What is so fascinating about sipping a cup of tea or downing a glass of cold ice tea? Never mind all the health benefits of tea neutralizing all those free radicals destroying your immune system, causing you to age or gain weight. We drink tea because we like it. We like the taste. It is refreshing plus we are adding water to our body system.



I grew up in south Texas where drinking tea was done only one way. That was in a tall glass of ice with tea. It is hot and humid down there so we needed something to cool us off. My family never added sugar or sweet substitute to tea so I grew up drinking it straight. As I got older, I believe that is the real way to experience tea and its unique flavor.

My Mom would be buying Lipton tea bags. I am not sure if there were any other brands available at that time but there are plenty on the market now. For my family, this was the only flavor of tea made. I had never heard of black currant, oolong, green tea or chi tea. Tea was tea. Life was simple then with only one choice.

As I got older, I had to buy me a notebook just so I could write down all the available teas out there. I have tried out new flavors for me. I tried the herbal teas. For me, I just can't get into drinking tea hot. It just doesn't seem natural to this Texas boy. However, I know there are a lot of folks out there who enjoy sipping hot tea in a cup. I always feel I need to put my pinkie in the air if I am giving hot tea a chance again.

I like black tea that has a Tangerine flavor added to it. I can't speak to how it taste drinking hot but when it makes a really good ice tea on a hot summer day. I just came across black currant tea which I think I might enjoy more than the tangerine flavored tea.

I tried drinking some green ice tea but one sip and I was done. They tell me the green tea is the best for you. I thought this stuff was either going heal me or kill me. I was leaning to the latter. However, I know I will be trying it as a hot tea just because of the health benefits.

I love my tea. I love experimenting and tasting new flavors. Sometimes I find a winner and others, I just make note in my notebook about my experience. Have you taken a liking to drinking ice cold tea? If you haven't, give it a try. Instead of reaching for a bottle of coke, drink a glass of tea and enjoy the health benefits.