Category: Drink

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Drink

Benefits of Drinking Tea

For many, the debate is usually coffee vs. tea. For those that swear by coffee, there is no comparison to how it benefits them. It is typically claimed to be the beverage needed to kickstart a morning and provide a needed boost to start the day or even give a jolt during the 3pm afternoon slump that often occurs just when someone needs to make it over the finish line to the end of a busy day. And for some, it is a way to close out an evening meal with dessert even if it means ordering decaffeinated so as not to disrupt sleep.

But for another large segment of the population, including Helen Lee Schifter, it’s all about the tea (and not the gossip kind). Tea has always seemed to be the “healthier” alternative to coffee. Tea drinking goes back thousands of centuries and its benefits have been studied throughout history. Though some coffee drinkers would argue it’s not true, Schifter believes tea has more health benefits than coffee. Certain types of tea can even be the magic cure to staving off some pretty devastating illnesses. For instance, in general tea has health benefits that include antioxidants, immune boosters ,less caffeine, ability to help reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke, and even help with weight loss. Certain types of teas like green, white or black teas claim to be the purest of teas and offer benefits such as the unique antioxidants called flavonoids. These potent antioxidants may help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.

Unlike coffee, teas have herbal varieties and these too have been well researched in how they provide health benefits. Though these herbal teas do have less antioxidants in their makeup, they have been shown in some instances to help with weight loss, stave off colds, and bring on restful sleep. Chamomile, a popular choice of herbal tea, may help prevent complications from diabetes and stunt the growth of cancer cells. Echinacea, though not completely conclusive, tends to be the go-to herbal tea that can help fight the common cold. Other herbal options like Hibiscus and Red tea also have been found to have some medicinal qualities but support for these is a bit more limited.

It is important to note that there are teas out on the market that claim to have health benefits but their claims are often unsubstantiated and can actually be more harmful than beneficial. For example, detox teas are extremely popular and well marketed claiming to aid in quick weight loss however these teas are laced with laxatives that can be very harmful. Fancy teas and lattes dressed up in local coffee chains are often loaded with sugar and lose all of their intended nutritional value.
Overall there are many studies that support the benefits of drinking tea. While some brews provide more health advantages than others, Helen Schifter thinks there’s plenty of evidence that suggests regularly drinking tea can have a lasting impact on overall wellness.

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Drink

Great Tasting Fine Local Beers Delivered to your Doorstep

cocktail drinks on bar

We Australians love our beer and while a few years ago, we were rather limited in our choices, there are now a few microbreweries that make great beer of all types and rather than suffering the ordeal of a trip to the supermarket, you can search with Google and order from one of the independent local breweries.

Cellar Bars

Most microbreweries also run a small bar where you can enjoy their products in a warm and friendly environment, although you should check regarding the current Covid-19 status before going for a drink. If they are open, simply follow the social distancing rules and you can enjoy great tasting beer whenever you like. Of course, the best brewery in Sydney has an online store where you can order any of their varied products, with light and dark beers with unique tastes and for a large order, delivery would be free. You can buy in packs of 4 and 6×4 and ordering online is so easy, simply choose your product and it goes into your shopping cart, then a secure online payment sees your order shipped to your home address.

Fine Pale Ales

If you are a pale beer enthusiast, the microbrewery would have a couple of favourites, brewed with fine hops and malts, with a tinge of bitterness and a smooth taste. If it is your first time, buy a small 4-pack of several types to see which you prefer, then order bulk, which is a little cheaper. A good microbrewery would offer numerous pale ales, each with its own unique properties.

Lager Beers

If your favourite tipple is a golden lager-style beer, prepare for a treat, as the microbrewery has several best-sellers in this category, with both high and low alcohol content, so there’s bound to be one that hits the spot. You could choose a time when their bar is open and pop down for a few cold ones and see which product you prefer, then you simply order online. If you would like some reading on how to create the perfect outdoor kitchen, click here.

High Alcohol Beers

Some people prefer beers with 6% alcohol content by volume and there is a selection of beers with higher-than-normal alcohol content and with a range of tastes. If you would like further information on the brewing process or ingredients of any microbrewery beer, search for their website, where you will find all the information you need.

Great for Parties

With Xmas just round the corner, why not stock up with premier beers from your local microbrewery? Order a few large packs and a big selection of beers you think your guests might not have sampled and people are bound to comment on such a unique beer selection. Of course, if your friends already like microbrewery beers, then you will know which brands to order, which will no doubt surprise a few of your guests.

