Health & Nutrition, News

Earl Grey tea benefits with a twist

In our collection we have two delicious blends for lovers of Earl Grey. Our Classic Earl and a very special blend with all the Earl Grey tea benefits, plus an extra ‘twist’, we’ve called Earl Great! It includes some fantastic extra ingredients you’re going to want to hear about. Although Sri Lankan black tea makes up the majority of our Earl Great blend at 73%, in this post we focus on the health benefits of two of the ingredients – Ginkgo biloba and Gotu Kola – which have been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

Earl Grey tea benefits

Ginkgo biloba

A tree native to China, Ginkgo biloba leaves have been used for the past thousand years in natural Chinese medicine. And for good reason!

Antioxidant Concentration

Ginkgo biloba has large amounts of flavonoids which help to regulate cellular activity and eliminate free radicals. Flavonoids are said to help prevent cancer and provide anti-inflammatory benefits by inhibiting inflammatory pathways to the brain. This anti-inflammatory inhibition can reduce the effects of other issues such as arthritis, bowel problems, heart disease and stroke.

Circulation

Ginkgo biloba helps to improve circulation which provides additional fantastic benefits. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties and other undiscovered reasons, it was used historically by the Chinese to increase blood flow to organs and muscles to help with healing. Nowadays, improved circulation can be associated with reducing HDL (bad) cholesterol and a whole host of other benefits.

Gotu Kola

Again, native to China as a historical medicine, Gotu Kola has been used as natural way to increase brain function, skin health and organ function.

Helping to ease anxiety

It has been suggested that Gotu Kola is able to regulate the activity of neurotransmitters due to its asiatic acid content. Asiatic acid can help ease symptoms of anxiety and act as a calming agent.

Supporting good circulation

Similar to Ginkgo biloba, it can improve blood circulation. It does this by inhibiting fatty plagues within blood vessels allowing easier transport of blood around the body helping with issues such as venous insufficiency and other circulatory diseases.

For true fans of Earl Grey, add the tea to your recipes, such as Earl Grey loaf, shortbread and Earl Grey Cake. And if you fancy trying our delicious Earl Great tea with its amazing ingredients choose either Earl Grey tea bags or loose leaf tea and get brewing!

All‌ ‌health‌ ‌content‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌Twist‌ ‌Teas’‌ ‌website‌ ‌is‌ ‌provided‌ ‌for‌ ‌general‌ ‌information‌ ‌only,‌ ‌and‌ ‌should‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌treated‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌substitute‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌medical‌ ‌advice‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌own‌ ‌doctor‌ ‌or‌ ‌any‌ ‌other‌ ‌healthcare‌ professional.‌ ‌If‌ ‌you‌ ‌have‌ ‌any‌ ‌concerns‌ ‌about‌ ‌your‌ ‌general‌ ‌health,‌ ‌you‌ ‌should‌ ‌contact‌ ‌your‌ ‌local‌ ‌healthcare‌ ‌provider.‌ ‌

Charity, Family, News

Twist Teas supports Peterson’s Fund for Children

By Hello on

2:55 pm

- Charity, Family, News

2020 was a challenging year for everyone. From individuals to small businesses, such as ourselves, and even some very large, multinational corporations. However, one sector that has been significantly hit, and perhaps overlooked, is charities.

Many charities have seen a great impact on their ability to fundraise with almost all events being cancelled. From large scale events such as the London Marathon, which raised £66.4 million for numerous charities in 2019, to smaller local events organised in support of individual charities, fundraising has been a struggle.

And it’s not just about raising money. Thousands of people really do enjoy all kinds of fundraising events throughout the year.

We all want to help where we can and at Twist we have tried to do just that, recently aligning ourselves with an amazing charity called Peterson’s Fund For Children.

Whilst we acknowledge that we are a small, family run business, and do not have the financial might of a multinational corporation, we are still committed to doing our bit. We have been involved in various charitable campaigns in the past, from our Brew For A Hero (which is back by the way!!!) to our Remembrance Caddies. However, this year we have committed to doing even more.

Many large businesses are able to donate millions to deserving causes, which we applaud them for, so we wanted to make a similarly significant impact relative to our size. So we are pleased to announce that 10% of all gross profits from Twist will be donated directly to Peterson’s Fund For Children.

Introducing Peterson’s Fund For Children

Based in Surrey, Peterson’s Fund For Children is dedicated to improving and enhancing the lives of children with severe mental and physical disabilities.

