There are a lot of beliefs associated with a hot drink first thing in the morning. Some say it warms up the body and conditions it for physical activity. Others say a hot drink prevents the formation of unwanted acids. I don’t know how much of it is superstition and how much is fact. Personally, I drink a cup of coffee almost as soon as I wake up for the caffeine boost.
Yesterday, we were having breakfast — Speedy prepared pancakes and crisp bacon — and Alex who is so conscious these days about NOT putting on weight was about to drink a glass of cold water when Speedy warned her that a cold drink will prevent the proper breakdown of fats in her digestive system. It’s a Chinese thing, as far as I know. Asian even. Maybe. But I’ve so often heard it said that one of the things that prevent obesity in Asia is the practice of drinking hot tea all throughout every meal (in contradistinction with the Western practice of drinking cold soda or juices) which aids tremendously in digestion and in flushing out whatever fats were eaten during the meal.
I don’t know if there’s any scientific basis to that either. It’s possible that the Japanese are less prone to obesity because they are largely seafood eaters. The Chinese, on the other hand, have a lot of vegetables in their dishes and tofu often takes the place of expensive meat.
Whether or not it’s something scientific or you simply like the idea of having a hot drink with your breakfast (or any meal for that matter), here’s an idea. This was what we had with the pancakes and bacon yesterday.
Take a bag of tea (that’s genmaicha that I used), place it in a pot (we still don’t have a proper teapot so I’m still using this pitcher for my infusions) then pour in hot water. Leave to steep for a few seconds then throw out the water. This practice supposedly gets rid of the bitterness of the tea. I tell you, it works for some reason.
Now add fresh herbs to the teabag. Mint, tarragon and crushed lemongrass are good choices but you can experiment with other herbs. To add a fruity aroma and flavor, throw in a quarter of a lemon, lime or orange. Then, fill the pot (or pitcher, in my case) with hot water. Allow to infuse for about two minutes then serve.
Whenever my grand mother is around, green tea is a must. No coffee, no sodas, no powered juices, and no to Western-made green tea!
She says that the Westerners could only come close to making a true cup of green tea and she would have none of it.
In Chinatown and in some Oriental stores (like Shuin and the Little Store), they still sell loose tea leaves. Sadly, rarely are they available in supermarkets.
when i came to holland, I was not a tea drinker, save for the occasional very sweet ice tea that sometimes comes with fast food meals. but my mother in law drinks tea at least three times a day and her collection of tea is extensive. they don’t drink water after meals, either tea, coffee or wine. ive learned to love drinking tea here and it makes me feel good actually esp chamomile tea whenever im stressed or have a headache. it works most of the time.
by the way Ms. Connie, I like your old lay out better. Just a thought.
Good for you.
Sweet iced tea just doesn’t approximate the real tea experience.
Re layout? Talaga? Let’s give this one a try for a couple of weeks. It’s an experiment, actually.
Tayong mga Pinoy, mahilig gawing sweet lahat, pati ice tea. Although sometimes I crave for it din hehehe.
Pati nga spaghetti at hotdog ng Pinoy, matamis din.
A friend informed me that drinking a glass of lukewarm water five minutes before bathing in the morning is healthy. I forgot why and how.