Discover the different types, the best infused tea flavor pairings and their health benefits in our tea and infusions guide below!

After living life as a coffee addict for years, I’ve recently developed a passion for tea. I was at a point where I consumed coffee multiple times a day like water. Until one day when I stumbled upon flower tea and infusions, and from then on, coffee was forgotten and now I’m all about the tea life!

Lots of teas are caffeine-free and have many health benefits. If you’re a tea lover like I am, you probably already love the concept of tea and infusions. Read below on how you can make infused beverages, what flavors to try out and all the different types that every tea aficionado should know about!

Tea and Infusions: A History

A tea infusion is basically the concept of pouring hot water over dried herbs, flowers or fruits, waiting for it to steep so the flavor intensifies and enjoying it hot or cold! But it’s not entirely a new concept. In fact, the origins of tea and infusions dates back to 2737 BCE.

According to legends, the Chinese emperor, Shennong, was the one who discovered it. The story states that he was resting under a camellia tree and drinking some boiled water, when a couple of dried leaves fell into the water. He decided to drink it anyway and found it very refreshing and so, the tea we all love and enjoy today was discovered!

Over the years, it went through many stages and transformations. From tea cakes, powders and dried leaves to flavors and infusions, but the love and appreciation for tea always stayed the same!

The Concept of Herbal Infusion

Herbal infusions are beverages made by steeping or soaking herbs in hot water. They can be steeped anywhere from ten minutes to even a couple of hours, depending on how strong you want the flavor to be. What makes it different from a regular tea is that it’s not brewed in a pot of boiling water. Herbal infusions have more benefits than other types of tea. Herbal tea and infusions can also be steeped with fruits or flowers to make them tastier!

Infusion Definition: What does Infused Mean?

Infusion basically means creating a substance by adding or steeping an element to a liquid. The liquid subsequently takes up the steeped substance’s taste and fragrance.

Infused Tea as Homemade Detox

Tea and infusions are also a good way to detoxify as they have properties that cleanse and remove toxins from the body. The best and most effective way to detox at home is to have a cup or two of infused tea in a day and cut off all kinds of fried, junk food and alcohol. Increase your intake of fruits, veggies and whole grains and let the tea work its magic on your body’s system. The ones that give the best results are infused green tea, dandelion tea, lemon tea and ginger tea.

Types of Infused Tea

From sweet fruity infusions to light flowery and even liquor (yum!) ones, there are various types of teas and infusions to try out. And each of them have their own health benefits. Keep reading to know them all!

1. Flower Infusions

My favorite thing about flower tea and infusions is that no matter how long they’re steeped for, their flavor still remains light. And their fragrance is just an added bonus! It’s perfect for those who don’t like their teas strong. The best way to make these are by using dehydrated flowers. Here are a few popular flower infusions:

Chamomile Tea

My all time favorite drink ever, wild chamomile tea and infusions are also known as the sleep tea. It’s also the tea that converted the hardcore coffee lover I was into a tea worshiper. It has a mild and delicate flavor and helps soothe and relax nerves, which makes it great for insomniacs and just drinking before bed, in general. It can also be had to cure sore throats and cold.

Jasmine Tea

Jasmine teas are the perfect pick-me-up after a long and exhausting day or just an evening accompaniment during winters at office. Its beautiful scent and flavor together, help relieve stress, tension and anxiety. They’re also good for headaches.

Rosebud Tea

Everyone knows that anything rose is beneficial for healthy and glowing skin. It’s the same with rose tea and infusions as well. This light and fragrant brew is my go-to morning drink ’cause the scent just wakes me up instantly. It’s like a healthier version of coffee!

Hibiscus Tea

Also known as rosella tea, it’s rich in vitamin C, has anti oxidants and boosts immunity. Hibiscus tea is popular for its vibrant color and also had as an iced tea.

Orchid Tea

This flower infusion tea is popular in China and is good for eyesight and immune system. It’s said to have a delicate flavor and a smell similar to honey.

2. Fruit Infused Tea

Not only can these infusion teas be made easily at home and they’re also really good for you! You can infuse the fruits with just water or green tea leaves for added flavor. Start by choosing your favorite fruit. Make sure it’s dried! You can either buy dried fruit slices or cubes or you could even dehydrate fresh fruits in your oven. Steep them in water or green tea for as long as you want and have them hot or iced.

Lemon Tea

Lemon flavored tea flushes out toxins, cleanses the liver and helps to lose weight. If you’re on a weight loss diet, a lemon ginger tea would do you wonders! Honey lemon tea is also a go-to infused beverage for a sore throat and cold because it’s vitamin C rich. It’s the best morning drink, in my opinion.

