Monsoon, The Season for Te(a)totaler

Step aside, Coffee and Coca Cola, Tea is the most popular beverage in the world. With the rains lashing down on despondent people travelling to their offices, a refreshing cup of tea is ideal for overcoming cold and tiredness. Tea, today, is not just black or green but is available in various forms which help you maintain your health. Ashok Malkani examines the beneficial effects of different varieties of this nectar and how each variety can be prepared to give you an enhanced exquisite experience.

- Ashok Malkani

Water is essential for life. One could say: so is tea! This statement can be substantiated by the fact that tea, one of the world’s oldest beverages is the most consumed drink in the world, after water. The origins of tea have been traced back to China. It was mostly used for medicinal purposes until the 17th century when tea made its way to the United Kingdom. Today, tea is one of the most favoured drinks in almost all seasons, particularly in the rainy season.

No wonder William Ewart Gladstone has said:

“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.”

There is no better way to start your day than with the pleasant taste and aroma of tea. Tea is indeed the most cherished drink, particularly during the rainy season when you are feeling morose.

Priyanka Manwani, nutrition consultant, attributes the desire for people to have tea in the rainy weather because, “when there is a transition in weather, the body naturally demands food apt for the weather. Due to moistness and coldness in plants and land in the rainy season, our body also gets moist and cold.

To answer why people prefer hot tea in the rainy season, let’s turn to our ancient wisdom Ayurveda. There are three types of doshas in body – vata, pitta and kapha. And out of these, vata dosha (dryness and coldness) is dominant in the monsoon. This means, one should consume foods which pacify vata. Drinking warm or hot beverages pacifies the vata dosha. Hot tea gives body warmth and comfort it needs in this weather while also balancing the imbalance in doshas."