Our Life

Anyone else familiar with "Tide's Out", for when you've not filled someone's mug hign enough? Or with "tea bewitched and water bedarned", for if you've not made tea strong enough?!

I've heard, 'I'll need a ladder to get to that" – also for when there's not enough tea in the mug.

For very weak tea:

Lighthouse tea (because it's blinkin' near water)
Shamrock tea (because it tastes like it was made with only three leaves)

Gnats pee! (Weak tea).

'Fortnight Tea' (too weak) urghhh.
Much prefer the tea they say 'so strong a mouse could trot across it'.
Strictly speaking however this is not recommended as
1. Cruel to mice, scolding their little feet
2. A bit unhealthy with mice having no bladder control
3. the surface tension of the liquid is unlikely to support a chubby little mouse

If I've heard a tea-related saying, I have yet to remember it. Somehow, that makes me feel bereft.

Anyways, I do know that, when out having dinner with my Cantonese friends, they will tap the table gently with their finger as you fill up their cup to indicate, "Thank you, that's enough."

'like cats piss', for weak tea!

Our definition of Carpenters' Tea:

Tea made in a thermos, bag left in. Drink this black all the day, with a dollop of honey (if you're not sweet enough ;)

"So strong you could stand a spoon up in it". Or how about this one expressed by those who have no real tea preference "as long as its wet and warm". Which could also apply….I'll stop there.

" i like my tea like my women strong white with a spoon in"

You've reminded me of my dad's old saying: I like my tea like I like my women; hot, blond, and sweet!

"Strong enough to stand a spoon in" – I'm familiar with
"as long as it's wet and warm" – I took that to apply to beer, No?
perhaps that's where your other application was heading??….lol

Yes of course it was.

Here is a nice TEA poem..
Tea Poetry

If you are cold, tea will warm you;
if you are too heated; it will cool you;
if you are depresses, it will cheer you;
if you are exhausted, it will calm you.
- William Gladstone

I think he meant vodka.

My mum says that one!

Also if you get a bit of froth in the middle you're supposed to be coming into some money.

sorry Nikolas, if you have froth in the middle your water isn't Hot enough!

Herbal Tea is nothing more than "Hot Water Knocked Stupid".

I think I'd still have the money rather than be fussy.

'Are the cows on strike?' – when you would like more milk

'Rafting' tea is weak (white water)

I have been told by my doctor that I have to stop drinking tea.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Why on Earth would you have to give up tea??! Don't think i could live in a world without tea.

Is he some kind of sadist, or a witch doctor? If I was you I would get several more opinions until you find one that gices you the correct answer. Of course the correct answer being drink lots MORE tea!!

He's probably secretly funded by the International Coffee Federation and it's a nefarious plot to get you on the foul black stuff.

Def get a 2nd opinion!

That is just a plain cruel and unsual puinshment which sucks royally!!

What reason on Earth could there be for having to do that??

All the information I have researched on TEA suggests of health benefits for drinking TEA. Definitely get a second opinion.
80,572 FACEBOOK members from this group will support you.
.
lol

You poor woman. You have my deepest sympathy. There's nothing better than starting the day with a nice cup/mug of tea (small amount of milk and no sugar)

Why on EARTH would you have to stop?

the notion is astounding to the mind!

I have something called oesophagitis and tea, for some reason, makes it a lot worse, so I need to try to give it up completely. To be fair, they are perfectly correct, and it doesn't take a genius to realise that if every time you drink a cup of tea you feel ill immediately afterwards, you shouldn't be drinking tea, but naturally I'm devastated.

I've been drinking hot water with slices of lemon instead. I've had the most appalling caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Well that sucks and having gone through caffeine withdrawal when I gave up coffee cold turkey about 16 years ago, you have my sincere condolences

Sorry to hear that, I know you're one of the biggest tea fans on the board!
I don't know if you like rooibos, but I always drink it when I'm in the mood for tea but don't actually want to drink real tea.

Is it the caffience that upsets you? There is de-caf tea!! :)

That is so sad, I feel like crying : (

I'm sorry, Joanne.
Oesophagitis is an inflammation of the lining of the oesophagus (gullet). In most people this is caused by the digestive juices in the stomach, repeatedly moving upwards into the lower oesophagus (reflux). Muscle contraction normally keeps the lower end of the oesophagus closed, but reflux occurs when this muscle is weak. The reason why the muscle becomes weak is not fully understood.
A friend of mine has it. He had to take this test with a tube in the throat for 24 hours. He avoids alcohol and juices.

My condolences Joanne!

I know herbal and green teas are no substitute for black tea (well, not for me anyway), but are you allowed to drink those?

Or is it no tea at all???

What is it in tea that's causing this? Surely there's gotta be some kind that doesn't contain the evil chemical/thing who's done this to you!

Joanne,
I had a similar problem. My doctor prescribed an antacid prescription called Pantoloc. No more acid reflux and yes, I drink tea.

Well as fellow tea drinkers it is our duty to assist in this time of crisis. I'm assuming the reflux effect is something that is quite noticeable when lying down to go to sleep? At least this is what I've heard from other people who have similar symptoms. Again assuming this is a condition leading from excess acid rather than an infection which should be treated with antibiotics.

