"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea"
-Henry James, "The Portrait of a Lady"
High tea, which is also known as, "afternoon tea" is the custom of drinking tea between 3pm to 5pm. This ritual originated in England by Catherine of Braganze, who married Charles II in 1661, and brought the practice of "afternoon tea" with her from Portugal.
A few months ago, I read an article about the effects of caffeine, specifically coffee after 3pm. The study indicated that having coffee after 3 in the afternoon affects your ability to fall asleep. I was devastated to learn this, because I rely on coffee in the afternoon to maintain my energy level. I began to think of alternatives and instantly thought of tea! American's used to drink tea prior to drinking coffee, so I was wondering why and when we stopped? Did we resent the British so much that after the "Boston tea party" we decided to rid ourselves of tea?
For the past few weeks, I have attempted to have "high tea" daily and I have to say that I honestly feel better emotionally and physically. It has become a comforting ritual that I hope will become a trend again!
Take time for yourself and enjoy a nice spot of tea!
Love, Lili
hey you! A couple of years ago, I tried adding more water throughout my day and found I no longer needed my afternoon coffee to help maintain my energy level. My next check, everything was better. Just a thought. oh - and I easily fall asleep before 10pm and am ready for that 1 big cup of coffee no later than 6am. :)
ReplyDeleteHi there! I think you are right about drinking enough water. I get so caught up in the day, that i forget to eat and drink sometimes!
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