Tea Delivery or Pickup

You may have heard that doctors recommend drinking a glass of water before or after drinking tea. Drinking water around the same time that you're drinking tea will decrease the acidity levels in your stomach. Consuming too many acidic beverages can lead to ulcers in the stomach lining. Soda and coffee are other highly acidic beverages.

Drinking a glass of water after you drink your tea can also wash away some of the acidity (and sugar if you use it) on your teeth. This will help preserve your tooth enamel, prevent staining, and decrease the likelihood of developing cavities.

Tea tastes best when prepared with fresh water. Don't boil the same water more than once, as this will weaken the flavor of the resulting tea. Heat the water to the proper temperature for the type of tea you're making, and steep appropriately. Some general guidelines are:

If you're using a tea bag, you'll generally use one bag per cup of tea. If you're using loose tea, add one teaspoon per 8-12oz of water.  Most teas need to steep for 3-5 minutes, depending on your preferences. The longer the tea steeps, the stronger the flavor. You can steep a green or white tea for as little as two minutes, while you may want to steep an herbal tea for up to 12 minutes.

You can enjoy the flavor and health benefits of tea, whether it's cold or hot. On a chilly winter morning, a hot cup of tea may help warm you up, while a refreshing glass of iced tea is a popular summer drink. This choice primarily comes down to your personal preference. Additions like honey will dissolve more readily in hot tea.

Hot tea also retains more caffeine than cold tea. If you're drinking tea primarily for the energy boost, it's a bit better to drink it when it's hot. However, if you want to minimize your caffeine intake or you'd like to enjoy several cups of tea without getting too jittery, try consuming the beverage cold.

Black tea has the highest caffeine content of any tea, and it still offers less than half the amount of caffeine of the average cup of coffee. A cup of black tea typically has about 47mg of caffeine, while coffee has 96mg of caffeine per cup, on average. 

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can give you more energy and improve your alertness. However, consuming too much caffeine can cause anxiety, sleeplessness, and an upset stomach.

Through select stores, you may be able to find both teabags and loose-leaf tea available for order through Instacart. Loose-leaf tea is a favorite of many tea connoisseurs because the water can flow around the leaves more readily when they're not confined to a tea bag. However, some manufacturers have started offering tea in pouches or pyramids. These larger teabags improve infusion while still offering the convenience of a ready-to-steep bag.

Offering flavor, health benefits, and the occasional kick of caffeine, tea is a popular beverage across America. Whether you're interested in green tea, dandelion root tea, peppermint tea, or bottles of prepared tea, you can order all your favorite beverages through Instacart. Place your order now for same-day delivery.