Some things i would recommend trying out – they may work, they may not, but they have helped other people:

Drinking 30 to 15 minutes before a meal but not for several hours after a meal.
Having dinner before 7pm and not eating anything after that especially not anything rich or fatty. I've noted that people who get this will often have a bag of crisps or choccy bar around 9-10 at night. Cutting down on these kinds of foods generally should help.
No caffeinated drinks after midday – one or two cups of tea a day is better than none right? However you should take docs advice and leave it out, at least until the condition is under control.

I'm sure you'll get to taste 'the brew' again one day – all the best.

Thank you for all your helpful suggestions. I have tried decaff tea, but it appears to have much the same effect as normal tea, so I don't think it's necessarily the caffeine that is the irritant.

Apparently, it might go away if I'm careful for a few months, so hopefully I'll be back on the brew eventually…

Another thing that seems to affect it is chocolate, and biscuits. So that's another little avenue of pleasure that's been blocked off for me.

Might I suggest the Samaritans Joanne!!

Actually, have you only been to see a doctor?

Cause a couple of years ago, I was having some tummy trouble and my doctor, after taking blood tests and trying out different diets etc. diagnosed me with GORD. He gave me tablets to take, but they only made me feel even more gross and I put on weight (I come from a family of thin people with metabolisms that just keep you the same size…but ever since those tablets, I put on weight if I don't exercise etc. so they've stuffed up my lucky metabolism! :S)
Anyway, I went to a naturopath cause I didn't like the idea that I was consuming all these chemicals and feeling like they weren't working. She ended up figuring out that I didn't have GORD at all and that it was a MUCH smaller problem that could be fixed really easily with a few little natural potions and so on. It worked and I've never had trouble again!
So, maybe go and ask a naturopath for alternatives to the diet you've been given…you just might be surprised!

Just out of curiousity, so I can determine if I have actually got an addiction problem!

No, you've not got an addiction problem as there is no such thing as too much tea, at least for anyone from the UK! So, I suggest you celebrate this fact by putting the kettle on and having another nice cuppa!

Anyway, you should've seen me on Wednesday! I had at least 7 different varieties of tea during the working day! 6 in the office and 1 at a tea bar at lunch! All of those were loose leaf teas brewed in teapots and giving me two full cups of each variety! I had: Assam, Darjeeling, Spiced Chai, English Breakfast (@ Parched, part of a cream tea), Oolong, Lapsang Souchong and Earl Grey!

So don't start worrying that YOU drink alot of tea…

Besides, 165 million cups of tea are consumed every day in Britain! The country was built on tea, so stop worrying, be proud of your tea-drinking and put the kettle on!

I won't tell you in terms of cups. I'll just go by number of litres. I've had 2.5L of tea in one day.

It's usually 1-3. I've had 14 or so in a day. But those are cups, not mugs, so it doesn't compare to the 2.5L

That's still quite alot of tea, especially for someone not from a tea-drinking nation. Well done, Clint! :)

It was an overnight post- party tea marathon and I managed to drink 18 cups of tea within the space of a few hours. Myself and two other friends had about 50 cups collectively. Eventually we had to stop as disaster struck and we ran out of tea bags! And re-used tea bags never taste right.

Well done! That's fantastic!

An example to us all! :D

re-using a teabag is indeed awful! an unforgivable sin!

Correct! It is, in fact, a Tea Crime!<br /><br />Now, a cold, used teabag CAN be used to treat blisters or sunburn. Very handy and another way in which tea solves everything. However, a teabag, once used should NEVER be re-used when it comes to actually making a cup of tea! They are only ever intended to be used the once!

That sounds like a very fun tea day you had. I love spiced chai….esp around christmas time!! i dont know why, it seems christmassy to me!

i realised by lunchtime today that i had 7 mugs of tea at work, its probably more than normal….but im not concerned anymore after reading what some others have said!

I don't know if this amount of tea might be a bit much for people from other parts of the world, but I think it's safe to say that with the pair of us hailing from various parts of the UK, consumption of large quantities of tea on a daily basis is not just nothing to worry about, but something to be actively encouraged in the national interest! :D

An average day at work was 6 mugs plus one when I get home. It started to give me headaches and made me dehydrated oddly enough, so I cut it down to 4 or 5 at work, with one or two at home (so same number but spread over more hours!). I replaced that odd one at work with water.

The most I have ever had in one day is probably about 10.

This is all 'normal' teabag tea though, not varying different varieties of different strengths and tastes..

It doesn't matter! It's all tea. :D

Hmmm. . . haven't had one cup of tea today, I think I'm going into withdrawl. . . no wonder I'm grumpy tonight. . . . on an average day I'll have about 2-4 big muggs. When I'm at my mom's however thats another story. . . it seems like the kettle is constantly boiling there. . . so I tend to drink probably 10-15 cups. I miss my mom's <grin>

Hmmm, now that I think about it I probably drink a little too much tea… 4-6 cups of black, 2-3 cups of green and possibly one cup of Moroccan mint per day… usually more on weekends if I am doing homework marking, lesson prep or thesis work. I also drink about 8 glasses of water a day – wow! I've finally figured out why I am constantly running to the loo!