For the last 10 years, and thanks to extensive fundraising efforts, they have been able to provide funding for a variety of therapies, specialised equipment and much needed respite care not available on the NHS. Their aim is to help as many young people in need as possible by improving the children’s quality of life enabling them to maximise their potential.

You can learn more about the work Peterson’s Fund For Children does, as well as reading some of the individual stories of the children, by visiting their website.

The Impact of COVID-19

As with many charities, the lack of fundraising events throughout the last year has had a notable impact. However, unlike some other charities, there is a further impact for Peterson’s Fund for Children, through the loss of business in Suite 109. Suite 109 is the Fund’s charity shop. This unique charity shop specialises in new and pre-loved fancy dress and accessories plus dance costumes, theatre and vintage wear for all ages, sizes, genders and needs. The enforced closure of the shop for the majority of 2020 has resulted in a significant reduction in revenue, greatly impacting the charity.

This has led to reliance on grants and support from donations for funding their vital work. The application process for grants is time-consuming and each will have a large number of deserving charities applying, meaning there is no guarantee of success. This has led to a reduction in avenues for funding.

As well as the affects on funding, COVID-19 has meant that the charity has been required to adapt the services it provides for the children. Where previously there has been a focus on face-to-face therapy and hands-on help for the children, from bespoke yoga or physiotherapy sessions to horse-riding lessons, social distancing measures have made this impractical. Therefore, the charity needed to rethink and change tack.. The current focus is on the health and nutrition of the children, with funds going towards supporting these efforts.

Ways in which you can support

There are ways in which you can support Peterson’s Fund For Children. As well as one-off donations, there are other ways you can provide regular support for the fund. You can ‘Become A Friend’ of the charity; this sets up a monthly donation and there are varying levels of donation you can sign up to, with indications of what each donation provides. Visit their website to learn more about what you can add if you ‘Become A Friend’.

You, your company or a company you know can also become corporate sponsors for Peterson’s Fund For Children. Through mutually-beneficial association, you can forge a significant relationship with an exciting charity which is brimming with potential.

Book Reviews

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

By Hello on

1:04 pm

- Book Reviews

Our recommended tea to accompany The Lost Man: Lemongrass and Coconut

January and February are my least favourite months in the UK. Christmas is over, the weather is unrelentingly grey, damp and cold, the days are still short, and spring is a long way in the future. To top it all off, January 2021 sees us once more in a hard lockdown due to Covid-19. Wrapping up and hibernating inside with a good book and a cup of tea seems like the only sensible thing to do!

The Lost Man provides escapism from January-itis in spades. Set in rural Queensland amid searing summer heat, buzzing flies and the ever-present danger of death by dehydration, snakebite or spider bite, a man from a remote farming community has died suddenly and brutally.

First Impression: I was completely hooked by this book before the end of the first chapter. Jane Harper’s amazing prose easily enables the reader to imagine the taste of dust in their mouth, feel the blistering heat from the sun, and sense the growing dread that all is not as it should be for the central characters as they struggle to come to terms with Cameron Bright’s death.

One key theme to The Lost Man is that of isolation. Farms in this region of Australia lie across vast tracts of land, often covering several thousand hectares each, with the closest major cities located thousands of kilometres away. Even popping over to the closest neighbour necessitates considerable planning and a lengthy drive. Flooding can completely cut these properties off from one another, requiring them to always have emergency supplies on hand.

Does the thought of feeling isolated sound familiar? Unfortunately, isolation has become commonplace during lockdown this past year. People have felt cut-off from loved ones, friends, even from medical help and there have been concerns about grocery supplies. So how can we stay positive during this time? While it is difficult to plan too far ahead with so much uncertainty, we can still make time to enjoy simple pleasures such as a lovely cup of tea and a fabulous new book. It’s all about the little things right now, isn’t it?

The verdict: Read it! And then read Jane Harper’s other books. The first I read was Force of Nature, followed quickly by The Dry. I am eagerly awaiting her latest, The Survivors, to be released later this month.

The Twist? Although I’m guessing that no-nonsense farming people would prefer a straightforward brew such as Twenty Four Seven, in the spirit of dry January, I recommend that the Bright family try a Twist Tea cold brew, made with chilled water. The blue of Lemongrass and Coconut would contrast nicely with the red soil while the all-natural ingredients would completely refresh them. Don’t forget the ice!

Written by Nicky Kavanaugh, Founder and Director of Twist Teas

Book Reviews

Cook Yourself Happy: The Danish Way by Caroline Fleming

By Hello on

9:24 am

- Book Reviews

Our recommended tea to accompany this book: Classic Earl

Skål to author, TV presenter and former model, Caroline Fleming! Cook Yourself Happy is a wonderfully wholesome immersion into the Danish lifestyle, peppered with childhood memories, insights into the culture, traditions and history of this proud Nordic country.

