Tea review: Tazo Zen

Lately I’ve been feeling somewhat stressed, so I decided to try a new tea designed for relaxation. While at Whole Foods, I spotted Tazo’s Zen, which is “a harmonious blend of green tea with lemongrass & spearmint.” I’ve tried other sleepy and calming teas, but this one is my favorite so far. The flavor is great, and it really lived up to its name.

To prepare this tea, I took one filterbag, and placed it into my favorite Alice in Wonderland painted teacup. Following boiling the water, I let it sit for a few minutes in the tea pot and then poured it over the tea. After about 4 minutes (the box suggests 3, but I like a more flavorful tea), I removed the tea bag.

Unlike other calming teas, this tea is not solely herbal, but rather, a green and herbal blend. The green tea flavor meshes well with the lemon grass and spearmint, creating a simple, yet delicious hot beverage.

The mint is bold, and the lemon grass blends subtly with the green tea taste. I have not yet tried it iced, but I think it would be an amazing cold treat on a summer afternoon.

This tea reminds me of Tazo’s Calm Tea, though it had a different flavor when the chamomile was replaced with green tea leaves. It is also similar to Celestial Seasonings’ Sleepytime Tea and Bigelow’s Sweet Dreams Herbal, but again, without the chamomile.  While those teas are great, I really loved this blend, and would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a tasty, relaxing tea. The ingredient difference makes this more for relaxation than sleep, though it left me feeling very mellow. It’s the perfect tea for a cold winter afternoon; so next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, warm up a cup, grab a novel and blanket, and cuddle up with a cup of Tazo Zen.