According to a 2013 study, 74 percent of Americans suffer from some form of digestive issue. What makes dandelion root tea healing for our digestive fire is the bitter taste that stimulates gastric juices to improve bile flow. Like my beloved coffee, dandelion tea has a similar diuretic effect on the body4. While I knew I wanted to make the shift from my delicious warm cup of coffee in the morning to this superfood tea, would I have to sacrifice taste? Upon trying my first cup of dandelion tea, I recoiled. The taste was pungent and earthy, and I may or may not have had to plug my nose to finish the rest of the cup. But I was not a quitter! After several weeks of trying the tea, I realized that I wasn’t applying the same creativity to my tea that I had to my sacred morning coffee. I was not a black coffee kind of girl and always rotated a mix of ingredients like coconut butter, ghee, cinnamon, and homemade nut milks to my morning coffee. And I also realized that I had to try many coffee brands until I found a blend that I liked. Thus, I realized I needed to step up my morning tea game. After much trial and error, I found several brands that have created rich and flavorful blends to satisfy my relatively simple American palate. My favorite is The Republic of Tea’s Dandelion Blend, which is spiked with French vanilla. I love adding a steamed cup of homemade vanilla walnut milk and monk fruit for a very sweet morning experience. For my die-hard coffee fans, I highly recommend Teeccino’s Dandelion Caramel Nut Tea. This tea has a smooth and rich finish due to the French chicory that is commonly added to coffee. As fall approaches, this is a great base for a homemade Pumpkin Spiced Latte, with coconut whipped cream, pumpkin spice, and Ceylon cinnamon. Intrigued? Play around and experiment. Make your morning tea in your own delicious, creative way. Add different spices and flavors like cinnamon or vanilla extract. Try it iced, or enjoy it warm. And mix it up! Incorporate the tea a few days a week and have your cup of joe on the others. Life is all about balance. Traveling the country, Catalano lectures at colleges and corporate events, providing nutritional counseling, meal plans, cooking demonstrations, and cleanse programs. She has appeared on the Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family, FOX Good Day LA, Lifetime Network’s Supermarket Superstar, WGN Chicago News, The CW, San Diego Living, Comedy Central, and The Elite Daily Show. She has written health articles for publications like Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness, FOX News magazine, Brit Co., Paleo magazine, and more.