If you collect cookbooks to bring a bit of colour, life and fusion to your family cooking, you’ll absolutely love this book.

First impression: I’m a highly visual person and was drawn by the texture, warmth and distinctly Scandinavian hygge feel of the photography and layout. Portions are modest, nourishing and simply presented. The photographs of Caroline’s childhood home and local haunts provide an engaging context to her warm and lovingly-told food story.

Recipes: What I like most about the recipes is the wholesome connection to nature and the local environment, and how much I learned about the country through the recipes. Denmark is a seafaring nation and while many of the dishes are bursting with fish and shellfish ingredients, Caroline includes the traditionally harvested produce, meat and cheese specialities, as well as foraged ingredients such as mushrooms, blueberries, cherries, apples and nettles in her recipes. These are carefully balanced recipes including light meals, soups and open sandwiches (a firm part of everyday Danish life), salads, meat, fish and vegetarian main courses, desserts, bread, bakes – even healthy candy(yes, really!) and drinks.

I rate a cookbook on how many recipes I want to try immediately when I first page through it – this book scores a 10+. I love the twists on some of the old favourites such as apple cake (served in jars with macaroons and cream!); the food bread – it is absolutely delicious – and Caroline’s carrot salad – wow.

Ethos: I have a dear Danish friend, Jette, and have enjoyed many a noisy, fun, warm and hearty meal with her and her family, so I found it very easy to relate to the ethos of Cook Yourself Happy. I recognise the feeling that Caroline explains so well. The kitchen is undoubtedly the heart of the home and the act of cooking is an expression of love. Recipes handed down through the generations make you think of family and friends when you use them: I covet Jette’s mum’s oat ball biscuits recipe I was given one Christmas – Caroline’s version of Vanilla and Oat Cookies are reminiscent of these – and I genuinely salivate when I think about Jette cooking the Danish way to cook pork: I couldn’t stop eating it either!

The Twist: As a Twist Teas lover, perhaps the sweetest surprise of all, was finding a recipe at the very end of the book for iced tea I hadn’t come across before. It combines Earl Grey, lemons and sugar. It is wonderful. A super addition to my cookbook shelf – but also a beautiful way to learn about the Kingdom of Denmark. Thank you, Caroline.

Family, News

William And His Namesake

By Hello on

9:50 am

- Family, News

Many of you will have met William, the youngest member of Team Twist. At the effervescent age of 7, William is the life, soul and energy at Twist HQ.

On Remembrance Day, we pay special tribute to his Great Grandad William who was awarded with the Arctic Star. The Arctic Star is awarded to members of the British Armed Forces and Merchant Navy for services in World War II. Young William will proudly tell anyone, who has a minute, about the brave and selfless endeavours of those who served on Arctic convoys north of the Arctic circle, and of the severity of the conditions they faced. Thank you to all the brave men and women from near and far who sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Family, News

Every Poppy Counts

By Hello on

9:45 am

- Family, News

A big thank you to our generous Twist Teas customers for supporting the Royal British Legion poppy appeal through their purchase of our Remembrance caddies. With poppy collectors unable to sell poppies locally and many fundraising events cancelled, the Royal British Legion relied on local businesses and the public for donations, because every poppy counts.

Rosemary Crofts, Poppy Appeal Organiser, and her team at the Harpenden Royal British Legion office, spent this week counting donations and were pleased to receive the cheque for £100 from Twist Teas. Co-Founder Claire Ayres said that like so many things this year, the Poppy Appeal has had to adapt to the lockdown and it was wonderful to see all the innovative ideas the people had come up with to make a difference to the Armed Forces Community.

Family, News, Trade

We will continue to operate throughout the lockdown

By Hello on

9:21 am

- Family, News, Trade

Our website is always open for business. We will continue to fulfil all your tea related needs while working within the strictest safety standards. Whether you’re enjoying your Twist Tea alone or in your bubble there’ll be no charge for delivery on any order before the end of the Lockdown on 2 December 2020.

Like everyone else we’re trying our best to give back with our Brew For A Hero caddies. All profits going to the relevant charity including The Royal British Legion, the NHS and Children In Need. And remember, every time you order Twist Teas you’re supporting an independent, British tea brand. You should feel great about that! Thank you for your support.

