Bedtime Tales With JuneB - Having A Cup Of Tea

Want to drift off to sleep? Love bedtime tales? Who doesn’t like a bedtime tale? Well if you do, then this is the perfect story to send you off to sleep. Another in the series, Bedtime Tales with June B.
 I am going relax and have a beautiful cup of tea. Covering the main types of tea and showing the health benefits of a good old cuppa. Before you know it, you'll be fast asleep.
 Beautifully relaxed and at peace. Listen often to get into that totally relaxed state.

Transcript

Hello beautiful souls,

This is June B and welcome to an amazing night's sleep.

Thanks for being here for another in the series Bedtime Tales with June B.

Today we will sit down after a long day and have a cup of tea.

Let's begin.

So get into your favorite sleeping position.

Make sure you're comfortable.

Close your eyes.

Relax your muscles and slowly imagine yourself melting into the bed.

Now let's go to your breathing,

Slowing down the heart rate and let's take some nourishing breaths together.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Settle in now,

Get comfortable and let go of everything that happened today and let's relax together.

Let yourself focus on my voice.

If your mind wanders,

It's okay,

Bring it back to the sound of my voice.

Keep your breathing slow and steady.

Let's go on our journey together.

Today we are going to relax and have a cup of tea.

Ooh,

Can you hear that kettle boiling?

Preparing ourselves for this beautiful drink.

Being typically English,

I am in love with tea and drink tea all forms on a daily basis.

So settle down and let's talk a little bit about the nuances of this beautiful tea plant we all consume on a regular basis.

So what is tea?

Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot water or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves,

Buds or parts of the plant for example the bark or the root of a plant.

It is prepared by soaking tea in boiling water.

Tea is also a drink or medicine made by soaking plant parts such as dried fruits for example ginger tea.

How did tea come about?

There are many stories about the origins of this refreshing and enjoyable liquid gold.

This one I share with you is so pleasing that I chose to believe it.

The story of tea begins in China.

According to legend,

In 2723 BC the Chinese emperor Shen Neng was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled drinking water.

When some leaves from the tree blew into the water,

Shen Neng,

A renowned herbalist,

Decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally created.

Apart from being a wonderful drink,

There are also many health benefits to drinking tea.

Numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas may boost your immune system,

Fight off inflammation and even ward off cancer and heart disease.

While some brews provide more health advantages than others,

There's plenty of evidence that regularly drinking tea can have a lasting impact on your wellness.

Let's pour some tea into our cup now and give it a stir.

So why is tea so popular?

Tea is a very affordable luxury that can be indulged even in times of hardship.

Add to that the fact that tea also soothes you and you have the antidote to all the uncertainties of modern day living.

Last but not least,

The beautiful and delicate taste of tea.

Nearly everything can be made better with a cup of tea.

Ooh,

Let me take a sip.

So I'm here relaxing with my chosen cup of tea of the evening.

Today I'm drinking roibos tea,

A red tea which is naturally caffeine free.

For me,

I like to drink it with a splash of oat milk and some honey.

Mmm,

Delicious.

There are so many types of tea.

There are over 3,

000 varieties of tea,

Each with its own specific characteristics.

The naming and growing of teas is in many ways similar to producing a fine wine.

And don't some of us love a glass of fine wine?

So tea can be seen as such,

A fine cup of specialty tea.

Ooh,

What will you choose?

The main types of tea are as follows.

Based on the type of tea leaves picked and the level of oxidation or processing,

Tea is classified into five main types.

First we'll talk about black tea.

Chances are you love a good cup of black tea.

In the UK we're famous for drinking the stuff.

But you're much more likely to call it everyday or even just normal tea.

Black tea is also used in some blends.

To produce black tea,

Tea leaves are harvested,

Wilted and then lightly crushed.

The tea leaves are then fully oxidized which turns them a brownish black colour.

It also has the highest amount of caffeine.

Green tea,

Considered the healthiest of all teas.

