The Lavender In This Tea Is Proof That It's Not Just For Scenting Sock Drawers! (Marks & Spencer Organic Camomile, Limeflower and Lavender Tea)

Member Name: Machair1

Product:	Marks & Spencer Organic Camomile, Limeflower and Lavender Tea
Date:	19/04/09 (173 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely calming tea and cheap too!

Disadvantages: None

I have recently been trying to increase my fluid intake, since having ME it seems I am always dehydrated and can't tolerate caffeine in tea and coffee. So I have stocked up on some lovely alternatives and Marks and Spencer Organic Limeflower and Camomile tea bags are one of them. For 99p you are treated to 20 teabags.

I was attracted to the product by the attractive packaging which is lilac, and the brightly coloured Camomile daisies and Lavender plants look lovely on the front.

To be honest Marks and Spencer do not stock a wide range of herbal teas, and I personally don't shop there much at all, just occasionally I pop in for a look round, and will sometimes try new things. In general I have to confess it isn't my favourite place to shop at all, as I dislike the queues which are always so long in our branch, and having ME I can't stand in one position as my heart starts racing, so it is really a place I tend to avoid. Also as Twinings and other manufacturers of herbal teas produce great selections, I don't have to worry, but this product is a lovely alternative as it is calming and refreshing, and certainly attractively packaged.

When I mention herbal teas to my husband, especially camomile, he really looks troubled and he finds them all too floral, but recently I have been making him a few, and he is gradually drinking them, and not minding too much, so I think they are an acquired taste. Certainly camomile is weird the first time you try it, and it really does taste like tea made from the weeds I sometimes used to feed to my lovely guinea pigs who loved them! This version though has limeflowers and lavender added, so it is slightly less bitter and more soothing.

It also has peppermint and liquorice root, which you can't discern from the flavour, and the proportions of ingredients are as follows:
Camomile (40%), Limeflower (35%), Lavender (10%), Peppermint (10%), Liquorice Root (5%).

To make the tea you simply add boiling water over a bag in a mug, and wait for about 3 to 5 minutes and then drink without milk. This tea is also suitable to leave the bag in, and then you can top up with water for a second mug, making it very economical, and it doesn't taste stewed or bitter doing this.

From a hydration perspective herbal teas are great because they are as good as drinking plain water, and you can even make this and then chill it for a very refreshing iced tea.

One thing I would say about this tea is that the lavender flavour really dominates, and the bags are very fragrant when you open the packet. It's not new to drink lavender, as the plant is from the same family as our common herbs. However, many people associate it with old ladies and lavender bags sitting in sock drawers, certainly my gran made these, but it is reassuring to know that actually lavender is used in dishes as a flavouring in many top restaurants all over the world!

I find this tea very soothing and comforting and I enjoy it very much. It is more interesting than plain Camomile but it still has the calming properties of the main ingredient, just with more interesting layers of flavours. Being caffeine free these are great for avoiding the effects of too many coffees and teas.

It makes a lovely drink in the afternoon when you hit that horrid 4 pm feeling, and if you can find five minutes you can enjoy this drink as an alternative to coffee and a few biscuits!

Certainly a good product and a lovely drink. I will buy it again, and I really like the fact that it is organic and all the ingredients have not been sprayed or treated with any chemicals.
It's a good price too working out at 5p a cup (or 2 cups if you reuse the tea bag).
I don't notice an immediate effect with this tea, I mean don't expect to be so laid back you can't drive or work, but it certainly makes you feel like you have taken a few moments out to unwind.

The great asset of this is that you don't need milk which means you can drink it anytime as long as you have access to hot water.

I think it is proof that lavender has more too it than being a filling for those bags in sock drawers- it's actually really sophisticated!

Summary: A great tea for quiet moments.