How To Make DIY Teas & Hot Drinks

There are a few reasons to make your own hot drinks.

• First, you will be buying less paper packaging.
• Second, most teas in bags are dried through irradiation.
• Third, they are more healthy.
• Fourth, they taste better, and are fun to make!

There are many, many ingredients to make your hot drinks with, often from ingredients you already have around! Here are some possible ingredients:

• Spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice, aniseed, casia, nutmeg, or vanilla. The latter is best in an extract form with a glycerin base.
• Dried fruits, chopped up into pieces. Wonderful stuff at the bottom, when you get to the end of your drink!
• Fresh berries, or other strong flavored fruits. For larger pieces, mash or puree before sticking in your hot water.
• Fresh juices, or frozen concentrates if necessary.
• Chocolate powder
• Sweet flavored vinegars, or real raw apple cider vinegar.
• Bulk herbs such as peppermint, spearmint, chamomile, catnip, cayenne, white pepper, lavender, lemon balm, licorice root, etc.
• Fresh grated ginger root, lemon grass, lime leaves, or other fresh chopped up sweet herbs.
• Molasses
• Bulk black teas. There are a wide variety to choose from, in caffeinated, and decaf.

Some teas, such as Chai, require that they simmer on the stove for at least an hour. My son or daughter often make up a huge pot of it, and leave it on the stove for whoever wants it. I like mine with only sweetener, but most people like to add a bit of creamer.

The majority of the ingredients listed above, can be used to make drinks simply and quickly. You will need a tea ball for dried and fresh herbs. Be sure to chop up the fresh herbs first. Anything you do not want floating about in your drink, needs to be put in a tea ball. Fruits and such you will want to leave available to eat!

Just put your tea ball or ingredients in your tall ceramic mug, and fill with boiling water. Let sit for whatever time is needed, for flavors to thoroughly merge. Never put milk in tea before it has steeped, as it will stop the process immediately.

Sweeten with either honey, stevia, or some other natural sweetener. Honey has a pretty strong flavor of it’s own, so I recommend stevia for most drinks. The only one stevia does not go well with, is chocolate. Stevia is an awesome thing! It is not a real sugar, but a substance that tricks your tongue into thinking that it is sweet. It is completely natural, and…good for you! It even is good for your teeth! A one ounce container will last you months, as you only use a minuscule amount. The best deal on stevia powder can be found here.

So, have fun, and enjoy making your own hot drink creations! You will be surprised at how good they taste, and so will your family and friends! You could even have a hot drink party, and provide a bunch of ingredients to choose from. In the hotter months, you can also chill your drinks, and enjoy them cold. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination!

Warning: Do not put hot drinks in plastic cups, as they release synthetic estrogens into your drink.

Image from twiningsusa.com

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