Green tea is often touted as the healthiest tea.

It is chocked full of antioxidants that help to boost the brain and heart health.

Green tea is also considered one of the least processed true teas as it does not undergo oxidation.

It still does contain caffeine,

A lot less than black tea.

Although for those that are sensitive to caffeine like me,

This one probably should be avoided.

Oolong.

Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea.

It is made from the leaves of the Carmela plant.

The same plant used to make green tea and black tea.

Oolong is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea produced through a process including withering the plant under strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting.

What is Oolong tea good for?

Studies show Oolong tea stimulates fat burning and increases the number of calories your body burns by up to 3.

4%.

Oolong tea is high in an amino acid called L-theanine which has cognitive effects like improved brain activity,

Better sleep quality and reduced stress and anxiety.

Its caffeine content is in between the amount in black tea and green tea.

White tea is the most minimally processed of all the true teas.

The tea production process involves only harvesting,

Withering and drying the leaves.

Each leaf is picked by hand and then withered for 72 hours either in direct sunlight or in a room with carefully controlled climate.

White tea is packed with antioxidants which makes it an incredibly healthy tea.

Studies have linked white tea and its components to a variety of impressive health benefits including a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

It has the same amount of caffeine as green tea.

Pujer tea is used as medicine.

Pujer tea is used for improving mental alertness and sharp thinking.

It is also used for high cholesterol,

Obesity and diabetes.

Since Pujer tea is high in antioxidants and vitamin C,

Drinking a cup of this brew every day can help prevent illness such as the common cold and flu.

Pujer tea is fermented meaning it has higher concentration of the antioxidants than non-fermented teas.

Black tea is the most common type of tea,

Accounting for up to 85% of total tea consumption in the western world.

Now for the top 10 herbal teas.

These are all right up my street.

Chamomile tea,

Peppermint tea,

Peppermint tea is one of the most commonly used herbal teas in the world.

Ginger tea,

Hibiscus tea,

Echinacea tea,

Roibos tea,

Sage tea,

Lemon balm tea,

Rosehip tea and lastly passion flower tea.

I don't usually drink caffeinated teas which are mostly black teas so I am a fan of all teas caffeine free.

The only time I do dabble in black teas is when I go and have the legendary English tea party called afternoon tea.

Different tea is a meal composed of sandwiches usually cut delicately into fingers or triangles.

Scones with clotted cream and lashings of jam,

Sweet pastries and mini cakes.

A party where all different tea from around the world is usually served in the late afternoon.

There is also something called high tea in the UK and the difference between high tea and afternoon tea is,

Delectable scones,

Finger sandwiches and tiny bite sized cakes are the hallmark of an afternoon tea which is served in mid afternoon.

High tea however includes a much more substantive fare such as meat,

Fish and egg dishes as well as breads and desserts and is offered in the early evening.

So when I go and indulge in afternoon tea I usually spring for my favourite black tea called Earl Grey.

Earl Grey is a black tea and is one of the best known tea blends on the market.

Traditionally it is a simple blend of black tea and oil of bergamot.

Bergamot oil is derived from the rind of a fruit called the bergamot orange commonly known in Italy.

Fun fact,

Do you know which country drinks the most tea?

Drum roll please,

It's China.

China is by far the largest consumer of tea at £1.

6 billion a year.

So as I sit here sipping my tea it is so relaxing and comforting.

I think of how much I am enjoying this beverage and thoughts of what amazing tea I will try tomorrow.

Tea is nice although I really love my tea.

I am not sure about you.

I am getting really sleepy even thinking about it.

So I am ready to let go fully and surrender to sleep.

Thanks for joining me tonight and as you slowly drift away have yourself a great night's sleep and looking forward to seeing you again for another in the series of Bedtime Tales with June B.

Good night.

Reviews

Your sleep stories always send me to sleep mid way 😆 thank you. Coincidentally I also enjoyed my rooibos tea earlier with honey and almond milk. It’s so good. Much love x

Great 👍

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