A large amount of any drink will make you need the loo.

But there's still no such thing as too much tea! Not if you're from the UK or any other part of the Commonwealth for that matter…

I've put the kettle on…

In contrast to yesterdays tea over load i have had no tea so far today at work.

I feel a bit weird!

: (

Where do you work?

I suggest you put the kettle on and rectify this matter!

I am not surprised you feel weird! You are severely under-tea'd, young lady! Whilst there is no such thing as too much tea, there is definitely such a thing as not enough tea. And, in your case, such a thing as nowhere near enough tea! You need an Emergency Cuppa!

I work in a homeless hostel.

Funnily enough, it is run by the salvation army, who are renound for giving people cups of tea in emergancy situations lol!

im off to put the kettle on now… :)

Better yet…

Has anyone met their partner on this board?

:) that's a nice thought! to answer, no and no but hey I'm single and a decent guy who drinks tea so who knows!

I didn't meet my husband because of tea, but he did promise to make cups of tea for me in our wedding vows! And he has kept his promise…

Silly states university where everyone goes out for coffee dates. Although there is a fellow in one of my classes who mentions he drinks tea…

nope but i did learn to appreciate tea from my ex.
was a coffee drinker in the begining, then when i picked up tea because i saw him always drinking it, i became a convert!!

Nope. Only boyfriend I've had so far didn't like tea! Actually, the first time he tried to ask me out I was making tea. I had just started boiling the water when he came over and asked if I wanted to hang out that weekend at some point… and I was like zomg it's that cute boy from fencing, so I offered him some tea. He said no, but tea gave me an excuse to get him into the room so we could sit around chatting for a while. That didn't result in our dating, though, or even hanging out because neither of us had any ideas on what to do. It wasn't till a few days later, after a fencing tourney, that we started dating. Fun times. Pity graduation and a job has bound him for CA.

And he liked Terry Pratchett books so that made up for not liking tea.

I got to an engineering school so there's plenty of boys, but sadly they all seem to get their caffeine from coffee or mountain dew! Although I certainly have met a few that like tea. And if ever any of you happen to stop by Rose, feel free to come on over for a cuppa!

Where is Rose? I may have to have a Tea holiday :o)

Go out with him ASAP!!! ; )

I see you are at Rutgers- I live in Orange, NJ – to too far away. I know of a nice small tea leaf/coffee shop in Montclair – also a Brittish food import shop there! and a nice large coffee/tea shop in NYC – would you like the addresses?

In Terre-Haute, Indiana! Certainly quite a bit of a distance from Leeds (In the UK, I assume?)

I met someone in a jujube group…..here on facebook. He's pretty great….and I drink lots of tea.

Didn't meet my husband over tea (since he's from New Jersey). But I do have a VERY fond memory of a certain South African chap in London who pre-warmed the cup with water from the kettle. Best cuppa I ever had.

Lol, is this about to turn into a tea related lonely hearts thread?

In which case, I'd better get in there quick… Tea drinker, swindon, 22.

I have not yet met someone because of tea, but I do use tea as a testing device. If he doesn't drink tea at all… that's a little disconcerting. However, I went for a walk the other night with a very nice guy, whom I invited back to my apt for a cuppa, since it was cold outside. Him and his roommate apparently both drink tea, but even though they have lots of tea, he was much impressed with the tea stash at my apt. And, even more in his favor, he chose to have some of the best tea I have… dragon's eyeball tea that I bought in Beijing. My thoughts were "I could see where this could work out…" :) Things are good so far.

Not yet met anyone!

Let alone met anyone thanks to a cuppa!

While I ain't holding my breath, I won't rule it out, either!

Joanne here, from Eccles, Greater Manchester, UK. 34 years old. Works in Manchester. Now known to frequent the Parched tea bar in the Arndale Centre market hall… Also spotted at branches of Whittards!

I met my boyfriend about a year before we started going out. He would be crashed out on our sitting room floor. I always got up and made him a cuppa in the morning before heading off to work.
He once woke up and mistook one of our mousetraps for a packet of camels!! You'd think that would cure a person of smoking wouldn't you?!

Mistook a mousetrap for a pack of ciggies? You must have had some great parties!

I've yet to meet someone because of tea, but I do think my ex-hubby, is my ex due to incompatable drink preferences. . . I prefered a good cup of tea, he on the other hand drank coffee. . . and he never could get the hang of making tea for me. . . so of course I had to dump him. . . . <grin> <tea and coffee mate, ugggghhhhh> and David thinks cream is bad. . .

Nice question. I haven't met anyone over a cuppa… But all my exes have enjoyed their tea… I don't think I could go out with anyone who despised tea!! :p Could you??

Just under two and a quarter hours to go, here in the UK, until we are into the early hours of Saturday, 1st December, 2007.

Then, just after midnight, I shall be brewing myself a mug of Christmas Tea!

