it is ready, pour it into a cup while using a sieve. Decide how many sugars you want for the tea.

Conclusion

This tea stands out from other teas due to the various foods that go along with it. Although you can still enjoy the drink on its own, why not pair it with other nutritious foods and get massive benefits from both sides. For you to enjoy its benefits, you will need to make it a part of your meal regularly. You may therefore need to change your dietary habits. Even though you get a lot of bodily benefits from it, remember to still keep your body healthy through exercises and a balanced diet. The beverage is simply one of the ways to keep healthy.