Bliss Out with Yogi Teas

I am a coffee drinker.  I will climb to the highest peak of a free-trade coffee producing country to proclaim this truth.  In fact, I am a coffee addict.  It is a legal beverage that I have to drink every day or suffer through an insane headache; Surprisingly, I had one brief period of drying out – of less than a year – in which I lost my taste for coffee.  It was right after my son was born. I could only drink it if it was a latte with a ton of honey in it or laden down with a flavored synthetic creamer. YUK!

It was during this time that I turned to tea and, despite my dependence on coffee, I have had a cup of green tea almost every weekday morning for the past seven years.

I don’t mind my green tea as long as I know that cup of Java will be following soon.  In the beginning, I would drink Trader Joe’s regular green tea and Jasmine green tea for its mild flavoring, but I soon found a certain brand of tea that offered much more than just good taste and health benefits, it also soothes my soul.

My favorite tea is Yogi Detox Green Tea made by Yogi Products…aka Yogi Tea Company.  Part of the appeal for me is the enjoyable flavor and healthfulness of it, but it has the most uplifting packaging – like those Lululemon bags – and each tea bag contains a daily affirmation.  I also really dig the story behind the company.

Yogi Products, which is based in Oregon, has the most intriguing narrative about their store on its website.  “Our story begins in 1969 when Yogi Bhajan, an inspired and inspiring teacher of holistic living, started teaching yoga in America. He shared the wisdom and knowledge of Ayurveda and healthy living that he had mastered in India with his students while serving a specially spiced tea, which they affectionately named ‘Yogi Tea.’ The recipe contained five traditional Ayurvedic spices: cardamom seed, cinnamon bark, clove bud, ginger root and black pepper. When blended and brewed, these delicious spices leave you feeling vibrant and alive, while boosting overall well-being. Intrigued by the complex flavor and inherent health benefits of this unique combination of spices, it wasn't long before several of the yogi's students were inspired to brew their own ‘Yogi Tea.’

In 1984, this grassroots endeavor blossomed into the Yogi Tea Company. Packages of the rough, dried spices began to appear in natural foods stores throughout Southern California. As demand increased, the spices were more finely ground, packaged and sealed into individual tea bags. By 1986, Yogi Tea was distributed nationwide in three flavors.”

The story continues, “Yogi has continued to expand and evolve our tea offerings to address specific health needs by creating specialized herbal formulas, blended for both flavor and purpose. Today, Yogi has over 60 tea blends, many of which are created using the five original Yogi spices.”

In conclusion, “The holistic teachings of Ayurveda and healthy living are the inspiration behind Yogi. These teachings continue to inform how we develop our products, and we honor and reflect them through the Yogi Principles.”

I know that I am attracted to this product because of its grounded yoga-based principals.  But also, I love that Yogi Brand philosophy, “we believe wholesome, unprocessed foods are the best way to enjoy essential health benefits complimented by intriguing, delightful flavors - qualities that make all of our products uniquely Yogi.”

They sell Yogi Teas everywhere from Vons to Whole Foods to Trader Joes. Personally, I think TJ has the best price for it.  The next time you are there, make sure to pick some up your OM in a box and bliss out with a cuppa at home.