After having sampled both the teabags (at home) and the leaf tea (at work) back in late October, I have been steering clear of this particular variety of tea – particularly because a certain friend and fellow die-hard on this group said I should be made to drink microwaved tea if I drank Christmas tea again before December! (Believe me, that is quite some deterrent!)

So, I have been, and am still being, very good and sticking to non-Christmas teas. It has not been too bad as I have many to choose from and have had Spiced Chai and Spice Imperial when I've wanted a bit of extra zing in my cuppa!

I am eating Christmas chocolates from Hotel Chocolat, but will save my praline snowman for having with my festive brew at just after midnight!

Will think of you at midnight when I brew up my Christmas tea from Harrods….I won't be eating any Praline snowmen though alas! I'm on Weightwatchers!

Harrods, eh?! Mine's from Whittards. Just over one and a half hours to go…

I just bought a cutesy Christmas mug for my brew. Gotta get festive!

I totally agree about getting festive – you should see my snowmen at work! Snowman teapot and cup set and matching snowman mug. In fact, somewhere on this group's photos, some pages back now, there are several photos I took in the office of my tea-making equipment, including my very festive teapot and mug!

Merry Christmas! – Drinking my Christmas Tea from Harrods out of my Christmas mug, with my Christmas pinnie on!

I wondered what this was all about until I realized that because of the time zone thingy, the UK must be 24 days ahead of us here in The Colonies.

No, only a mere 8 hours ahead of Vancouver!

And it was more about the fact that I'd had some Christmas tea, a teabag and some in loose leaf form, back in late October – and got a shocked reaction from certain other people on here telling me it was much too early to be having Christmas tea! Hence I then promised them I wouldn't have any more of it until 1st December!

So this discussion was all about finally being able to have Christmas tea!

Well I'm still not putting my tree up yet.

I think the Christmas Tea has solved my Crafter's Block! I've finally been making cards again after not having made any for a good few months now! I just couldn't get inspired at all. But I have now made some this afternoon.

Linda, if you're reading this – please don't suggest I should be made to drink microwaved tea, but I may need to have Christmas tea at other times of the year to inspire me to make my Christmas cards and have plenty done in time for December in future!

I've mended my Grinch-like ways! BTW, I buy Christmas presents anytime, rarely during shopping season – if I see something I know someone will like, i will buy it whenever! (In fact, I don't like to shop around Christmas time because it's so crowded!) & I always make good use of the January Christmas-stuff sales!

Thanks! :)

So, when it's July and I'm brewing Christmas tea because I need inspiration for my card-making, I am not going to be made to drink microwaved tea?! Phew! That's a relief!

By the way, I'm glad you liked the grafitti on your super wall – I've done another which I've sent to you and several other friends from my favourite Facebook group!

There's a nice Plum flavored tea from Republic of Tea. It's perfectly suited for the holiday season.

I had my first cup of Christmas brew on Saturday! Oh it was lovely. Christmas starts in our household with tearing the dorr off of the Advent calender and settling down to Songs of Praise with a delicious cup of Christmas Tea!!

Ps it's from Whittards!

Making a batch of shortbreads for tonight's pot.

Can I have a copy of your shortbread recipe please Barbara? I need to make some with my class! Ta!

OK, this is in Canadian cups, etc. I don't know how you measure it where you are, my mum always weighed.

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup butter
3 TBSP rice flour
3 TBSP caster sugar (fruit powdered sugar)

Cream the butter. Mix in the rice flour and sugar and cream until smooth. Slowly add the all purpose flour, kneading gently to mix it all in. I always use my hands for this, but I guess you're not supposed to.

When the mixture is uniform roll out onto a floured surface about 1/3 inch thick and cut with cookie cutters. Bake in a 275 degree F oven until the edges are just turning brown. When cool sprinkle with more sugar or decorate with icing and coloured sprinkles, etc.

This is our standard family recipe.

Same tea as me then! My Christmas Tea is from Whittards. :)

I brewed some of the loose leaf Christmas tea in my teapot at work today. Have to make do with teabags at home.

well I was a little dubious at first as the smell was quite overwhelming when I took the lid off the tin for the first time (I am also a little nervous of black teas with no milk) BUT…..
Whittards Christmas tea is DIVINE!

It completely saved me from an "all day drinking" hangover last weekend too. Instead of going home and cracking more beers after the Christmas Fair we went home and ate Toast & Marmite (Marmalade for non-Marmiters) and pot after pot of Christmas Tea.

Hoooray for Christmas Tea!

A White Tea for A White Christmas

I'm dreaming of a white tea,
Just like the ones I used to drink.
Where the tea pots steeping,
and we begin drinkin’
To taste the tea we're dreaming off.

I'm dreaming of a white tea.
With every tea bag that I try,
May your tea days be merry and bright
And may all your tea dreams be so white.

There was a really dorkey character called T-bag. I only vaguely remember it, does any one else. I can't even remember what the general premis of the show was!

Yes, I vaguely remember it. It was on Children's ITV in the 80's and had a character called T Bag. Can't remember what the show was actually called but there was a definite tea theme to the whole programme!

