Tea Tuesday: Schisandra Berry Tea

It’s not a secret that I love berries. Berries are some of the best foods on the planet you can eat! They are super nutrient dense and are generally very low in sugar.  Because berries are so awesome, if you are talking about berries, I’m listening! Last year I heard about Shisandra Berry Tea so I decided to give it a try.  You know when you hear about something for the first time, and then all the sudden you hear about it like 50 more times in a week…that was me and Shisandra Berry Tea.  I was like OK already! I’m ordering! 🙂

Shisandra berries are famous in China and Korea.  Their most unique property is that they embody all elements of flavor: bitter, sour, sweet, salty, spicy.  Kind cool, huh?  And it actually tastes like that… It smells peppery, but is sweet and sour to the taste, and has a mildly spicy aftertaste! It’s pretty crazy!

This tea is known to have a wide variety of health benefits (which isn’t surprising because IT IS a BERRY!).  This herb has been used for over 3000 years in traditional Chinese medicine.

MOOD

It is known as a mood stabilizer, stress reducer, and treatment for mild depression.

SMARTS

Schisandra berry may enhance brain optimization and mental concentration by delivering more oxygen to brain cells.  This berry will actually sell out in China during exam time for college students!

ENERGY

Try drinking shisandra in the morning instead of coffee!  It doesn’t contain caffeine, but it does stimulate the nervous system.  It stimulates without the hyper affect you may get from caffeine.  I actually think a small cup of this would be great mixed in a morning green smoothie!  This tea creates a stable energy boost without the crash because it doesn’t contain caffeine!

BEAUTY

Chinese women have used this berry to enhance their beauty and retain their youth…and that’s where it really caught my attention!  Let’s focus on that fun fact!  Like other berries, Shisandra is super high in antioxidants.  Actually, this particular berry protects the lipid membrane in skin cells, reduces facial redness, and due to its astringent quality, it helps to lock in the skin’s moisture while reducing the appearance of lines.

Have a great Tuesday!