Photos By Gail

The summer heat has arrived, and that means cooling off with refreshing summer beverages! When I was a kid growing up in southern California, my Mom didn’t keep soda the house. Instead, she made sure that there was always a fresh pitcher of iced tea (with plenty of lemon and sugar) chilling in our refrigerator. This enduring childhood memory is likely a good reason why iced tea remains my go-to summertime beverage when I really need to quench my thirst. The great news for iced tea lovers is that there are so many grab-and-go ways to enjoy iced teas that not only taste great, but are also good for you. Recently, I learned about the health benefits of something called Purple Tea, available in a brand called Kabaki. Representatives sent me a case of Kabaki Kenyan Purple Tea to review for the blog, and now I’d like to share my finding with you.

First off what the heck is Purple Tea? What I learned is that Purple Tea grows high in the valleys and mountain tops of Kenya, and is sourced from the same single plant, Camellia Sinensis, that produces green and black teas. The intense African sun, coupled with cool mountain air, allows ultraviolet rays to deeply penetrate the tea leaves, which have a purple color because they contain super-antioxidants called anthocyanins. This is the same antioxidant found in ‘superfoods’ like Acai berries, Pomegranates and Blueberries.

I’ve been a fan of peach and raspberry Snapple iced teas for ages, but those drinks contain so much high fructose corn syrup, the flavor of the natural tea is almost completely obliterated. Kabaki Kenyan Purple Tea is sweetened only with organic cane sugar and natural organic fruit flavor to enhance, not mask, the true, authentic flavor of the tea leaves. After just one sip, you’ll be surprised at all the flavor you’ve been missing out on. This tea is sublime.

Beyond the delicious natural flavor of Purple Tea (whose leaf naturally has a taste of sweet plums), the medicinal value of Purple Tea is endless! The leaves have anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer properties and reduce cholesterol, boost cognitive function and prevent colds and flus. And because of how this tea is produced, it has half the caffeine of Green Tea.  Good taste that’s good for you: you really can have it all.

Kabaki is non-gmo certified, with no preservatives, and all natural ingredients that are grown using organic and sustainable practices. Shop for Kabaki Kenyan Purple Tea at This Link, where you can also get a code for %15 off and free shipping on your first order!