Perhaps I'd better go on some of the "UK Childrens' TV in the 80's" type groups I'm on and ask them – might get a definitive answer from one of their members…

Actually, I think my sister used to watch it… I'll ask our Ellie if she remembers it. Only trouble is, she's not got the best of long-term memories…

the baddie woman was T bag

oh yeah, the boy was called T shirt. Loved that

T Bag and T Shirt! :D

I have left a message on my sister's wall but she's not online at the mo.

The first series was called 'adventures in letterland'! I loved T-bag and T-shirt. That was one of the best TV series EVER!!!! There is an online petition somewhere to have it released on DVD – find it and SIGN IT!!!

Thanks to my sister for this! She's found a link to a website about the show!

Cheers, Ellie!

http://www.t-room.co.uk/Main Characters.php

Click and enjoy. When you're having a cuppa, obviously…

Wasn't T-bag a witch?

Thank you for clearing this up!
Not sure it was good enough for me to sign a pettition to getit released on dvd though.
Iain

Wasn't it the one with Grotbags in it?!

No sorry, it wasn't, that was something to do with Rod Hull and Emu; sorry!

Grotbags was the witch in "Round The Bend"

Not to be confused with "Round The Twist" which is the australian kids show!

I thought that grotbags was a character in "the Pink Windmill"?
Iain

There's somebody at the door!!! That was the mad caper with Rod Hull – lol what a flashback!!!!!

Grotbags was indeed the witch in the Pink Windmill show with Rod Hull & Emu and loads of really annoying, bratty kids!

But T Bag was also a witch in the show she was in.

There's somebody at the door! lol!

That was mad how Rod Hull died a few years back, he'd gone up on his roof to fix his tv aerial and fell off! I believe his son is now in "charge" of the notorious Emu!

Totally off topic, but I remember going to see Emu many years ago with my mum and aunt – I was so scared of Emu, I hid behind my aunt when Rod and Emu ran amok down the aisle!!!

Hmmm… I don't have any kind of recollection of "The Pink Windmill"

I stand corrected :o)

*edit* i definitely stand corrected. I don't know how i got the two mixed up!

I apologise for opening such a crazy can of worms!! X

Threre's a website about the t-bag show – just google T-room and it should come up. Apparently the owners of the show are going to release it to downlload and perhaps later as a DVD – YAY!!

after being of tea for nine months,and the midwife hands u a well deserved cup of tea! that was the best cup of tea ever,nothing else ever tasted so good.x

What – no tea during pregnancy???? Stuff that – i'm never having kids…

Best cup of tea:
One summer when my cousin was over, we were talking late into the night, until 1 in the morning. Suddenly she said, "Hey, let's go have some tea".
So we crept upstairs, prepared some tea, and had a quiet and peaceful, wonderful tea-time. (You must know that my house is crazily loud and hectic in the daytime.)

Me neither!

I don't think it's that tea isn't allowed, but I have heard quite a few people saying they went off tea while expecting their babies.

THAT is enough reason for me not to have kids…

Some of us have a tea-drinking reputation to maintain! lol!

Sadly, I developed an dislike of tea during my pregnancy,( as well as chicken!) and when I gave birth, my husband went and got me a good strong cup of tea… Best cuppa ever! It was so strange to be such a lover of tea and yet the thought of tea( or chicken )made me nauseated! I'm back to loving my tea now and I'd have a cuppa now but I'm tired and am going to fall asleep momentarily. Nighty night fellow tea lovers!

Ohh, and I can say that my lovely daughter made it worth all the agony of not having any tea for all those months!

teais very good for u while ur pregnant ,some of the herbal ones can help u prepare for labour,but our hormone can change our tastebuds while pregnant,so don,t be surprised girls if there are certain things u go off.but the good news is as soon as u have baby,ur taste buds go back to normal,and that long awaited cup of tea will taste better than ever!!!

Me neither!

This is going back about 14 years. My best ever was being served a hot cuppa by a young 6ft shirtless Russian armed guard on a night train from St.Petersburg to Moscow.

I was sharing a sleeper car with 4 other very giggly teenage girls at the time, and there was a knock at the door. I answered the door to find this HUGE man with a silver tray on which were several steaming cups of tea..he'd brought us a hot drink because he was concerned for our safety because there'd been reports of girls screaming and shrieking in one of the carriages! LOL Bless him, I've never forgotten that…

Best ever…the morning after the night before ;~)

makes me want to get the night train from st petersburg to moscow myself…..purely for the tea of course!? LOL

I went right off tea when I was pregnant. Even the smell made me want to throw up, and that saying something, because I think I'm the worst tea addict ever!

Whilst you can say that some teas are good whilst pregnant I thought that I should point out the following.

Caffeine increases the risk of low birth weight and spontaneous abortion increases with increasing maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy. The Food Standards Agency advises that caffeine intakes above 300 mg/day shows a plausible association with low birth weight and spontaneous abortion, given the available evidence from studies. For caffeine intakes of 150 to 300 mg/day there is less evidence for an association.
(Food Standards Agency. Statement on the reproductive effects of caffeine. October 2001, COT Statement 2001/06)

Intake of 300 mg/day caffeine is equivalent to around four cups of instant coffee, two cups of freshly ground coffee, about six cups of Black Tea and 12 cups of Green Tea (assuming average caffeine contents).

