Time is short, and most of us don't have anywhere near the amount we need, especially in these challenging economic times.

When I'm thirsty or simply looking for an enjoyable, healthful beverage while I'm working, I don't want to spend a great deal of time having to prepare something healthy and refreshing.

You've probably found yourself in the same situation as well.

I'm simply looking for a quick way to quench my thirst without interrupting my work schedule.

Before I get into what I consider to be a phenomenal quick and hassle-free solution, allow me to remind you…

Why I Recommend You NEVER Grab a Soda as a Quick Thirst-Quencher

Two risky ingredients immediately come to mind with sodas and so-called soft drinks… and those ingredients are aspartame and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

There are many reasons why I believe you should never grab a soda to quench your thirst. But aspartame and HFCS are definitely at the top of my list.

Here's why…

Aspartame, found in most diet sodas, can possibly lead to…

• Headaches…
• Insomnia…
• Memory loss…
• GI tract disorders…
• Loss of energy…
• Depression…
• Even seizures

And this may only be the tip of the iceberg with aspartame. Many folks drink diet soda thinking it will help them take off some pounds. But due to aspartame's potential to block your brain from signaling you're full, the very opposite effect could actually happen.

As far as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), this sweetener, which may be disguised using other names, is unhealthy because it's metabolized to fat in your body far more rapidly than any other sugar. And because most fructose is consumed in liquid form in soft drinks, its negative metabolic effects may become significantly magnified… potentially contributing to…

• Diabetes…
• Obesity…
• Metabolic Syndrome…
• An increase in triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels…
• Liver abnormalities…

Fructose also contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals. Plus, it leeches micronutrients from your body. Unbound fructose, found in large quantities in HFCS, can interfere with your heart's use of minerals… such as magnesium, copper, and chromium.

To add even more fuel to the fire, HFCS is almost always made from genetically modified corn. In my opinion, this type of GMO sweetener raises concerns about potential side effects and health.

There should be little doubt why I don't drink soda… In my opinion, you would be wise to take the same approach.

Super-Flavonoids Are Found in Many of These Beverages

Outside of pure, clean water, tea is a beverage that I often enjoy.

There are many teas available that are very healthful. But what are the most common health-supporting nutrients found in the best teas?

I believe the key nutrients in the most nutritious teas are antioxidants. You may be familiar with other sources of antioxidants including high quality, fresh, organic, and preferably locally grown foods. And the key to all this is a large family of natural antioxidant compounds called polyphenols.

And a subclass of the polyphenol family found in some of the most healthful teas is flavonoids.

These potent polyphenol flavonoids provide bountiful benefits because they may…

• Help support memory and concentration
• Boost the effectiveness of vitamin C in your antioxidant network
• Regulate nitric oxide – a potent free radical that supports blood flow
• Help promote a healthy heart
• Support the immune system

But just like everything else, there is a catch to flavonoids and the teas that contain them…

Why I Believe 'Organic' is So Important

When it comes to any tea or herb, my preference is to avoid any of them that are not organically grown.

And why is that?

Well, when it comes to flavonoids, if the tea is not organically grown and processed, here's what often happens and why…

• In response to environmental stressors like insects and other competing plants, tea plants produce flavonoids that have antioxidant effects on your body, but…
• Conventional growing methods that use pesticides, herbicides, and unnatural fertilizers hamper the production of flavonoids, and…
• Plants exposed to these synthetic chemicals have less of a need to even produce flavonoids

Promoting dignified working conditions of laborers is an important aspect one company focuses on in the production of their organic teas.

If the teas exposed to synthetic chemicals don't produce flavonoids, then you'll have little chance to reap the antioxidant benefits with regard to free radical scavenging in your body… now you know one of the reasons I prefer only offering organically grown teas and herbs on my site.

And another important reason for focusing on organic, is not only is the end-product organic, but in many cases, organic farming provides a protective and enriching effect on the environment.

I have first-hand experience with one company who not only focuses on the organic end-product, but through stewardship of human resources, they…

• Promote the dignified working and living conditions of farmers and laborers…
• Consider the needs of local communities in preserving the environment…
• Ensure consumer health and safety in protecting the environment

See why growing teas and herbs organically in this instance, is more than just delivering end-products? There's more to it than meets the eye… and that's why I prefer to recommend very selective organically grown and processed teas for you and your family to enjoy.

My Rigorous Tea Selection Checklist You Can Easily Use Yourself

You already know about one of the most important items that are always on my checklist when considering a new tea. But there are other compelling reasons as well.

Here's my complete checklist. I recommend you take advantage of it if you're looking to include a high-quality tea on your shopping list. To even be considered, the tea must…

• Be steeped in an age-old tradition as an enjoyable beverage with healthful benefits – We've already discussed (above) the importance of teas and herbs having a history behind them.
• Avoid using artificial or synthetic ingredients of any kind – Plus, must not contain any unnatural preservatives.
• Be USDA Certified Organic – I believe this is one of the key factors in maximizing the optimal antioxidant health benefits from flavonoids.
• Come from a high-quality manufacturer – My team and I only consider those manufacturers providing solid evidence of high-quality processes and procedures to deliver a consistent certified organic tea.
• Be easy to prepare and have a delicious flavor – I prefer a simple and quick approach to making tea. And it must have an enjoyable flavor or folks simply won't come back for more.

