Refreshing and warming (Twinings Lemon and Ginger)

Member Name: laramax

Product:	Twinings Lemon and Ginger
Date:	02/04/08 (49 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Doesn't contain caffeine

Disadvantages: You might not like the taste

Would you like a drink with a bit of flavour that warms you through as you as you drink it and aids digestion at the same time? I do enjoy a change now and again from traditional tea and coffee and because there are a wide range of herbal infusions available in supermarkets I find it fun to try out different flavours.

Twinings have been making teas for over 300 years and not only do they sell traditional and speciality teas they have a very wide range of herbal and fruit infusions within their range. Twinings Lemon and Ginger is one of their "Wellbeing Blends Infusions" ('Infusion' being a more accurate term than tea as strictly speaking these products aren't actually tea!)

As the name suggests the ingredients within this particular blend are Lemon and Ginger. The blend contains no caffeine and although it does contain ginger root and lemon peel it does also contain both lemon and ginger flavourings.

It is also low in calories, a typical serving contains 2 calories. All Twinings teas, herbal infusions and flavoured fruit infusions are 'gluten free'. Neither do they contain genetically modified raw materials or ingredients derived from genetically modified raw materials.

This tea comes in a distinctive bright orange box containing the teabags. To open the box just tear along a perforated strip and the lid is easy to lift to take out the bag and close again after use. There is no unnecessary packaging and the contents are just plain tea bags which you have to fish out after the tea is brewed using a teaspoon. To make a cup of this tea just put the tea bag into a mug, pour on boiling water, leave to brew for a few minutes (I leave mine for about four minutes) and then sit back, relax and enjoy.

The minute you have poured the hot water on to the tea bag you will notice the aroma of lemon however it is the ginger which gives the tea its distinctive taste. You can feel it tingle as it hits the back of your throat so if you don't like the taste of ginger then give these a miss. If you do like the taste you will find this pleasantly warming so it is an ideal drink for this time of year.

Ginger has been traditionally known as an aid to digestion and it is used in the treatment of dyspepsia, flatulence and colic. In addition in cases of fever it is said to promote perspiration. It is also a useful remedy in diarrhoea where there is no inflammation. It can be used as a stimulant to the gastro-intestinal tract, increasing peristalsis and the tone of the intestinal muscle. It is a useful anti-emetic which means it can be useful in cases morning sickness. Bear in mind however that the amount of ginger you are likely to get in a single cup of lemon and ginger tea will be minimal so I would not suggest it would be helpful in healing problems but this tea might be a useful choice alongside other treatment. Say, for example, if you have morning sickness and want something hot to drink which may ease some of the sickly feeling.

The Twinings tea bags are only suitable for a single mug of tea - if you try to reuse one you will be disappointed. You do not add milk to herbal teas but if you want to add a little sweetener then a little honey should suffice. Personally I drink these without any sweetening and find them very pleasant and naturally sweet enough.

I quite like this infusion but it wouldn't be my first choice in the range however it is quite spicy and a little different to drink for a change from time to time. People seem to either love of hate herbal teas - if you haven't tried them then I would say you may be happier with one of the more fruity options to begin with but if you like the taste of ginger and lemon then you might just like this one. It is tasty, warming and refreshing and will help to lower your daily caffeine intake. A box of 20 tea bags costs around £1 and is stocked in most large supermarkets these days.

Summary: A hot drink which is a little different