We would recommend cutting out caffeine and perhaps drink Rooibos – not technically a tea but very good for you nonetheless! It tastes like tea and comes in some nice flavours, such as Earl Grey, Vanilla and more…
http://www.theteahouse.co.uk/link/herbal_infusions.html

Here is some other info on Ropoibos that I recently discovered, I hope it is of interest to you, there is quite a bit but worth the read.

Rooibos is caffeine free and is very high in Antioxidants offering a helping hand in fighting allergies and ailments, it is also perfectly suited for growing babies, young children, active teenagers, parents and grandparents alike.
Infancy can be fraught with ailments and conditions that can be difficult to cope with: baby colic, sleepless nights, nausea and stomach cramps, to name but a few. Rooibos tea can soothe baby's discomfort naturally and can be applied topically to help relieve 'cradle cap' and even nappy rash.

A Cure for Cry-babies
Rooibos has become a tried-and-tested cure for crying infants. A trusted remedy, backed by both extensive research at leading universities, and three decades of hands-on motherly experience. Which is especially good news if your little one suffers allergic symptoms like colic, insomnia or stomach cramps.
Because of its natural soothing and calming powers, by replacing the water in the bottle feed with Rooibos Herbal Tea, your baby remains silent and content. Benefiting from better digestion, and deep, untroubled sleep.

Enriching the Infant System
Rooibos is low in tannin, so it doesn't deplete your baby's iron reserves during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and ensures that the absorption of protein is unaffected. What's more, its calcium traces help to strengthen the youngsters teeth and bones. While its zinc and magnesium contents promote a healthy skin and a well-developed nervous system. So for many reasons Rooibos Tea is a real boon for your baby.

Recent Japanese and South African dermatological (skin-related) studies show that Rooibos can assist in fighting viruses. This "anti-viral" property is especially beneficial to high-performance athletes, who are more at risk of viral infection than anyone else.

Easing Swells
The same studies also revealed that the tea is able to considerably reduce swelling. With sports people, for instance, Rooibos can play a vital role in aiding the symptomatic relief of joint and muscle inflammation.

Helping Prevent Cancer
It was further found that Rooibos Tea has "anti-carcinogenic" (anti-cancerous) properties. While these particular results were obtained from laboratory tests, scientists are confident that the effects would be the same on the human body.

Fighting Free Radicals
What's more, physicians have discovered that Rooibos contains 9 types of flavonoids. Four of the 9 are especially powerful, namely quercetin, luteolin, isoquercitrin and rutin. Working in conjunction with the tea's considerably high Vitamin C content (1,5mg/ml), these flavonoids act as "anti-oxidant" compounds: agents which actively fight the harmful free radicals in the human body. Left unchecked, free radicals will attack your fat, protein and DNA cells, the building blocks of the body. Flavonoids like the quercetin found in Rooibos, help to neutralise the invaders. Hereby reducing cell-damage, and leaving your body's immune system more resilient to life-threatening diseases like heart-attacks, Alzheimer's and AIDS.

Fortifying the Fit and Over-40's
The "anti-oxidant" flavonoids in Rooibos are particularly good for the systems of people over 40, and the physically active. The older you are, the less able your body is to combat free radicals on its own. And the fitter you are, the faster your body's oxygen is depleted; as your cells empty of oxygen, free radicals are allowed to take control. Drinking Rooibos helps to keep their numbers down and restore a healthy balance.

Right I am now off for a cuppa, a Jasmine Silver Needle a sublime White Tea from Fujian China.

:)

my mum went off tea when she was pregnant with me yet i'm a massive fan of tea. i started drinking tea when i was about 2 or something and my mum tells me that i said 'there's milk hiding in there'!

I wasn't allowed tea till after I started school, but it still hasn't stopped me becoming completely addicted to it. I'm not keen on coffee though.

My favourite tea is Assam.

I remembered today what was the best cup of tea I ever had. I found this thread to realise that I shared it with others. After a long labour and having checked over my first beautiful baby girl and looked into her eyes and saw a 21 year looking back at me, I asked if there was a chance of a cup of tea. It came, a proper one, in a cup, brewed properly. Best cuppa I ever had!!

Not so easy second baby I had to wait whilst I sent my husband with scrounged for coins to a machine. He returned with a plastic arrangement. It was however the best machine cup of tea I've had!

I drank tea throughout pregnancies but did go off coffee! Both babies healthy.

Not allowed tea until after you'd started school?!

I was given tea as a baby! OK, it was very milky tea, but it was tea!

By the time I started primary school, I was having a cuppa with my evening meal like my mum and dad! :)

I know. I had a deprived childhood. lol!

But I've made up for it since!

I couldn't drink tea or coffee with either pregnancy, they made me sick. Then after my youngest was born the midwife brought me in a cup of tea. It was lovely. Ten minutes later I was sick everywhere and couldn't touch tea for another three weeks.

Well, don't leave me in suspense, boy or girl ?

At this point, I'd say the best cuppa is the first I ever made with real, good quality, loose leaf tea. After growing accustomed to Lipton for so long it was heavenly.

