165,000,000 cups of tea a day are enjoyed in Britain. This fact makes me feel a little bit better for my tea addiction... I am not increasing that figure too much. Still, as I drink so much of the stuff I do occasionally like to mix it up and have fruit and herbal varieties. There are many fruit and herbal varieties out there which means plenty of tastes to get your tongue around.

When it comes to fruit and herbal teas I generally buy Twinnings as I feel their flavours are slightly stronger and generally tastier compared to other brands. Though I have not ventured into the more expensive brands yet. I had never tried the Twinnings Raspberry, Strawberry and Loganberry tea before but I think the fact that I had never had loganberry before put me off a little as I couldn't pre-judge what the taste would be like. But when faced with the hard decision to pick up another box in order to take advantage of a special offer it was easy enough to pick the box.

This tea is part of the 'fresh and fruity' range which features a large selection of different fruit teas. Twinnings also sell loose tea, earl grey, 'a moment of calm' range, 'revive and revitalise' range and organic amongst others. So they have something to suit everyone.

** Product **
I love red berries and strawberries are one of my favourite fruits. The combination of the sweetness of strawberry and the kick of the raspberry really makes this tea. Also, as it is a fruit tea it is naturally caffeine free.

Twinnings state that this tea is sourced from natural ingredients. However, the teabags are still bleached (as with most normal teabags on the market). Though Twinnings have not mentioned how they bleach their teabags.

I mention this as there has been some controversy over the bleaching of teabags. Teabags are sometimes bleached using chlorine which can leave traces of Dioxin in the body (meat and dairy products do this also). Dioxin is absorbed into the fatty tissue and has a half-life of about 11 years. There is very little study into the toxicity of dioxin in the body but it has been suggested that there is a possible carcinogenic effect. That isn't to say drinking this tea will give you cancer (I don't write for a well-known newspaper filled with cancer scare stories). But I believe it is important to have the full facts. I can't confirm the effect of dioxin in the body as there is very little evidence. However, I do believe that natural (on the whole) is better for the body. Though I say this, I do still buy Twinnings tea and other teabags which are bleached by methods unknown to me.

I believe it would be good for Twinnings (and other tea companies) to come out about how they bleach their teabags.

Fruit and herbal teas (including this one) are caffeine free so they are enjoyable at anytime of day and more refreshing to drink. A high caffeine intake can lead to vitamins not being absorbed well into the body and increase the blood pressure. This tea actually contains hibiscus which has shown to help reduce high blood pressure, and for the women reading this, soothe menstrual cramps.

Anyway, back to this tasty tea!

** Drinking **
Making the tea is like any other. Stick the kettle on, sweeten to taste and add water then leave for a bit. The tea takes on a very red colour and the aroma is very noticeable but pleasant. Indeed, on first smelling I knew I had made the right choice in purchasing this tea. It is sweet and I feel the strawberry is the most noticeable scent.

On tasting it is again the strawberry that hits my taste buds first but soon joined by the raspberry and loganberry. It is quite sweet so be careful how much you sweeten this tea. I feel this tea would be really nice in those spring and autumn days when the sun is shinning but there is a chill in the air. Its summery but gives you warmth. It very delicious and just the scent of it reminds me of summer days. The ingredients work together so well. Plus I feel much healthier drinking this than an everyday tea and you are also not left feeling so bloated. The break from caffeine also makes me feel better and I feel more alert in a healthier way.

** Price and Availability **
You can expect to pay around £1.25 (according to the Twinnings website) for a box of 20. It may seem like much for just twenty tea bags, but it is worth it and also worth looking out for any special offers.

** Overall **
In regard to this product, I would definitely recommend it if you like red berries. I like to buy these teabags on special offer and try not to drink it too much as I am on quite a limited budget. This is becoming one of my favourites in the range, however not quite my favourite yet.

If you love tea or coffee and looking for a healthier alternative, I would suggest this tea (or another in the wide range) to substitute. It offers more health benefits and you have such a wide selection that you will never get bored.