5 Winter Teas to Keep You Warm All Day

Why Drinking Tea is a Good Thing

Tea has long been loved for its health benefits. In fact, if you’re an herbal tea lover, you might want to check out our post on 9 Healthy Herbal Teas to add to your winter beverage selection.

And then there is the warming ritual of freshly brewed tea on a winter’s day that cheers, brightens, and helps, in some ways, put everything into perspective.

Winter Tea

"If you are cold, tea will warm you;
if you are too heated, it will cool you;
If you are depressed, it will cheer you;
If you are excited, it will calm you."

― William Ewart Gladstone

The following teas are my choices of winter-perfect bends of tea, no matter the time of day.

2. Late Morning Tea: Winter Cinnamon Chai Tea

There is a late-morning lull, generally around 11 a.m., that calls for a deliciously flavored warm cup of tea. The British understand this lull and often take a tea break with a few teatime snacks.

Treat yourself to a 10- to 15-minute tea break in the late morning to recharge your energy and focus. Black tea with warm spices, like this Chai Tea flavored with cinnamon, orange, and sweet cloves, is perfect for late morning.

Use those minutes to enjoy a tea cookie, scone, or fruit snack to boost your productivity.

→ Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spiced Tea, Amazon

3. Afternoon Tea: White Earl Grey Tea

As icy winter winds bluster and howl through bare tree branches, eaves and corners of the house, a chill runs down your spine, even into toasty dwelling spaces. There is nothing quite like a warm cup of tea, in your favorite teacup, on a winter’s day. Celebrate the season with an afternoon tea.

Earl Grey Tea is always a good idea, but a White Earl Grey Tea seems especially appropriate for a winter afternoon. Pair that with a scone, perhaps mini quiche defrosted from the freezer, and a few quick finger sandwiches, and the respite as quickly evolved into a winter teatime. Invite a few friends or family members to join you… Here are some ideas for a Winter Afternoon Tea.

This lovely tea has a light, lemony flavor. It combines healthy white tea with an enlivening effect. It pairs beautifully with teatime snacks or even Lemon Biscotti.

→: Harney & Sons White Earl Grey Tea ($11) Amazon

4. After Dinner: After Meal Tea

Wintertime dinners can be on the heavier and richer side. Comfort foods that warm our toes can also settle in our stomachs. While I absolutely love these meals, sometimes I need a digestive tea to help settle the food.

Teas and tisanes have long been used after meals as a stomach settler and digestive aid. Herbal teas containing natural digestive ingredients such as mint, ginger, fennel, caraway, and rosemary are ideal choices. You can read more in our 9 Healthy Herbal Teas post.

While I absolutely love to make my own Lemon Ginger Tea, it’s also nice to quickly brew a caffeine-free cup of comfort. The After Meal Orange Ginger Mint Tea is soothing to the digestive system.

→: Republic of Tea After Meal Orange Ginger Mint Tea, Amazon 

5. Bedtime: Sweet Dreams

Winter evenings often put a chill in the air, and for me, a mind that is still churning with ideas and to-do lists. Settling both your mind and your body is critical for a good night’s sleep. Classic tea brews, like Sleepytime Tea or Camomile Tea, can have a calming effect on both.

As you slowly sip the last cup of warming tea at the end of a winter day, take time to feel it in your hands, breathe in its steam, and let your mind rest. It’s my time to recount the blessings of the day, let thankfulness bloom in my mind and spirit, and ask for guidance in the days to come.

Tea is a wonderful companion to a winter night’s sleep, warming both your toes and your thoughts.

→: Bigelow’s Sweet Dreams Tea, Amazon