Family, News, Trade

Twist Teas wins another 5 Great Taste Awards bringing its total to 15

By Luke Slice Studio on

1:33 pm

- Family, News, Trade

Twist Teas submitted some blends to the Guild of Fine Foods’ Great Taste Awards. The awards are judged by over 500 of the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, restaurateurs, buyers, retailers and producers, as well as a whole host of food writers and journalists.

These experts know their tea and the Great Taste Awards are widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and specialty food producers. As well as a badge of honour, the unmistakable black and gold Great Taste label is a signpost to a wonderful tasting product.

Twist Teas is delighted to share the news that we have added 5 Great Taste Awards to the 10 we already hold giving a total of 15.

Our award winning blends not only sound interesting (see list below) but all are plastic-free, ethically sourced and contain added functional health benefits.

Award winners are: Twenty Four Seven, All Day Decaff, Passionfruit and Rose, Pure Matcha, Crème Brewlée, Minty Allsorts, Chamomile Yawn, Summer Berries, Mint Humbug, Mint Choc Chip, After Eat; Banana Shake; Classic Earl; Pure Rooibos and Lemongrass & Coconut they also taste great.

Twenty Four Seven and All Day Decaff both won two star with the judges commenting that:

‘Good colour and a strong liquor. Very bright with nice briskness and quality. Good with milk, very bright.’ [TwentyFourSeven]

‘Light, bright and with a little briskness.’ ‘If you need a decaf, this is for you. [All Day Decaff.]

Minty Allsorts is described as: ‘A great contribution to the market.’ ‘One for liquorice aficionados: its sweetness running as a baseline throughout. Mint plays its part, albeit softly. The overall effect is lifted and refreshing, while providing a soft, rounded, gentle mouthfeel. A pleasing blend.’

With Great Taste Awards regarded as a stamp of excellence by Twist Teas’ consumers and retailers alike, we are delighted that we continue to add to our line-up of stellar blends – proof that, ultimately, Twist Teas are all about taste. The fact that our packaging is so lovely and all recyclable or compostable is just an added bonus.

Pure Matcha is described as brewing: ‘Powder-soft, nicely verdant matcha powder, pleasantly zesty on the nose.’ ‘Brews to a deep green, with a nice consistency. Vegetal, mineral aroma is present as expected from a Japanese matcha.’ ‘Well-rounded and smooth on first taste with some sweetness followed by a clear umami aftertaste. Delivers on the foundations of a good matcha, including depth of flavour and astringency, without being overpowering or bitter.’

The Judges describe Crème Brewlée as ‘an award-worthy infusion.’ ‘The aroma is of turmeric and rooibos but nicely balanced. There is coconut, turmeric, rooibos and ginger on the palate, all balanced nicely with a pleasing sweetness.’ ‘With the aromas of creamy coconut combined with woody rooibos and earthy turmeric the dry ingredients were imaginatively combined. The amber brewed liquor had coconut allied with ginger as the main aromatics. The infusion was creamy smooth coconut and had the subtle flavours of rooibos, turmeric and the gentle heat of ginger. Overall a pleasing infusion which delivered on all aspects, and worthy of star rating.’

Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness

Matcha Ado About …..Turmeric Matcha

By Luke Slice Studio on

11:50 am

- Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness

Turmeric, the vibrant spice so prominent in Indian cuisine, has been gaining in popularity and not because of a rise in curry cravings. Twist Teas’ infatuation with this knobby root is thanks in part to how inviting it makes the idea of a Turmeric Matcha, but mostly because of its many reputed health benefits.

What is it?

Turmeric is a spice found within the Turmeric plant, farmed in parts of Asia and is traditionally the main spice in curry, giving it that golden-yellow colour. Not only does it encompass a flavourful taste, it also contains compounds associated with various health benefits.

Health benefits

It contains Curcumin

Curcumin is a key ingredient found in Turmeric and has great anti-inflammatory effects, that are said to rival the effectiveness of some over the counter drugs. It does this by preventing the NF-kB molecule from entering into your cells, which commonly sparks significant amounts of inflammation.

Increased brain function

Curcumin increases a growth hormone found in the brain associated with heightened awareness. This allows people to obtain better levels of focus and may even help with diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Heart health

Again, the nifty curcumin plays a role in increasing the effectiveness of the heart, specifically by improving the function of the blood vessels through the endothelium. An improvement in the Endothelium’s role in regulating blood pressure can see heart health increase as a result.