Of course, we all must take care not to drink & drive, so do leave the car at home if you and your friends are planning a Christmas night out

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Blog Drink

Green Tea And The Secrets That It Holds For Us All

People, especially in the Asia region, have been drinking green tea for a millennium and they understand the many health benefits that it offers. Some of the oldest people that have ever lived come from Asian nations and they enjoy good health in their later years. They put it down to the daily consumption of green tea and it is a beverage that they enjoy and it is so easy to prepare. This fantastic tea is now available for all of us to consume and there are many different kinds to choose from. It is such an easy drink to prepare because all it needs is for you to boil some water and then to add some tea leaves. It really is that simple and what you’re left with is a drink that not only quenches your thirst, but it is also good for your health as well.

If you would like to be one of the many people who enjoy a cup or two of green tea every single day, then you can buy it here at https://thefeelgoodtea.co/ where they offer you many different kinds of tea and all at fantastic prices. If you’re not yet sold on the idea of drinking green tea, then maybe the following benefits can push you in the right direction.

  1. It helps with brain function – We all lead such busy lives and many of us are very caught up in our jobs and our hopes for promotion. In order to be recognised for the hard work that you do, you always need to be switched on and you need to be able to multi task. Green tea is fantastic for brain function because one of its active ingredients is caffeine, and this helps with better brain function and more improved mood. It also helps with your reaction times and assists with memory. These are all things that you need in order to be successful in a busy office and a cup or two of green tea every day will provide you with the energy that you need.
  • It helps with losing weight – Most fat burning supplements that you pick up from any shelf will contain some green tea in the ingredients. Research tells us that green tea helps to increase your metabolic rate and this leads to more fat burning. Green tea also contains small amounts of caffeine, which helps to improve your overall physical performance. Many people also swear to the effectiveness of green tea to help them go to sleep at night, and as we all know, good sleep habits can help to improve both your mental and physical well-being. To learn more about the health benefits of drinking green tea, have a look here.

These are only two of the numerous health benefits that the consumption of green tea provides. As well as helping to lower the risk of certain types of cancer like breast cancer and prostate cancer, it also helps to protect the brain, and reduce your blood sugar levels. It’s good for your heart and it helps you to lose weight and that can only be seen as a good thing. If you haven’t really thought about drinking green tea, then maybe you need to think about making it a regular part of your day.

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Drink Eat

The New Groove: Smoothies

There are many ingredients that can be incorporated into someone’s daily routine. These healthy ingredients start up the metabolism and clean the digestive system. Helen Schifter, a wellness expert, enjoys including vegetables and supplements into her smoothies when she makes them. Smoothies can be very biased and specified to a person’s taste. However, this is why they are so great. When a person has allergies or health requirements, they can easily customize their smoothies to whatever they like. With there being so many varieties of smoothies, anyone can come up with their new favorite recipe. There are endless ingredients and hoping for them can be very fun. Looking on social media like Pinterest for recipes is highly recommended by professionals before venturing out into the store. It can give a person a more specific idea of what they are looking for. 

The first type of main smoothies is a green smoothie. This is mainly based on vegetables and some fruits. Intruding spinach, kale, wheatgrass, and many other antioxidant dense foods is great for a person’s digestive system. In addition, adding some hummus or peanut butter allows for a more nutty taste. Green smoothies are very healthy and taste delicious. If one doesn’t have the proper vegetables at home, simply replacing veggies with a powder is great too. This can be found in most grocery stores and is great for on-the-go smoothies. Next, fruit smoothies are the most common. They usually include lots of blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and even blackberries. These are dense in vitamins and also great for gut cleansing. The best part about this varsity of smoothies is that they are wonderful for those who have a sweet tooth, and can be dairy-free. 

When someone is creating new recipes, it’s important to try a variety of different supplements. Many people you green powers as a way to get in their vegetables. It’s great to see wellness experts give advice about such tribulations. Spinach, celery, and bananas are great opportunities to get iron and potassium into some diet. Many people like to compare smoothies with milkshakes which is very incorrect. Milkshakes are highly made from dairy products and can cause bloating and stomach aches. Replacing those highly fatty ingredients with non-dairy kinds of milk is a better alternative. Almond milk, cashew milk, and coconut oils have high fat but are great for dairy-free options. Finally, when a person is picking the ingredients, remember that once it is all mixed in, the most dominant tastes take over. For example, putting in something that might not be appetizing on its own is perfectly fine paired with peanut butter or fruit. It truly depends on what the individual wants and needs. Helen Schifter says that trying smoothie bars in one’s local area is the best way to figure out what a person likes, before buying in bulk. Remember, smoothies aren’t for everyone. Yet, there are so many varieties that people can make, especially during different seasons. Adding pumpkin and nutmeg spices into smoothies can make it more fall-like. Overall, there are unlimited ways people can make smoothies and get healthy!

