Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages globally, but many people don’t realize the wide variety of tea types they’re missing out on. Many outside-the-box teas make for unique additions to your brewing routine. These beverages, sometimes called tisanes, aren’t made from tea per se but are infused in similar ways.
To new Kratom explorers, Kratom tea is one of the most novel botanical teas on the market. However, it’s not the only one! Today, we’ll be covering five unique herbal infusions, including Kratom tea, that people enjoy as plant-based additions to their daily routines. Find out more about these teas and which ones might be interesting to you.
#1: Ayahuasca
Today’s first tea that is on our list is arguably the most controversial: ayahuasca.
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic tea that is brewed expressly for its psychoactive effects. While ayahuasca is not illegal in the United States, consuming the active ingredient, DMT, is still unlawful. It can be helpful to learn about this botanical tea to understand where it is used, why it is used, and what its history is.
Traditionally, this tea is brewed from the leaves and vines of certain plants. It’s been used in the past by Amazonian tribes and more modernly by religious communities in parts of North, Central and South America.
The tea was used in ceremonies to heal trauma, open the mind, or otherwise experience a specific part of the traditional Amazonian culture. However, it is recommended that it is only used under the supervision of an experienced shaman.
#2: Maté Teas
While maté teas are just now becoming familiar in the United States, there are many parts of South America where maté has long been a common drink. Maté is a caffeine-rich beverage made by soaking and infusing specific dried leaves in water. You’ll notice that this is just how tea is typically made.
Yerba maté, which you may have heard of before, is a specific type of maté preparation. The herbs are chopped into a coarse powder before they are soaked to make maté in hot water. Typically, maté is served in a gourd, making for a unique presentation that may be new to those living outside of South America.
Yerba maté is known to be incredibly rich in beneficial compounds. Users report energy-boosting effects as well as increased focus.
#3: Kratom Tea
Of course, we couldn’t complete this list without covering Kratom tea! Kratom tea, made from the Kratom tree’s leaves, is a popular botanic supplement in North America. The Kratom plant originates in Southeast Asia, and kratom tea has been used traditionally there for hundreds of years.
Kratom can be enjoyed in various forms, but Kratomtea is one of the most exciting ways to consume it. Plus, it’s not hard to make!
Kratom tea can be brewed hot and enjoyed with honey, brewed cold to be mixed with orange juice or other drinks, or it can be brewed and drunk as is. Most people, however, prefer to add honey or sweets to ensure the natural bitterness of Kratom is balanced out. Kratom tea allowed Kratom’s natural alkaloids to be activated through the brewing process, creating a great final product.
Be sure to check out our new Kratom tea bags for a convenient alternative if you’re interested in brewing Kratom tea!
#4: Yaupon
Yaupon tea is one of the only teas that grows naturally in North America, and yet, it is one of the teas that most people living in the United States are not familiar with. Yaupon grows wild from North Carolina to Texas, but it isn’t technically made from a tea plant.
In fact, most of the “teas” that we have covered today do not come from tea plants. Instead, they are teas because they are infusions of natural botanical products that create an infused, tea-like beverage.
Yaupon is a regional specialty, and it has been used traditionally in Native American culture. Yaupon is made from a type of holly that grows in sandy soil regions. The tea is made solely from the plant’s leaves; the holly berries are excluded because they are poisonous.
Yaupon is an earthy tea with a very herbal taste. The exact flavor depends on how many teas are used when brewing the tea, but it is similar in many ways to green tea or yerba mate. Yaupon is gently caffeinated, so it is a great morning pick-me-up for those that want something chiller than coffee.
#5: Ginger Tea
Are you familiar with ginger tea?
Ginger tea is an infusion made from dried ginger pieces. They are steeped in hot water to create a hot, tasty infusion that can reduce many troubling ailments. For that reason, it has been used for centuries in many cultures to help provide relief from some symptoms.
The spice of ginger adds a gentle kick to the earthiness of this herbal tea, creating a great concoction. If drinking ginger tea isn’t for you, you can also take ginger supplements to get similar results to reduce nausea. However, ginger tea is the better route for attending to coughs and colds.
Ginger is also a great tea to mix with more traditional teas or other herbal teas. You can create fascinating tea blends just by adding some ginger to the mix. You’ll be shocked at everything that you can put together!
Quality Products Make Quality Teas
No matter what kind of tea you are interested in trying, it’s essential that you always start your teas with high-quality botanicals. This category of teas should always be derived from safe, tested ingredients.
When it comes to Kratom, we’re proud to provide excellent quality Kratom powder, leaf, and extracts to our customers. We are also one of the only companies producing pre-packaged Kratom tea bags. All of our products are produced in a GMP approved facility and include COA’s upon request. If you’re ready to buy Kratom online, start at Kraken and you won’t be disappointed!