All of these requirements rolled-up into a single checklist for selecting a tea make for quite a challenge. But my team has risen to the occasion before and no doubt they can do it again.

For the couple of teas and herbs I offer on my site today, dozens have been reviewed and rejected because they failed somewhere in the checklist.

If you're shopping for your own quick and hassle-free tea, I highly recommend you stick to this checklist… I believe it will yield you both enjoyable and healthy results.

There's a key ingredient to a good cup of hot or more particularly, a tall ice-cold glass of tea… and it's not the tea itself…

Don't Neglect One of the Most Important Ingredients

Make sure your water is as pure and clean as possible when making a refreshing glass of iced-tea.

There's another area that unfortunately I have virtually no control over when it comes to a healthful tea… and that's your water source.

The bottom line… if you mix any tea in water that may not be completely healthy for you to drink, what good does it matter whether the tea is USDA Certified Organic or not?

Particularly with iced-tea, where you may be just getting your water out of the tap, there could be issues with this approach.

However, there is something you can do about it.

You can make sure your water is as pure and clean as possible by…

• Checking with your local water company to determine if there are any contaminants lurking in your tap water…
• And if you have contaminant issues with your tap water, installing a high-quality filtration system to neutralize as many contaminants as possible is strongly advised…
• Reviewing my site for more details on what type of filtration system may be best for you

Having the purest and cleanest water possible is an important step when making a healthy cup of tea. Please don't ignore this fact and you'll be able to enjoy your tea even more.

Next, I'd like to introduce you to…

The Beverage of Choice for Egyptian Pharaohs?

There are over 200 species of the hibiscus flower. Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs supposedly drank hibiscus tea to stay 'cool'.

Just like many teas are steeped in long traditions, so is this type of tea my team recently discovered.

Supposedly, this tea was the beverage of choice for Pharaohs in the ancient Nile Valley. And throughout history, the tea has been a preferred beverage in many cultures including in China, Mexico, Caribbean countries, Africa, and Europe.

Why have so many people embraced this tea?

Well, there are many reasons… some of them for potentially improving one's health and others related to traditional functions and ceremonies.

The tea is made from the hibiscus flower of which there are over 200 species. For hibiscus tea, the Hibiscus sabdariffa species is prevalent in North Africa, Thailand, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

The hibiscus plant itself is a shrubby tropical plant that produces flowers with reddish-purple centers. After the petals fall from the flower, the remaining deep red calyces (cup-like structures formed by the sepals) grow into seed-containing pods that resemble flower buds.

It's these red calyces that are used to make hibiscus tea.

So, what are some of the benefits of hibiscus tea?

An Extraordinary Brew That Has Provided Thousands of Years
of Traditional Enjoyment and Vitality

For thousands of years, Egyptians have used this red tea made from the hibiscus calyces as an enjoyable beverage… but were there vitality reasons as well?

Here are some of the ways cultures took advantage of hibiscus tea's potential benefits. Hibiscus teas were traditionally used…

• As a way to help keep them cool in the desert environment in which they lived – Consumed by ancient Egyptians, and still a practice today as the tea is used as a 'refrigerant' to help maintain healthy body temperatures.
• To promote cardiac and nervous system health – Preparation from the red calyces used traditionally in Egypt.
• As a traditional aid for occasional nervous restlessness and occasional difficulty sleeping –Traditionally used in Iran for this.
• As a ceremonial 'toast' for wedding ceremonies in Sudan and Egypt

But what about modern day uses of hibiscus tea… in addition to its fresh inviting taste? Believe me; this brew is not just reserved for Pharaohs any more. There are modern day health benefits this tea can potentially provide.

Potential Health-Promoting Benefits from this Traditional Beverage

Beyond the traditional uses of hibiscus tea, recent research studies suggest that this enjoyable brew may enhance your overall health by potentially…

• Supporting your blood pressure within the normal range
• Promoting your cholesterol levels within their normal ranges
• Helping you better manage weight control challenges

So, not only is this refreshing beverage steeped in tradition, I believe it can boost your overall health and wellness, too.

And with 100% Organic Hibiscus Extract, I'm confident you won't be disappointed… and to show you why, let's take a look at just…

How This Tea Stacks Up Against My Demanding Selection Checklist

You've already learned how this tea is steeped deeply in tradition. Here's a closer look at how my choice, 100% Organic Hibiscus Extract, busts through the rest of my rigorous selection checklist… I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Is there little doubt why my team and I chose 100% Organic Hibiscus Extract?

Here's more interesting info on the airless pump technology…one of the key reasons why I strongly prefer this hibiscus tea over others.