Your Guide To Finding The Perfect Tea That Fits The Mood

What do you do on those days when stress is high, work is unrelenting, the kids are screaming, or you feel a nasty cold coming on? Relief and recovery are only a teacup away! This is a read you don’t want to miss because you will find it highly beneficial.

What Are “Moods?”

We are all very familiar with the myriad of feelings and emotions we go through on any given day. Some days are great, while others are kind of “blah.” Then there are those days we’d rather crawl under a rock to block the outside world out.

All of the ups and downs we experience are known as “moods” (or our state of mind.) Unfortunately, there are times when those moods need a boost. Just as yoga, breathing exercises, Tai Chi, and relaxation techniques help us feel better, tea also has the power to help our moods. 

So, what causes us to have certain moods?

Environmental Triggers

Triggers are those things that cause us to feel a certain way. Something like a non-stop, hectic morning at work is draining, leaving us exhausted, unable to focus, and downright tired. A weather-related trigger might be a gloomy rainy day that leaves us with the “blahs.” 

Psychological and Physiological Influences

Our moods can often be a result of chemical imbalances within our brain. These imbalances can cause certain disorders such as depression, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, etc. Likewise, if we have chronic painful medical conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other inflammatory conditions, we may have times where we feel run down, depressed, anxious, or unable to sleep.

Whether our mood is affected by our environment, mental disorders, or issues going on in our body, tea is beneficial. Just how tea helps conditions and disorders is something we will look at from a few evidence-based studies.

Can Tea Change Your Mood?

So, now we get down to the nitty-gritty of just how tea benefits and helps our moods. We start with black tea. Black tea is a true tea that includes green, oolong, yellow, and white teas. The Psychopharmacology Journal published a research study that mentions how flavonoids in black tea help to calm and relax us. Theanine (a constituent in tea) stimulates the alpha wave in the brain. Test subjects who consumed tea began to feel a sense of relaxation 40 minutes after drinking tea. This state of relaxation is what we feel when our brain’s alpha wave is stimulated. 

Furthermore, researchers also discovered that another constituent in tea called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) induces a mild sedating effect while reducing cortisol (stress hormone.) Lastly, the study notes that the intentional time of having tea is relaxing in and of itself.

Another published research article entitled “Acute Effects of Tea Consumption On Attention And Mood” mirrors the findings in the previous study we mentioned. Additionally, it is noted that caffeine releases certain neurotransmitters that cause arousal, alertness, attention, and focus. Both caffeine and theanine were found to elevate the test subject’s overall mood. 

Different Teas For Different Moods

It is quite possible to select teas to match a mood. Many tea drinkers have their “mood teas” stashed in a cabinet or pantry, ready to make a brew when they have a bad day, or they aren’t feeling well. Tea for emotions is a natural remedy that’s much more healthy and beneficial than reaching for a pill or a glass of alcohol. So, let’s see what true teas (black, green, oolong, yellow, white) and herbal teas match certain moods.

Mood: “Feeling Under The Weather”

Throat Soother

Honey-lemon tea is the perfect go-to tea to help soothe raw throats associated with allergies, viruses, or upper respiratory infection. The Pacific College of Health & Science published an article on how phenols in tea inhibit bacteria that lead to strep throat. Drinking or gargling with the tea helps fight off what’s ailing the throat.

Another study (“Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research”) mentions honey as having medicinal benefits by acting as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antimicrobial. Just what the doctor ordered for healing a nasty sore throat.

Congestion Relief

Clove tea was mentioned as being beneficial to help relieve painful congestion in an article (“Syzygium aromaticum L. (Myrtaceae): Traditional Uses, Bioactive Chemical Constituents, Pharmacological and Toxicological Activities”) because it is an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, pain reliever, and decongestant.

Colds

Ginger tea is the focus of the National Health Institute’s study, which highlights the pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger. 

Tummy Trouble

Hummingbird Tearoom’s Tea Lady has the perfect tea blend for when your stomach begins to act up. Her “Ginger-Black Tea” blend is easy to make.

Ingredients:

• Black tea (Assam, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Ceylon, or Darjeeling)
• 3 thin slices of fresh ginger (skin on)
• Slice of fresh lemon

All-Over Aches:

Here is another recipe (Turmeric Ginger Tea Shot) from Hummingbird Tearoom’s Tea Lady that helps ease generalized aches and pain. Combine all of the below ingredients and drink.

Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon of organic turmeric powder
• Juice from half of a fresh lemon
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• ½ cup of hot water
• ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper

A study on turmeric (“Curcumin: A Review of Its’ Effects on Human Health”) indicates this spice as having anti-inflammatory benefits; however, for our body to absorb turmeric, we would need to add black pepper. “Piperine” (a constituent in pepper) increases bioavailability by 2000%.

Mood: “Alertness, Pick-Me-Up, And Reenergize”

Black tea is perfect for getting yourself back up and going full-speed ahead. For those afternoons when you need a boost in energy, black tea fits the bill!

• Assam 
• Matcha
• English Breakfast
• Marrakesh Mint
• Lemon Verbena Mint
• Thai Peppermint

Mood: “Relaxation, Anxiety, And Irritability”

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is one of the leading tisanes (herbal tea) that many reach for when trying to relax, get to sleep, or as an evening caffeinated tea alternative. According to “Efficacy of Chamomile in the Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome: A Systemic Review,” the flowers of the chamomile plant acts as an antispasmodic along with a constituent in the tea (spiroether) causes tense muscles to relax and also acts as an antispasmodic. 

Lavender Tea

Researchers discovered in a study that the sedating effect of lavender is equivalent to 0.5 mg of a sedative called Lorazepam.

Be Intentional With Your Tea Time

Did you know that your mood is quickly lifted when brewing and drinking tea? Every movement you make as you measure your loose leaf tea, pour the water in to steep the tea and wait as your tea is a few moments where time stands still. These moments are where you anticipate having that tea. As you sip the tea, your brain sends signals out to your body to relax. It’s this special time that you reconnect with your inner self. 

Tea: The Perfect Mood Buster!

So, what kind of tea improves moods? Black, green, oolong, yellow and white tea helps our moods as well as some tisanes (herbal tea.) As you can see, tea has some amazing benefits. Perhaps there is something to becoming a teetotaller!

We would love to hear your comments on various teas you enjoy when you are in certain moods. 

The Tea Lady here at Hummingbird Tearoom is always available to help you find the perfect tea for your moods. The wonderful thing about tea is there are so many that you can choose from to match a mood. 

Give us a call today to get your own personal “mood-matching” tea.