Flavour: Just Hibiscus

Ingredients: Hibiscus

Caffeine Factor: Caffeine-free

Organic Ingredients: 100%

Price Range: £7.50

Cups Per Box: 40 (approx.)

Review: We expected this to be extremely tart…and it is. But it also has a strangely shed-like flavour. It smells like a shed, too – or a wooden cupboard. Basically, imagine visiting a shed showroom and smelling all that freshly cut / treated wood, and that’s what this is like…with tartness. Think ‘planty pantry’.

It wasn’t for us. There are better pure hibiscus brews out there, maybe with a more pleasant variety of hibiscus, or maybe one that’s grown to be more flavoursome (perhaps something organic). We also think you’re better off with just about any other fruit blend on the market, because we guarantee it will have hibiscus in it, plus some other flavours to temper the tartness a little (unless you really enjoy the feeling of your mouth puckering).

Best time of year to drink this: It feels summery

Best time of day to drink this: Afternoon (especially when the sun is high)

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Brand: Floradix

Flavour: Yarrow

Ingredients: Organic Yarrow Herb

Caffeine Factor: Caffeine-free

Organic Ingredients: 100% organic

Price Range: £2.00

Bags Per Box: 15

Our Review: Yarrow is a freely growing ‘weed’ in the UK, used for medicinal purposes going back thousands of years. Tulsi read about it in a herb guide and couldn’t wait to try some, after learning about all the different things it might be good for, including lowering fevers, staunching bleeding, reducing heavy menstrual bleeding, lowering blood pressure, improving circulation, and just about anything else you can think of related to cardiovascular health. Historically, it was also used to season cooking.

The tea smells strongly like rosemary or oregano – something you’d put in pasta sauce. It’s very savoury. The taste is similar – like rosemary, but bitter. It’s quite a nice, mild flavour if you don’t over-brew it. But if you follow the recommendations on the box (brew for 5-10 minutes), then WOW. The bitterness becomes intense.

We wouldn’t suggest this one in the morning (unless you’re in the habit of having spaghetti for breakfast), but it’s a good one for the afternoon and after meals. It’s pretty substantial, and the bitterness means it’s packed with loads of good stuff to help with digestion.

Best time of year to drink this: Any time

Best time of day to drink this: Lunch or dinner, as the flavour is so savoury

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Brand: Natur Boutique (London)

Flavour: Artichoke

Ingredients: Artichoke (Organic)

Caffeine Factor: Caffeine-free

Organic Ingredients: 100% organic

Price Range: £3.00

Bags Per Box: 20

Our Review: Some of you are probably thinking, ‘Artichoke tea???’ We thought the same, and that’s why we just had to buy this and try it.

The main reason you would drink this is for the health benefits. Boiling artichoke leaves means infusing the water with some of the zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium and A, B and C vitamins natural to the plant. It’s also a good antioxidant. All of this put together could help with immunity, digestion, anxiety, stress and cholesterol problems, and it’s great for the skin. Maybe you want all of that but you’re not fond of eating cooked artichokes, in which case this simple tea is for you.

On the other hand…maybe you’re not fond of eating cooked artichokes, in which case…this won’t be the tea for you! Because it really does taste of artichoke (of course) – that, and (weirdly) unsweetened digestive biscuits. It also has that biscuity smell, though we’re not sure why.

This won’t be for everyone, that’s for sure, but some of you will definitely be interested in it for the health benefits mentioned above – or maybe you just love artichokes! Whether this is your cup of tea or not, be careful not to overbrew it or it can be very bitter and stringent – not awful, but it carries a strong aftertaste.

Best time of year to drink this: Any time

Best time of day to drink this: Lunch or dinner, as it really does taste of the vegetable

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Brand:

Flavour: Cuore

Ingredients: Rosehips (30%), St John’s wort (20%), hawthorn leaf (20%), hawthorn berries (20%), achillea (yarrow) (10%)

Caffeine Factor: Caffeine-Free

Organic Ingredients: Unknown

Price Range: €3.00 (plus overseas shipping)

Bags Per Box: 20

Our Review: Another one brought back to us from Italy. This whole range is very earthy and real – no flavouring here. This one in particular has a smoky smell that is nearly overwhelming, as you wait for it to brew.

The name translates as ‘heart’ – the ingredients selected are known for their traditional use to support heart health and the circulatory system as a whole. We think this is one you drink more for the medicinal properties than flavour. It’s not bad; we just didn’t think it was very special, either. The yarrow lends it a bitterness, while the rosehips and hawthorn berries give a mild tartness, and the hawthorn leaf and St John’s wort just kind of give it that leafy taste. Altogether, it sort of just tastes like normal black tea – but not as strong.

So if you like black tea, but you find it’s too heavy for you and you don’t want the caffeine, this is perfect – and unlike black tea, you can drink it anytime of the day. If you’re searching for a drink that could support you in getting your heart back into good health, this is for you. But if you don’t need the medicinal benefits, and you like your flavours strong, we would give this one a miss.

Best time of year to drink this: Anytime

Best time of day to drink this: Anytime

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