Black Currant Tea

Blackcurrant tea and infusions taste and smell like fresh berries and have a pretty violet color. They strengthen the immune system and also have cancer-preventing properties.

Ginger Tea

Wild ginger root tea is great for relieving muscle pain and soreness. It can also help lose weight and be more beneficial when combined with lemon or turmeric. You could also enhance the taste by pairing it with other herbs or fruits to make ginger thyme tea or pineapple ginger tea.

Cherry Stalk Tea

Who knew that the cherry stem we usually throw away while eating cherries, has many benefits too! They’re anti-inflammatory and also anti-ageing. Combine them with other fruits if you want a sweet tasting cherry stalk tea.

Vanilla Tea

With its sweet aroma, delicious flavor and stress-relieving properties, french vanilla tea and infusions are the perfect combo of tasty and healthy. They taste best when combined with other fruits or flowers. Try coconut vanilla tea, raspberry vanilla tea and honeybush vanilla tea.

Apple Tea

Apple flavored tea is rich in Vitamin B-6 and helps remove bad cholesterol. Some yummy variations to give a try are caramel apple tea and cranberry apple tea.

Mango Tea

High in vitamins and sweet in taste, mango infusion tea is the perfect evening time tea. Its leaves may also be used along with the fruit or even separately. Mango leaf tea made from powdered dry leaves helps to reduce blood pressure levels.

Wild Blueberry Tea

Blueberries are rich in anti oxidants and reduce the risk of diabetes. Steep it along with white or green tea leaves to reduce its tart flavor and for added nutrition.

3. Herbal Infusion

Medicinal teas are great for overall health and wellness. Read about the different herbal tea and infusions below!

Licorice Tea

Add boiled water to licorice root sticks and some mint. Steeping for just a couple of minutes is enough for liquorice tea ’cause it has a naturally strong flavor. It’s good for digestion and stomach ulcers.

Tulsi Tea

Holy basil or tulsi tea and infusions are good for the heart, lungs, skin and overall wellbeing. Tulsi is known for it’s countless health benefits in Ayurveda and is also used for chai tea flavoring commonly in Indian households.

Fennel Tea

Fennel seed tea is great for digestion. And for those who don’t like the taste of fennel, infuse it along with apples. They taste amazing together! Fennel infused water and tea are also good for home remedies for tonsillitis.

Peppermint Tea

A delicious Christmassy beverage that’s perfect for those cold winter months. The benefits of peppermint tea are, it helps to reduce stress, relieve sinus problems and boosts the immune system. Peppermint and lavender together would make for a tasty infused tea.

4. Liquor Tea Infusions

Yes, you read that right. Liquor flavored teas are a thing and they are just as delicious as they sound. Tea combined with whiskey, vodka and tequila are for all those who want a li’l something in their evening tea.

Hot Toddy

The classic whiskey drink, perfect for a cold winter night. It’s quite simple to make too. Just add whiskey and any herbal tea of your choice along with spices like cloves, cinnamon or star anise. You could even go ahead and add honey and lemon wedges if you please. A hot toddy tea infusion is also a good cure for cold.

Tequila Tea

You’ll never know how good tequila and tea taste together until you try this hot tequila drink. Combine tequila with either white tea or chamomile tea if you really want the tequila flavor to shine. Also add in a cinnamon stick for a spicy kick.

Vodka Infused Tea

Since vodka is too strong to infuse with tea by itself, you can add in some lemonade or the juice of an orange. Or why not drink it own its own too! In my personal opinion, you have not lived until you’ve had this drink and it works even better as a cold beverage.

Wine Flavored Tea

Combine your favorite tea with your favorite wine! Although, some combinations taste better like red wine with oolong tea and white wine with green tea.

Is There Caffeine in Fruit Tea?

No, herbal tea and infusions do not contain any amount of caffeine, since they’re not made with tea leaves. However, fruit or flower flavored green teas are sometimes packaged and sold as infused teas, so do check the packet for its caffeine content.

Fusion Drinks

Fusion drinks are teas and infusions that have more than one type of flavoring. Some of the best ones are pairings of different categories of teas. Such as a fruit and herbal infusion tea or even a flower and chocolate infusion tea! Sounds crazy, I know! But that’s the best part. These have got to be my favorite kind of infusion drinks simply because of the unexpectedly delicious flavor combinations! In fact, you can try combining two or maybe even three different flavors right at home. Here are some popular ideas for steeped tea and infusions.

Peach ginger tea
Strawberry rose tea
Licorice mint tea
Chamomile citrus tea
Rosemary lemon tea
Rose and french vanilla tea

So that was our guide on teas and infusions. Have you tried any of them yet? Tell us by tweeting @shilpa1ahuja! 😀