Black Tea Blend
Caffeine Content: 4 on a scale of 0-5
Ingredients: Black tea* from Yunnan, China, Peppermint*, Coconut flakes*, Cacao*
(*organic ingredients)
Supports: Digestion, Mood Lifting, Cognitive function, Anti-inflammatory
Brew Info: 1tsp, 8oz H₂0, 212˚, 4-5 minutes
Servings:
1 oz | approx 15 servings |
2 oz | approx 30 servings |
8 oz | approx 120 servings |
16 oz | approx 240 servings |
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YUNNAN BLACK TEA (also known as Yunnan Gold)
camellia sinensis
Plant Family: Theaceae
Physical:
Diuretic effect: the combination of caffeine and other substances in this tea get rid of toxics and decrease excessive amounts of salt. The latter is often related to hypertension. When consumed in moderation, it could also help against heart diseases.
Anti-inflammatory effect: polyphenols in black tea can reduce inflammation and infection. The tips of a black tea like Yunnan Gold generally contain more polyphenols. This is why the leaves are also used in some regions in China to coat wounds. It’s often consumed in situations of food poisoning as well.
Detoxification effect: At the same time, the polyphenols in this tea can also help to get rid of heavy metals and alkaloids found in modern foods.
Eliminating fatigue: The caffeine in black tea has a longer-term effect (though less intense) and is therefore more effective in reducing tiredness and improving focus.
Improving digestion: It also increases blood flow, which improves the digestion of food. It can also help to soothe an upset stomach.
Warding off colds and other illnesses: Black tea contains catechins, which have been shown to help boost the immune system and ward off colds and other similar illnesses.
Reducing stress: Black tea also contains l-theanine, a beneficial compound that helps to reduce stress and anxiety and promote relaxation. Caffeine and l-theanine work together to contribute to alertness and focus without causing the jitters. L-theanine contributes to the soothing, meditative properties inherent in a good cup of tea, and is a safe and effective way to help encourage calm and wellbeing.
High in antioxidants: All tea made from the camellia sinensis plant is high in antioxidants, which can help to reduce free radicals within the body and ward off degenerative disease.
Energetic/Herblore: *A note from the researcher*
"While I’ve not been able to find any direct links between this specific tea and local lore or myths -yet!- It is very clear that the Yunnan region is rich with history surrounding Tea. Especially pertaining to Trade and Production logistics during The Second Sino-Japanese War, a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan from 7 July 1937 to 2 September 1945.
'Yunnan, an inland province at a low latitude and high elevation, lying between 21°09′–29°15′ N and 97°32′–106°12′ E in southwestern China, has a vast territory with diversified and unique nature resources. There are more than 18000 high plant species (51.6% of China's total) and 1836 vertebrate species (54.8% of China's total) living in Yunnan on a land area of 39.4 × 104km2, i.e., only 4.1% of China's total. Among 15000 seed plants found in Yunnan there are 151 rare and endangered plant species (42.6% of China's protected plants). Out of 335 China priority protected wild animals, Yunnan has 243 species, accounting for 72.5% of China's total, 15% of which are species endemic to Yunnan.'
With such a vast spread of life, plant or otherwise, I would be absolutely surprised if there weren’t any teas or herbs connected to sacred rituals or fantastic myths."
COCOA:
Theobroma cacao
Plant Family: Malvaceae
Physical: Cocoa is one of the richest sources of polyphenols. Polyphenols are naturally occurring antioxidants found in foods like fruits, vegetables, tea, chocolate and wine. They have been linked to numerous health benefits, including reduced inflammation, better blood flow, lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Cocoa is especially abundant in flavanols, which have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects as well.
Several studies also showed that eating flavanol-rich dark chocolate or cocoa can reduce insulin sensitivity, improve blood sugar control and reduce inflammation in diabetic and nondiabetic people.
Cocoa not only contains a host of minerals, fatty acids, and energizing caffeine, but also the feel-good chemical theobromine.
Antioxidants, as we all know, are highly beneficial for our health.
They help in preventing cancer, improve cardiovascular health, blood circulation and elasticity of arteries.
If there is one food that you would consume to boost the levels of antioxidants in your body - then that is cocoa.
A cocoa fruit contains 3x the amount of antioxidants present in green tea and 2x that of red wine - the two most popular sources of antioxidants.
Additionally, substantial amounts of minerals like calcium, copper, magnesium & zinc can be found in cocoa.
Fun fact! Cacao also contains compounds that may have similar actions to those found in cannabis, but without the high.
Energetic/Herblore;
Cacao (which can be used interchangeably with cocoa, though it will occasionally indicate how the pod has been processed and whether or not it’s raw.) has become a worldwide staple for its myriad of uses and delicious, slightly bitter flavor. Theobroma cacao is a small, tropical evergreen tree native to Central and South America.
Cacao has been used in ceremonies of many American ancient tribes long before we learned how to make chocolate out of it. Its great source of health benefits have been proved by many cacao takers to nourish our physical and energetic bodies.
Cacao's exact genetic origins are somewhat of a mystery. The plant is native to South and Central America, yet scholars debate whether the plant first came from the Amazon and traveled upward, or if it’s native to Central America and traveled downward.
What is more certain, however, is that the tree has been cultivated and traded around Latin America for millennia. Some of the oldest evidence of cacao beverages dates to 1100 BC. Archeologists found traces of theobromine, the bean’s primary active constituent, in pottery excavated in what is now Honduras. To scholars’ knowledge, the plant’s history spans many of the great Latin American civilizations: the Inca, Aztec, Maya, and Olmec.