Though I don't have any experience in the pregnancy area, I think I should add that what you can and can't eat during pregnancy is very subjective depending on where you're from and who you ask, and each side of any argument has valid points. For instance, women around here are always told to not have certain types of fish. Women in Japan eat more fish when they're pregnant. As far as I know there isn't a culture that's figured it all out yet.

..what tea do you brew?!

I always tend to have Lapsang or a very strong brew of Earl Grey.

Anyone else have a particular 'wake up' tea?

Weekdays I have PG Tips cos that is what my work provides and I get up so early that I dont have tea before I leave the house (shame on me)!! At the weekend I can brew up my own and it just depends on how I feel really.

Trouble is, if I have to get ready for work, I need to resort to teabag in mug for a quick brew with my breakfast. At the moment, it's PG Tips pyramid teabags. (Monkey!!!)

However, at weekends and any other times I might be off work on holiday or whatever, I like to brew properly and have a nice pot of loose leaf Assam. :)

Only REAL tea has the power to get me out of bed – Black, Sweet, Milky. Pretty much any black tea that can relate to sugar and milk will do.

Either M&S Extra Strong or Assam – allow it to brew while I'm scaring the foxes, hanging out the window at 0430 having a fly fag :-)

I always have a pot of either English Breakfast, or Earl Grey.

English Breakfast…mmmmmmm! i even got it in bed yesterday…well not really in bed but it was made for me…felt very decadent….

I usually use a Yorkshire tea bag. it always wakes me up!

Twinings English Breakfast tea… then eyes open & all is well with the world :)

Scottish breakfast looseleaf – but at the moment I have an amazing tea called 'melbourne breakfast' (from T2 for any australian reading) which is black tea with vanilla – it is amazing!

A very, VERY strong pot of Tetley. I usually drink about three-quarters of a ginormous pot, leaving the rest for my sons and my husband. Sometimes I brew up another pot just for them because I feel kinda guilty about snagging all the tea for myself. But I just gotta have it, man. I can't frickin' FUNCTION without it. I mean, I have the deer-in-the-headlight look until those first couple of sips. I've trained my kids not to talk to me too much until I've got cup in hand.

a Tetley teabag, strong with milk and sugar, with another cup at work on my "coffee" break and my fellow nurses and I make a pot in the afternoon as well.

I can't function properly enough to co-ordinate measuring my loose leaf in the pot. So its always do a double tea bag (of whatever brand of black tea I have picked up for the week) in my mug with milk and sugar. I drink it right wear I prepare it…in front of the stove.

When i'm in a hurry I use Betty's tea bags.

thats an important part of life, training roommates or children or whoever else you may encounter in the morning to stay away and not talk until after that first cup has started sinking in

its always a pot of pj tips pyramid first thing in the morning a big pot for me and my children to share as we all need it before we can function. I do like to drink other kinds of tea during the day but at 6 in the morning its easier just to stick a couple of tea bags in the pot!

I've got the children well trained not to speak to me until the tea has flowed through my brain…but my husband is a different matter entirely. Chatter chatter chatter! With a cup of tea in hand no less! I've trained him not to function without tea (he drank…Coke before that….I can't think of it any further) BUT he doesn't understand that being so damned animated in the morning means I'll have to brew up another pot just to recover from him! Thankfully most days he's out to work before I'm up…so it's just a weekend thing. Thank the gods for Tetley!

Tea in the morning……surely it has to be English Breakfast Tea.

The name says it all!

Green tea, though I can't think why.

Earl grey is the BEST way to start the day. Get the old brain box chugging before a hard day at sixth form :]
UNLESS you're on holiday, mainly in Russia, where it just doesn't seem to work and so green tea is a winner.

Yes.

Am I alone in breaking down in fits of tears when a cup of tea (that I have been looking forward to ALL day) goes cold?

I get quite upset, usually involves sipping the cold tea and pulling strange faces I as a try to atone for my crime!

I don't even try to drink it, I throw the cup away in disgust.

I have to have a cup of tea everyday after school. Otherwise I am very cranky and usually try to sneak a nice thermos of tea (I have to make up for it somehow) into my mathematics class and try to avoid punishment because tea is a banned drink at my school.

However upset you are, DO NOT try to warm it up in the microwave. Just take a deep breath and make a fresh one. Hold it in your hands until its cool enough to drink…

Haha Vanessa that is too true. :)

Its one of the lower points in my life when this happens, i got home from work the other day and saw it standing there lonesome it almost had a skin on the top. rest assured i drank several cups afterwards to assure tea that i havnt and never will turn my back on it.

Me! It's one of the most upsetting things that can happen… I always have a little bit just to make sure it's really happened and then get even more of a shock when I discover that, yes, it is stonoe cold and another wonderful cup of tea has gone to waste.

Haha! Lest the tea feels dejected. Imagine that.

i hate wen i make tea then lie in bed reading whilst my poor tea is left out of reach and untouched. Then in the morning i awake and to my horror: The skin is on the top and it disgusting.
I feel awful

Tea a banned drink?!?! Good lord, how sad!

Banned!?

