Spices for tea: types, taste, benefits

Tea is not just a drink. This is a fragrant infusion that can give strength and energy. If you believe the story, the first time this drink was tasted in China. Initially, tea leaves were used as a medicine. After some time, they began to use it as a drink, adding various herbs, fruits, berries and spices to it. It was they who made it possible to make the drink more fragrant, fragrant and healing. So what to add to tea?

Clove drink

Spices for tea can be found on the shelves of any kitchen. Take at least cloves. A drink with such an additive has a pleasant and original taste. Cloves not only improve the aroma and cheer up, but also enrich ordinary tea with vitamins and other beneficial substances. After all, such a spice contains caryophyllene, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, calcium, glycosides, organic acids and tannins.

As for vitamins, cloves contain B vitamins. These are B ₁ and B ₂ . In addition, the composition of the spices for tea contains vitamins C, PP and A, as well as essential oil, which has useful properties.

The benefits of clove tea

Clove is not just an original spice for tea. It is also a product that benefits our body. What does it consist of?

• Cloves are useful for flu and colds. It can be used to prevent diseases such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis and tonsillitis.
• It eliminates nasal congestion and relieves toothache.
• Improves the condition of the liver and digestive system, stimulates appetite.
• Relieves stress and eliminates physical fatigue.
• It relieves muscle spasms.
• Positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system: eliminates diarrhea, improves bowel function, stimulates the function of the stomach.
• Lowers temperature, strengthens the immune system.
• It has an antiparasitic effect.
• Allows you to normalize the menstrual cycle.

Clove is a natural antiseptic. This spice for tea can improve the taste of the drink. After all, cloves are a burning spice that can irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach. For this reason, clove tea is not recommended for those who suffer from peptic ulcer. In addition, the spice is contraindicated in lactating and pregnant women, with individual intolerance, as well as with low blood pressure and gastritis with high acidity.

Clove Tea Recipe

The recipe for tea with spices is quite simple. For its preparation, it is worth preparing the following ingredients:

• cloves - 1-2 pcs.;
• cinnamon - ½ sticks;
• black or green tea - 1-2 tbsp. l .;
• water - ½ liter;
• juice of orange or grapefruit - to taste;
• lemon - 1 slice;
• ginger;
• sugar to taste.

First you need to mix all the spices (ginger, cloves, cinnamon). Spices should be poured with water, put on fire and bring to a boil. Ready broth should pour tea leaves. Insist a drink is recommended 3-5 minutes. After this time, you can add fruit juice, a slice of lemon and sugar to tea.

Ginger Drink

How to make original Indian tea with spices? You can add ginger to the drink. This oriental spice is a unique medicine. He has no equal among other spices both in taste and in healing qualities.

Tea with ginger is obtained original, fragrant, colorful. According to ancient knowledge, such a drink warms up the blood. In other words, ginger accelerates metabolic processes in the body, and this leads to an improvement in the work of many organs and systems of the body. In addition, the drink is able to cleanse the body of toxins.

Useful properties of ginger tea

In order to understand why a drink with ginger is so useful, it is worth paying attention to the beneficial properties of the product. In folk medicine, ginger is used:

• to lose weight;
• to eliminate heartburn and relieve muscle fatigue;
• to improve liver function, outflow of bile and to strengthen the immune system;
• to stop unpleasant sensations and phenomena, for example, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting;
• as a tonic;
• to eliminate bad breath from the oral cavity;
• to combat fermentation in the intestines and flatulence;
• to solve the problems associated with the work of the reproductive system.

Despite the benefits, such a drink should be discarded when:

• elevated body temperature;
• tendency to allergies;
• the presence of diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• clotting problems;
• exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

Ginger Tea Recipe

So, how to make fragrant tea with spices? If you decide to use ginger, then for cooking you will need the following components:

• black tea - 3 tsp;
• blackcurrant leaves (dried) - 3 tsp;
• ginger root - 30 g.

To begin with, it is worth brewing black tea, pouring boiling water over the tea leaves. After some time, the drink must be filtered and poured into a thermos. This should also add crushed ginger root and currant leaves. It is recommended to infuse the drink under the lid for 15 minutes. It is worth consuming only in hot form, adding a little honey or sugar.

Masala tea

Probably, many have heard about such an interesting drink as masala. This is an Indian tea with spices. A variety of spices are used for its preparation. Such a drink warms, saturates the body with useful trace elements. To make masala tea, you need 4 ingredients:

1. Tea. Most often, large-leafed black is used. However, if desired, you can add white, red or green tea.
2. Milk. Can be used in pure form or diluted with water.
3. Spices for masala tea. A variety of spices are usually added to the drink. It can be cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cardamom, ginger. The use of nuts, flowers and herbs is also allowed . Spices are selected taking into account their compatibility and the desired result. For example, a combination of ginger, pepper and star anise allows you to cheer up and get rid of drowsiness, and mint with saffron - to calm down.
4. Sweetener. Tea with milk and spices is prepared with the addition of white or brown sugar. If desired, you can use condensed milk or honey.

The chemical composition and calorie content of masala tea

Each combination of spices and tea has a specific chemical composition. However, the main components can be distinguished. Masala tea contains:

• B vitamins - B ₁ , B ₂ , B ₄ , B ₅ , B ₆ , B ₉ , B ₁₂ , as well as PP, E and C;
• trace elements: copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, calcium, etc.
• acid (the main component - tea) is responsible for the amount of these components: ascorbic and pantothenic.

As for the caloric content of such a drink, this figure is approximately 379 kcal. Despite such a high calorie content, masala tea is included in certain diets. This is due to the optimal content of fats (37%), proteins (18%) and carbohydrates (46%).

Beneficial features

Why is such tea with spices and milk so useful? Such a drink:

• relieves drowsiness and invigorates;
• improves metabolism;
• affects the work of the digestive tract;
• removes toxins and eliminates discomfort in the stomach;
• normalizes blood circulation and cleanses the body of harmful compounds;
• improves the condition of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity;
• normalizes pressure;
• quenches thirst and hunger;
• strengthens the immune system;
• improves memory and mental abilities.

Classic recipe

To make masala tea you will need:

• water - ¾ cup;
• milk - 1 cup;
• black pepper - 4 pcs.;
• cardamom - 5 pcs.;
• cloves - 3 pcs.;
• cinnamon - 1 pinch;
• ground ginger - 1 pinch;
• black tea - 2 tsp;
• sugar - 1 tsp.

To begin with, grind all spices, pour them into a container and add brewing black tea. The resulting mixture must be poured with water and milk, adding ¾ cup of each component. The drink should be brought to a boil and add sugar and remaining milk. When the masala tea begins to boil, it is worth removing it from the heat, and then strain it. It is recommended to consume such a drink hot and immediately after preparation.

Before using any tea with spices, do not forget about contraindications. You should familiarize yourself with them in advance to avoid unpleasant consequences.