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Drink

How to Make Espresso in 7 Simple Steps

You sigh in complete bliss as you leave the coffee shop and take the first sip of your drink. Nobody makes coffee quite like your favorite shop. What if we told you that with the right equipment, you could?

Learning how to make espresso isn’t too hard and once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to save a few bucks by making a café quality cup every single morning in the comfort of your own home.

Ready to get started? Check out this espresso guide for everything you need to know to brew the perfect cup of joe.   

1. Choose Your Equipment 

The first step to making espresso is investing in the right equipment. The best espresso machines aren’t cheap but they’re worth it. They come in all sorts of different settings and features so be sure to do plenty of research before you pick one out. 

A good burr grinder won’t come cheap either but if you want your coffee grounds to be consistent, it’s a necessary purchase. Blade grinders are much cheaper but you’ll be able to taste the cheap in your drink. 

When it comes to choosing coffee beans, pretty much any high-quality dark roast blend will do. Other things you’ll need is a timer, tamper, and scale. It’s a lot of stuff and we won’t lie, it will hit your wallet pretty hard but it’s the price you pay to make quality espresso at home. 

2. Preheat Your Espresso Maker 

Now that you have all your equipment in front of you, it’s time to learn how to make espresso coffees with it. The first step is to turn on your espresso maker and allow it to preheat. 

This process can take up to 25 minutes to complete so make sure you give yourself plenty of time in the morning. If you do need to speed things along, you can brew a blank espresso shot. Essentially, making a cup of hot water. 

3. Prepare the Coffee Beans 

If you have an espresso machine that comes complete with a grinder, you can skip this step. If you don’t then keep reading. Set your grinder to its fine coffee setting. 

Set the portafilter on the scale and grind about 20 grams of freshly ground coffee into it. You may have a little lump of coffee grounds peeking up out of the portafilter. Even it out with your finger. 

4. Tamp the Coffee Grounds 

Next, you’re going to pack the ground down and get rid of any air pockets through a process known as tamping. Before you start tamping, it’s important that your coffee grounds are evenly distributed in the portafilter. You can do that by tapping the side of the filter. 

The secret to good tamping is to press straight down on the coffee grounds. If you don’t the entire thing will be uneven and your end product will taste off. Keep applying about 30 lbs. of pressure until it feels like the grounds aren’t going to budge anymore. 

Don’t feel bad if you don’t get this down right away. It takes time and practice to pull off the perfect tamp. We didn’t say your first time making espresso would go absolutely perfect. 

After you feel like you’ve tamped the grounds enough, brush any escaped coffee off the brim of the portafilter. You’re now ready to pull your first espresso shot. 

5. Create Your First Espresso Shot

Insert your portafilter into the machine and begin brewing. Start brewing as soon as you put the filter in place or you may end up burning your coffee grounds which doesn’t make for a good espresso drinking experience at all. 

Time how long it takes your machine to pull your shot. The sweet spot is around 30 seconds. If it takes any longer or shorter than that it means that you got something off when you were performing the steps above. 

Take the portafilter out and start from square one until your machine is pulling the shot within 30 seconds. The end product may have a bit of a sour taste otherwise. 

6. Steam Some Milk  

Pour your milk into the container and dip the steamer wand in a little bit below the surface of the liquid. Turn the wand on and froth the milk until it reaches the consistency that you want. 

For the best results, hold the steamer wand a little bit off-center while you froth. Pay attention to the heat. If the container gets to be too hot, stop frothing, or else your milk will have a burnt taste. 

On the flip side of this, if you don’t use enough heat then you’ll have bubbly unpleasantness instead of a silky froth. It might take you a couple of tries to get this right. 

7. Keep Practicing

The last step in how to make espresso at home is practice. It’s likely that you won’t make the perfect cup of coffee on your first try. Instead of getting discouraged when your drink comes out tasting slightly burned, go watch a few tutorials. 

There are plenty of videos out there that can walk you through the process and tell you how you can improve. There are also books that you can read. So, keep working at it! 

How to Make Espresso in the Comfort of Your Own Home

Do you want to replicate your favorite cafe drinks in the comfort of your house? Learning how to make espresso is an art form. It takes a lot of expensive equipment and practice to get it right.

Once you get the hang of it though, all your hard work will be worth it when you never have to spend five dollars for a cup of coffee again. 

Want to learn how to make even more tasty drinks at home? Check out the drinks section of our blog daily for more tutorials like this one.