Yoga and Tea
There are coffee drinkers, and there are tea drinkers. But even if you are on the coffee side of the fence, tea has great benefits that are different from those of coffee, especially within your yoga practice. After a yoga class, your body is rejuvenated, your mind is at peace, and you are ready to take on the world, or are you?
Nothing ruins yoga bliss more than for it to come crashing down around you because of the chaos that we enter after our yoga experience. Think about it, you have just spent some quality time focused internally, and when you leave that sacred place, you are forced to deal with the outside world, which doesn’t care that you are feeling all at peace. How do we ease into this transition to avoid the reality that we are about to experience once we open those doors to the outside world? We drink tea.
Why Tea?
Whether you have a grueling yoga class or one of relaxation and calm, our bodies still sweat and lose hydration as well as release toxins within our body. Tea helps to rehydrate the body and has a variety of health benefits. All kinds of tea have caffeine, with the exception of Rooibos, which comes from an African plant, and other herbal teas which are naturally decaffeinated. Unlike the caffeine in coffee, the caffeine in tea is released over a slower rate into the body.
Tea helps to boost metabolism and the immune system. It helps to lower inflammation and is rich in antioxidants. Also, when we complete a yoga class, our last pose is Savasana, which is a cool-down method for our body. Some teachers might even tell you to grab a sweater or put on some socks during this time. It allows your body to be warm throughout. Tea is a great way to warm up the body post-cool-down too so that we don’t leave it open to catching a cold or the chills post-practice.
Tea, in itself, has a ritual that is unique to many different cultures around the world. Taking the time to experience the ritual of drinking a warm cup of tea post-yoga allows you to deepen your calming yoga experience before re-entering the rest of your day.
Which Tea Works Best?
The time of day in which you practice your yoga will affect the type of tea you will want to consume. Variations of green, white, or black teas are all invigorating ones, and therefore, are welcome to drink post morning yoga. Rooibos, even though it is decaffeinated, offers a lot of stimulation and is full of Vitamin C. Chai tea, a black variation, which includes a nice blend of spices and is sweetened with milk and honey, is a traditional yogi tea.
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