10 Best Times to Drink Tea

Tea is an internationally beloved beverage, but it hasn’t quite caught on in America — yet. Perhaps it is that Americans simply don’t understand the proper times to indulge in the tasty, nourishing beverage that is tea. Fortunately, with hundreds of varieties of tea available, nearly every time is the right time for a cuppa. Here are our 10 favorite times to drink tea — besides anytime of the day or night.

1. When You’re Tired

Most Americans turn directly to coffee when they need a picker-upper in the morning or afternoon, but there are a number of highly caffeinated teas that give you the same energizing feeling — as well as a heaping dose of anti-oxidants to keep you feeling great even when your buzz wears off. Plus, tea tends to hydrate better than coffee, and it boasts a lower acid content so you can forget about heartburn from drinking too much.

2. When You’re Reading

You can easily find one that transports you right into the story you are reading. For every genre, there is a variety of tea to match; for example:

Victorian romance: English breakfast or earl grey
Asian adventure: Darjeeling or Indian chai
South American history: Yerba mate
Contemporary classic: Black, with cream and sugar

Then again, you might also brew a pot of any type of tea just to keep you cozy while you snuggle up with a good book.

3. When It’s Raining (or Snowing or Sleeting or Hailing)

When the sky is dark and stormy, you need a beverage to calm your nerves. Tea is abundantly soothing, keeping you relaxed while storms rage outside. With your tea in hand, you can stay warm and dry, even as you watch the heavens fall through your windows.

4. When You’re Sick

Humans have been using natural plant infusions for millennia to cure various illnesses, and perhaps unsurprisingly, those same herbal teas remain quite potent treatments for simple sickness. The next time you feel a cough coming on, you should sip some licorice root tea to relax your respiratory passages and help you breathe easier.

When You’re Hurt

Aches and pains are unavoidable as you grow older — but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer them silently. Some teas, including rose hip and peppermint, have well-known anti-inflammatory properties that relieve pain almost as well as over-the-counter meds. Additionally, while you patch up your scrapes and bruises, you might brew up some nourishing horsetail tea, which boasts anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidant properties to get your wounds healing faster.

When You’re Stressed

Most people nowadays are busy-busy-busy which is why they reach for instant coffee and fast snacks instead of the wholesome, nourishing foods and drinks their bodies need. By slowing down and brewing a pot of chamomile, lemon balm, or lavender tea, you can counteract those feelings of stress and start finding more balance in your hectic life.

When You’re Lonely

Despite all of the opportunities for connection (or perhaps because of them) the modern world can be an exceedingly isolating place. Thus, turning to an ancient ritual — brewing tea — has become many peoples’ way to cope with loneliness. One study found that a quarter of young people and half of older adults reach for a comforting cup of tea when they are feeling down. Instead of moping around the house, you can brew up a bright cup of fruit tea, like cranberry or acai berry.

When You’re With Friends

With a little ingenuity, you can transform tea into the perfect social drink. Tea cocktails are perfect for hot summer gatherings. You can try any of the following recipes to enjoy a sweet sip of tea while you enjoy time with your friends:

When You’re Hungry

While maintaining a healthy diet is the definitive way to lose excess weight, many meal plans leave dieters feeling hungry — or worse. Natural tea is flavorful and filling, and if you don’t add cream and sugar, it is absolutely calorie-free. Caffeinated teas, like black and green, can boost your metabolism to help you use energy more efficiently, and some teas, like ginger, promote digestive health by soothing troubled stomachs.

When It’s Morning, Afternoon, or Evening

To be honest, you can drink tea whenever, wherever. In the morning, a cup of tea is a refreshing pick-me-up; in the afternoon, it is a source of second-wind; and in the evening, a warm cup of tea is a reward for a day well done. With so many varieties to sip and sample, tea offers an unending experiment of flavor and fun — as well as beneficial properties to make sure you always feel your best.