Is this something to do with the fact that you can get some…let's say, "exotic" herbal teas?

oh dear, i must have got this trick off mum then. ick!

I get quite upset when I forget about my tea. I like to make a pot of tea ad drink it as I do my homework, however I should have learned by now that essay writing and tea are not a good mix. I tend to neglect my tea during these frenzied spans of writing.

i look at my cold tea and think, hmmm i wonder wot it wud taste like hot and feel upset that i forgot about it – then i re-heat it or make a new 1 – i suppose life/tea does go on evetually!!

No, I usually just drink a cup of black tea or green tea with either some milk or sugar. Occasionally some lemon.

I do live in the States, however. But for some reason you can drink this bottled stuff from vending machine that tastes terrible. But real tea is banned from the campus.

That is pretty upsetting, but much worse is the moment when you think you still have a mouthfull of tea in the mug and when you pick it up you realise it's empty… A genuine heartsink moment.

Oh Monica, that's awful. That vending machine stuff is terrible, all over-sugared and full of artificial flavors and whatnot. I'd think the school would be encouraging you to be healthy! Lord knows I'd LOVE it if my students were to come in with a nice cuppa rather than the soda and related crap they drink.

I'm with Kirsty Palmer. You pick it up thinking there's a delicious beverage in there but it's damn empty. Nooooooo!

The strange thing is, there's a little policy that the school district has that is for the students "nutrition". But yet you can get soda and energy drinks from vending machines, ice cream and fatty foods in the cafeteria, and terrible tasting chips (and I mean the "french fry").

That's really awful, Monica. Whoever is in charge of the catering in your school should be arrested for abuse. It's as bad as being forced into a McDonald's every day for one of your 3 squares. Not only that, but for some kids their school meal will be the only hot thing they get to eat all day, and their lunch break will be the only one when they don't eat alone. Apart from the mental suffering there's the obvious nutritional deficiency that will inhibit their cognitive development and stunt their personalities. Shame for them. I teach in a school in China and you can tell the food is really cheap but it's fairly healthy stuff and the teachers and management eat the same as the children.

I was just wondering if it was because you can make cannabis into tea. Or you can just put brandy in it.

Is Scottish Blend the same as PG Tips? Thought they are made by the same company and same blend?

Anyways, PG Tips are the tops. Pyramid bags. Anything else is just not good enough…

except Clipper Organic Fair Trade Earl Grey – cos that's just lush – and soothing for the soul cos it's Fair Trade AND organic.

Wrong, PG tips are feral. Sainsbuiries Red Label. Yes.

I have to make a case for Barrys Tea Classic Blend. Delicious

I'm afraid the best tea is Yorkshire tea. Any other tea pales in comparison.

Lol, god no. It's all about Twinings, whether it is their herbal teas, Earl Grey, or their English Breakfast Tea.

Lovely!

Absolutely, Yorkshire tea is special.

Sorry – but you're all wrong. Tetley is tops. Round tea bags? Pure genius! And come on, how can you say no to the Gaffer and Co?

No you're wrong. Yorkshire tea beats them hands down. But anyone found a fairtrade tea that comes close? I'm desperate to be a better person but most of them taste of dust.

I have to admit that the best tea I've had was…….Sainsbury's Red Lable Tea. It was out of this world!

YES YES YES.

Easy, Karen.
"No, Mr Gaffer, Sir. No thank you. I have a cuddly monkey to prepare my tea instead."

Like I said, Jane. Clipper's Organic Fair Trade Earl Grey. it's lush. no milk no sugar. not strong. lush.

i'm gonna give sainsbury's red label a try. sainsbury's make the best coke by far, so i trust that they have put similar effort into their tea.

I gave Sainsbury's Red Label a shot today for the first time.

The aroma coming out of the box was stunning.
The Red smooth shiny box was like unwrapping a christmas gift, you got me so built up to it all.

and the tea i made wasn't half bad neither
boiling water straight from the kettle
stir
drop in tea bag
watch it swirl about
bit more of a stir
take bag out of water
give it a pleasing squeeze on the side of the mug then in the bin with it
small spoon of sugar
give it all a stir
then add a few drops of milk
watch it alll swirl together

and also enjoyed with
milk choc hob nob half price
made it a great cup of tea and a sit down

makes me lust for another :)

PG Tips pyramids are my favourite, you get an amazing cup of tea.

Have to agree with Louise, Yorkshire Tea for sure! Red Label's not bad either…

Yorkshire tea is just too orange……PG tips is good, clipper fairtrade are the best bags I've tried lately, loose tea is the way forward though!

King Cole Tea from Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada….it's the best.

Best tea is either English Breakfast or Assam, nice and strong, Tesco finest/Twinings ones are yum… and Tetley is better than PG.

Twinings English Breakfast or Twinings Organic English Breakfast for me…..

It just has that 'Tea' flavour…….plus if you close your eyes and use your imagination you are transported back to Victorian England with elegant ladies & gentlemen sipping their tea on the lawn while watching friends and relations playing croquet or lawn tennis

yorkshire tea….come on!

yep Yorkshire tea is definatly up there, but my favourite would have to be sainsburys own Kenya tea… strong but so refreshing!