Tea Blog

As you know, it’s about to get hot.
Did you know that tea can help you keep your cool?

Join Zhi for a free tea tasting & talk on the health benefits of tea from a Chinese medical perspective.

Tiffany Smith, L.Ac will speak on tea, its function as a Chinese herb, and common medical conditions that tea might address. Various teas will be served while we explore:

What is tea?
What tea is good for your skin?
What tea moves qi?
What tea is good for metabolism?

About Zhi Tea: Zhi Tea is an independent organic tea company based in Austin Tx that strives to elevate the American tea culture while celebrating ancient traditions. Founded in 2007, Zhi specializes in artisan oolongs and hand blended original signatures.

About Tiffany: Ms. Smith is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist and a teacher of biomedical science at Texas Health & Science University. She maintains her own practice specializing in allergy treatment, pain and stress management, and wellness.

Note: Zhi is not trying to cure diseases, pretend we’re doctors, or tick off the FDA with this little event. We just love tea and are open to learning more and more about this miracle beverage. Consider this our full legal disclaimer xo

Many thanks to our friends at Tea Mag for including us on their calender.

See you soon, Austin!

This time of year, everyone is at risk of being stressed out. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a relaxing, healthy and natural solution that could calm, sooth and center us? Well, friend, make yourself a cup of tea: we have some great news for you!

L-theanine is a naturally occuring amino acid found exclusively in tea. Several studies at Oxford University and elsewhere demonstrate a significant link between improved mental alertness and enjoying 2-3 cups of tea a day. Not only does tea increase mental sharpness, but it is being proven to uplift mood and create a state of relaxed alertness. So, what makes tea so special?

L-theanine appears to be one major reason for the calming, yet uplifting, effects of tea. It has been shown in early studies that 50mg L-theanine naturally stimulates alpha-waves in the brain. This are the same activity in the brain that is enhanced through meditation!

Gail Owen, a bio psychologist and Lead Scientist at the Beverages Global Technology Centre in the United Kingdom says, “Research is showing that the alertness felt by drinking tea throughout the day has always been attributed to the existence of caffeine. We now believe that there is another component in tea which is responsible for the unique effect that people feel from tea and that is L-theanine.”

Two to three cups a day will provide about 50-60mg of L-theanine, safely and naturally. With a relaxed yet alert state of mind, a desirable state for thinking and operating is created. No wonder tea is the most popular beverage on the planet!

What tea will you drink today to celebrate this important information? We’re sipping on Zhi’s Pink Grapefruit Sencha. Happy Holidays to you!

With Love from Zhi Tea

pause…reflect…connect

Somehow, somewhere, a rumor was started that tea did not hydrate you. And regretfully, the answer boards at Yahoo.com are not always a reliable place to get information. Zhi would like to set the record straight.

Tea hydrates as well as water. Recent studies from India compared two controlled groups: one drank water and the other drank tea. There was no measurable difference between hydration indicators, leading to the conclusion that drinking tea is just as effective for bodily functions as water. This validates results from a 2010 study that showed the same conclusion: the trace amounts of caffeine in tea did not compromise hydration.

Additionally, there is evidence to show that tea actually hydrates better than water! Tea contains beneficial elements that water does not: antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids. Plus, since tea has such a range of flavor, your eight cups a day could each be unique! Today, we’ll have an eight cup marathon of our current favorite: Cherry Sencha. What will you hydrate with today?