Tag Archives: herbal tea

Drink of the Week: Caramel Rooisbos Infusion – 0SP

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I am not paid for any of the reviews I write and products that I review are paid for with my own money. Read more on my disclaimer page.

I’m a big tea lover, and whilst Mr FFF often complains that I have too many boxes, pouches and packets of tea, my philosophy is the same as that which I apply to shoes and handbags – you can never have too many!

I used to drink buckets of English Breakfast Tea each day, but a few years ago I decided to reduce my consumption of caffeine. I substituted my usual brew with redbush/rooibos and, like with most things, I’m always keen to try new varieties.

I also love all things caramel so imagine my excitement when I came across these bad boys in Sainsbury’s: Rich & Indulgent Caramel Rooibos Infusions. Disregarding the likely inability to be able to fit them into the cupboard at home, I chucked them into the trolley hoping that the flavour would be as good as the promise – as experience has told me this is not always the case with flavoured teas.

I needn’t have worried. The cup of tea I enjoyed as soon as I’d put the shopping away more that delivered. It smelt of toffee popcorn and the taste didn’t disappoint either: it was sweet and creamy – almost like sucking a Werther’s Original. It was so sweet (though not sickeningly so) that I had to check the ingredients list to make sure there was no added sugar. As an added bonus, the teabags come individually wrapped so they’ll stay fresh while I enjoy all of my other tea varieties.

I can’t see maintaining freshness being too much of a problem though as this has quickly become a firm favourite of mine and is perfect for enjoying on a cosy, autumnal evening.

Drink of the Week: Marrakech Mint Tea – 0 Smart Points

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As I’ve said before, I’m a BIG fan of tea. I’ve got a cupboard full of the stuff; a bit like shoes and handbags, I firmly believe you can never have too many varieties.

This variety is a green tea with peppermint from Whittard.

Inspired by the tea served in the souks of the Moroccan medina, we’ve blended our smoky Gunpowder Green with pure peppermint leaves for a refreshingly nuanced infusion. We’ve even added a sprinkling of blue cornflower petals for a British touch – why not try it the traditional way, mixed with honey or sugar?

https://www.whittard.co.uk/tea/tea-type/green-tea/marrakech-mint-loose-tea-MSTR314633.html

It was a thoughtful present from my amazing cousin who is also a tea lover (she’s a bit of an English breakfast purist, but does enjoy a Biscuit Brew). I love the Moroccan tiled print on the tin and the little flecks of blue cornflower petals in the tea itself.

Being a green tea, you only want to brew it for a couple of minutes otherwise it will taste bitter. And being a loose-leaf tea, you’ll need a teapot and strainer or an infuser but it’s worth the effort: you’ll be rewarded with a slightly sweet, refreshing tea with a hint of smokiness. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up when you want something without the heaviness of ‘standard’ tea or coffee.  

Herbal Tea

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One of the habits I’ve been trying to break is that of having a hot chocolate last thing at night.  Although I always have a lighter option, such as Options, Cadbury Highlights of Galaxy Bubbles which come in at between 1-2 pro points, it’s a habit I’ve been trying to break as that still equates to between 7-14 pro points over the course of the week.

However, I do enjoy having a hot drink as I unwind with my latest book.  So I started to look for zero pro pointed alternatives.  I’ve always enjoyed fruit teas but they strike me as being energizing with their zingy flavours.  A friend of mine recommended that I try chamomile tea.  Herbal Tea

I wasn’t sure about trying plain chamomile but I found Twinings Chamomile & Maple Sensation (£2.49 for 20).  As I love maple syrup, I thought it was worth a try.  I’m really glad I did as it’s delicious.  It has a sweet, creamy flavour with a hint of vanilla and is perfect for calming the mind in the evening.

Having enjoyed these, I next decided to try Pukka Vanilla Chai (£2.49 for 20).  I love Chai Lattes and as these are caffeine free, I thought they’d be a good option.  The flavour is amazing: sweet and spicy.  However, I found that the spices in them acted as a stimulant (on checking the ingredients it does contain liquorice and ginger) and woke me up rather than relaxing me.  I still enjoy them but I tend to heave them in the afternoon when I need a bit of an energy boost (in fact I’ve just had one before writing this post).

Finally, I tried Twinings Chamomile & Spiced Apple (£1.49 for 20).  I was looking for another chamomile-based tea, but didn’t really fancy any of the other flavours.  I was a bit reluctant due to the spices and my previous late night following the Pukka Vanilla Chai.  But the box said it was soothing and designed to help you relax, so I thought I’d give them a go.  Although you could definitely taste the cinnamon, it was only subtle – in fact it was a bit like drinking apple pie!  And I’m pleased to say that the effect was a soothing one.

I’ve been working my way through these over the past couple of weeks and, although I’ve been tempted to try other flavours, I lack space in my tea cupboard for any more at the moment but when I try some more, I’ll let you know my verdict.

This is an independent review.  Please click here to read my disclaimer.