Fancy a cuppa?

My early morning cup of tea – taken in bed, listening to the Today programme - is my best drink of the day. It’s Dragonfly Rooibos, and it is rich, red and refreshing – but funnily enough this is the only time of day that I drink it.

I have coffee during the morning (my favourite is Grumpy Mule decaf, don’t ask me why!), then green tea in the afternoon – usually Twinings green tea with pineapple and grapefruit because I find that the fruits cut through that slightly acrid taste green tea can have. But apparently I should be switching to white tea – which of course is nothing like white coffee... White tea leaves come from the same plant Camelia Sinensis as green tea leaves – the difference is that they’re picked when they’re younger.  And, with less caffeine, they’re considered green tea’s younger, healthier, brother, according to Joe’s Tea Company. In fact a 2009 study by Kingston University and Neal’s Yard Remedies, found that white tea not only boosts health (lowering cholesterol and protecting against heart disease) but can also combat age-associated wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Wow! I usually finish off the day with peppermint tea, or, if I’ve run out, ginger or fennel  – but tonight I’m trying white.