Antioxidants

Curcumin has been found to destroy free radicals in the body, which can be extremely harmful and even cancer causing. It does this by boosting the production of antioxidative enzymes. For more information on antioxidants, read my blog Matcha Ado About … Pure Matcha

Now that you know about the amazing potential turmeric has, you won’t be surprised that we have added it to our Matcha! The combination of these two super foods can see them both heightening the effectiveness of each other’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Serving Suggestions

Smoothie: Simply add a teaspoon to a smoothie of your choice. It works particularly well if you’ve got a fairly bland, unsweetened, smoothie that needs something with a distinctive flavour to turn it into to a really delicious, mega-healthy treat.

Matcha latte: Now this is a really delicious, fiery drink that is great to wake yourself up on a Monday morning. Simply add one teaspoon of Turmeric Matcha to a cup, add enough hot (not boiling, 80 degrees centigrade) water, milk or milk substitute to turn it into a paste. Then add the rest of the liquid, stirring vigorously until fully combined and frothy. Now you’ve made yourself a lovely healthy pick me up!

Savoury dishes: Sprinkle a teaspoon of turmeric matcha onto a dish that could use a bit of spice. Some of my favourites include immune-boosting carrot and ginger turmeric soup or using it to spruce up plain old chicken and rice.

Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness, News

Matcha Ado About … Peppermint Matcha

By Luke Slice Studio on

10:45 am

- Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness, News

Peppermint has been a staple tea for many generations and for good reason. Native to the UK and the rest of Europe and across Asia, its delightfully fresh, minty taste, together with its myriad of health benefits, has made it one of the most popular teas across the world. At Twist Teas, we thought instead of replacing the old with the new, why not combine the two – Peppermint Matcha! Not only have we united these two super nutrients for their unique health benefits, but they also taste wonderful when combined! Peppermint Matcha makes for an incredible super brew! For information on Matcha, take a look at the Matcha blog as today we are going to be solely delving into how amazing peppermint can be.

Health benefits of peppermint

Inflammation reduction

Peppermint can act as a relaxant as the compound methanol allows for easier blood transportation as it increases blood flow. This can see reductions in aches, pains and may even help things such as headaches and migraines.

Mouth health

It freshens your breath, and contains antibacterial properties to help fight off germs.

Increased focus and energy

The natural properties in peppermint have been shown to help with perceived levels of energy and increased levels of focus. Peppermint, combined with our Matcha, will definitely sort out those midday work blues.

Allergy symptoms

Peppermint contains acid rosmarinic, which has been shown to be a reliever of allergic reactions associated with things such as hay fever, asthma causers and pet allergies.

Sinuses

Peppermint contains methanol, an anti-inflammatory compound, which increases the level of nasal airflow, helping you to breath more freely. If you drink your Peppermint Matcha steaming hot, it can really help your sinuses.

So, that in combination with our Matcha will certainly give you that health kick (you might not know) you needed!

Serving Suggestions

Refreshing hot (or cold) brew: This will undoubtedly give a kick to your day and is incredibly simple to make. Just add a teaspoon of Peppermint Matcha to a cup, stir in a small amount of the liquid (slightly cooled boiling water, milk or milk substitute, approx. 80 degrees centigrade) and make a smooth paste. Then slowly add the rest of the liquid, stirring vigorously. At Twist Teas, we especially enjoy it cold on ice with a sprig of fresh mint.

Protein Shake: If you are looking to change up the taste of that protein powder, add in some revitalising Peppermint Matcha and give it that uplifting minty flavour! Just make your shake as you usually would, add a teaspoon of the powder and shake away!

Blueberry porridge with a Peppermint Matcha kick start: Now for one of my favourite breakfasts, with a twist (we are called this for a reason!). Make your blueberry porridge as you usually would – oats, water, milk or milk substitute and blueberries. Then mix in around a teaspoon and a half of the Peppermint Matcha. The peppermint gives a massive kick to the flavour of the porridge and to my brain. Also works well sprinkled on granola with a dash of yoghurt or Kefir. Kickstart your day with this super-nutritious breakfast!

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Health & Nutrition, News

Earl Grey tea benefits with a twist

Earl Grey tea benefits

Charity, Family, News

Twist Teas supports Peterson’s Fund for Children

Book Reviews

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

Book Reviews

Cook Yourself Happy: The Danish Way by Caroline Fleming

Family, News

William And His Namesake

Family, News

Every Poppy Counts

Family, News, Trade

We will continue to operate throughout the lockdown

Family, News, Trade

Twist Teas wins another 5 Great Taste Awards bringing its total to 15

Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness

Matcha Ado About …..Turmeric Matcha

Health & Nutrition, Immunity, Matcha, Matcha Powder, Mindfulness, News

Matcha Ado About … Peppermint Matcha

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