For people with IBD, a good herbal tea is a staple. Some teas may help soothe gastrointestinal distress, and when relegated to a liquid die they can add some much-needed variety. My top picks for herbal teas were based mainly on flavor and aroma but I also considered packaging, flavor variety and availability. I hope you enjoy my herbal tea picks as much as I enjoyed the research!
Bigelow has about 14 varieties of herbal teas in every flavor from chamomile to peach. The strong flavor and aroma they deliver makes them my favorite. Individual packets help to keep the tea fresh and from spreading the scent to other teas in my cabinet. Two sampler packs are also available for trying new flavors.
Lipton is one of the most well known teas, claiming to be "America's favorite tea." I grew up on the "Brisk" tea and naturally turned to them first for herbal tea flavors. Lipton teas deliver strong flavor, but only have about 7 varieties and one sampler package.
With (at last count) 15 flavors, Stash offers many choices for herbal tea, but their flavors are not as robust as my first two choices. They offer their teas loose or in bags with the choice of foil, paper, or cello wrapping. If you buy at the supermarket you're likely to find the foil wrapped variety which keeps the flavor strong and away from other teas.
Twinings has been making their famous teas for almost three centuries and are more well known for their "classic" teas than their herbals. An English company, Twinings tea is made in England and North America and is available all over the world. There are only a few (about 6) herbal blends, but they have decent flavor and brew up well.
With about 23 herbal teas, there is a Celestial Seasonings flavor for everyone. Samplers are a great way to try new flavors without commitment. However I find the teas weak and lacking in flavor. While I prefer loose teas, tea bags are a necessity for travel or work and Celestial Seasonings bags do not have a string attached. I find it annoying to dig the bag out of my cup before drinking.