Photo credit: Sabrina Rifkin

Brewed green tea is displayed on a countertop with honey; a necessity to sweeten the tea. Tea bags or loose leaf tea are different ways to brew.

Imagine if your morning drink could give you the kick of caffeine you crave, help boost your immune system and support biodynamic farmers changing the way we grow food — all in one cup! Drinking green tea in the morning may seem like a simple act, but like so many things in life, there is a lot more tea to spill in order to understand the whole story. 

Evidence of green tea consumption can be traced all the way back to the Han Dynasty, when its primary use was medicinal. Later, China’s early Tang Dynasty started to consume green tea for pleasure. During this time, green tea ceremonies also became a ritual because of the methods used to prepare it and the tea’s luxurious reputation. Preparing green tea was meant to be a ritual that embodied Zen Buddhism, where peace and tranquility were attained. This practice even became a form of meditation, where every detail was considered and care was taken in the preparation. In the late 19th century, green tea came to Europe and made its way into more Western cultures. Today, green tea is a very popular cultural drink, with many touted health benefits.

Green tea is widely known to be a soothing drink, but it also contains anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea is made up of a type of polyphenol called catechin. Catechins have many beneficial properties, like their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Antioxidants are very good for humans because they fight off harmful free radicals in the body, which are linked to diseases like diabetes and cancer. 

Biodynamic farming is a “holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food, and nutrition.” When green tea is grown using these methods, it doesn’t just help your immune system, but it also helps nurture and regenerate the soil. Biodynamic farmers make sure all parts of the farm are thriving, treating the farm as a living organism with interdependent parts. Industrial farming methods overuse the soil to the point of near infertility, making it unusable for future crops — a highly unsustainable practice that harms the planet. Biodynamic farming is a conscious way of farming that supports the health of the soil and our planet. Additionally, tea grown in non-depleted soil is more nutrient dense. 

Part of living a healthy life is knowing the impact things you consume have on your body and the planet. In a world where there seems to be a new wellness trend every day, it becomes harder and harder to find information and products that are accurate and focus on the issues you value. Buying organic green tea grown using biodynamic farming methods helps your health and the health of our planet. 

Here are some of the best biodynamic grown green tea companies. 

• Hampstead Organic is an English tea brand founded by a woman with a passion for biodynamic farming. Her tea company was voted ‘The Most Ethical Tea Brand’ by the Ethical Consumer. 

• Divinitea is a certified organic and biodynamic tea company.

• Solspring is another brand that makes biodynamic green tea. 

Let’s raise a glass to our health and to the planet’s!