Cacao has one unique feature: It’s ubiquitous. Indigenous peoples traded the plant heavily prior to Spanish colonization, which means that cacao has made its way as far north as modern-day New Mexico and as far south as Peru. Cacao, like tobacco, quickly became a favorite amongst Europeans after colonization.
In the United States and other colonial contexts, ceremonial cacao (sacred cacao) is most often attributed to Mayan, Aztec, and modern Nahua cultures of Mesoamerica. Indeed, cacao is used in ceremonial and celebrational contexts by some of these cultures, especially at weddings, births, baptisms, funerals, and religious gatherings. Cacao is also used as an offering to God in some Mayan traditions, especially in relation to agriculture and protection of the land. And the plant’s history is deep-rooted as cacao is also a part of some Mayan and Aztec creation stories.
Some Mayan and Aztec groups hold the belief that humankind was created by deities from maize, cacao, and sometimes other plants.
Additionally, cacao iconography can be found in pottery that dates back 5,000 years, showcasing “goddesses and gods offering the black seeds to humanity.”
But, Mayan and Nahua cultures —which together constitute more than two dozen different ethnic groups and who speak different languages— are far from the only communities who use cacao. Among these cultures, cacao is not reserved exclusively for ceremonial use. Rather, it’s sometimes used in specific ceremonies, and it’s sometimes not. Cacao, like maize, is a staple crop that holds a multitude of meanings amongst Mayan cultures: It’s food, it’s medicine, it’s blood, it’s a livelihood, it’s an offering, and it’s a divine gift.
And lastly, in the Aztec empire, cacao was also used as currency.
PEPPERMINT:
Mentha piperita L.
Plant Family: Lamiaceae
Physical: clears our mind and increases awareness, Enhances overall well being, Offers digestive support for gas, bloating or an upset stomach, Can ease headaches and migraines, Has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, Clears sinuses and can help to ease muscle tension. Peppermint gets the descriptor piperita from the particular peppery, pungency that distinguishes it from other members of the mint family.
Energetic/Herblore: Although the genus Mentha comprises more than 25 species, the one of most common is peppermint. Mentha piperita is recognized as a plant source of menthol and menthone and is among one of the oldest herbs used for both culinary and medicinal products.
Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world. It is occasionally found in the wild with its parent species.
Peppermint has been used since ancient times (it has a long history of cultivation and has been used in cooking and herbal medicine since about 1500 BC) for not only its therapeutic qualities, but magickal qualities as well.
Peppermint is thought to have originated in Northern Africa and the Mediterranean. In the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text dating to 1550 BC, mint is listed as calming to stomach pains. Mint was so valued in Egypt that it was used as a form of currency. In the Bible (Luke 11:39) Jesus tells the Pharisees: “But woe unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
Dried peppermint leaves have been found in Egyptian pyramids, and were also valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans.
Peppermint's magickal properties are associated with healing, purification, psychic powers, sleep and love. It is a Protective plant, it brings light and restores our spirit.
Chakra: Solar Plexus
Planet: Mercury
Greek Mythology: “When Hades, God of the Underworld, fell in love with Minthe, (Minthe was a River Nymph of the Cocytus River, one of the five rivers of Hades.) Persephone (Hades’ wife) sought revenge against Minthe. To protect Minthe from his wife, Hades turned her into a small peppermint plant, which Persephone stepped on. The fragrance released by the plant calmed Persephone’s anger and while she relented, the nymph stayed within the peppermint plant.” - @thesagegoddess on Instagram
Alternatively, in some retellings, it is Persephone who turns Minthe into the plant so people would walk upon and trample her… Mint supposedly got its pungent, sweet smell when Hades softened the spell so that when people walked upon his lover they would know her sweetness.
COCONUT FLAKES:
Cocos nucifera
Plant Family: Arecaceae
Physical: Coconut is a high-fat fruit that has a wide range of health benefits. These include providing you with disease-fighting antioxidants, promoting blood sugar regulation, and reducing certain risk factors for heart disease. Coconut can support immune system health: it is anti-viral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic. It’s also known to improve digestion and absorption of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, Improve insulin secretion and symptoms associated with diabetes, Help protect the body from cancers through insulin reduction and removal of free radicals that cause premature aging and degenerative disease, Reduce the risk of heart disease and improve good cholesterol (HDL), Restore and support thyroid function, Help protect against kidney disease and bladder infection, Promote weight loss and lastly, Help keep hair and skin healthy, prevent wrinkles, age spots, and provide sun protection.
Energetic/Herblore: In India, the coconut palm tree is called kalpa vriksha, “the tree which provides all the necessities of life.” In the Philippines, it’s seen as the “tree of life.” It’s thought that Coconut trees originated in India 55-37 million years ago and self-populated the tropical world by floating on ocean currents for up to 100 days or 3000 miles. Their journey would end when the husk reached fertile ground where it could sprout and grow into a productive coconut palm within 6-10 years.
In the Hindu religion, Puja is the most important ritual that honours the deity or divine spirit and connects the devotee with the Gods. Both the fruits and leaves of a coconut are used during Puja. The coconut fruit is a representation of divine consciousness and is often presented with its leaves in a copper vessel called a ‘Kalasha’.
The coconut is so religiously significant that the Hindus neither cut this tree nor do they use its wood for fuel. In Tamil Nadu, the uprooting of a coconut sapling is considered equivalent to killing one’s own son. “If cracks appeared on the trunk within ten years, the planter would die.” Possibly due to this belief it became a custom in Odisha to get coconuts planted by the oldest member of the family.
*The statements regarding this product have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. The information on this website or in emails is designed for educational purposes only.
