The Case Of The Rumbly Tummy And The Settling Ginger

Tea is lovely. I think we'll all agree on that one! That's why I like to write about it, and you (hopefully!) like to read about it. Nothing beats the calming affect a nice cup of tea can have after a hectic day, or the warming feeling of comfort if you've been out in the cold. Or, indeed, the nice cooling feeling of a cold iced tea on a hot day.

But also, some tea's have a relieving affect when your not feeling so well. There is lavender tea if you can't sleep, I suffer from sinus problems on occasion and Lime and Ginger Sensations is good for clearing the sinuses. You can use the Defence blend if your feeling poorly and want to build up your immunity.

Today, I had a very bad case of rumbling and gurgling stomach. All day long it sounded awful, which isn't good when you work from home and your boyfriend is talking on the phone with a customer. (I since discovered drinking a small bottle of sparking water after a work out wasn't the best thing to do!).

After a few hours I wondered what I could do and remembered that I have a box of Twinings Settling Ginger. So, I decided to have a cup, and naturally thought it was a good chance to review it.

Settling Ginger is, in one word, potent. It's a very strong blend, and quite different to the Lemon and Ginger blend that is also available. It's strong and mighty and one that I think is really pleasant. But, I would like to say it's an acquired taste. I think you'll either like it or loathe it. There is no in between with this blend.

Settling Ginger also contains cloves, cinnamon and liquorice.

I brew Settling Ginger for around five minutes, and despite it being strong, I use two teabags. Yes, I know, it's quite extreme but I really like the punch you get from this blend, and I like it strong.

When it's brewed Settling Ginger takes on a grassy colour, it's appearance reminds me a bit of old fashioned cloudy lemonade.

Naturally, the first taste you get when sipping is ginger and it's very pleasant indeed. A couple of seconds after sipping, you get a real spicy kick. My whole mouth tingled, as if it were coming alive with the taste of ginger. It was a very refreshing sensation. It really is a complete experience drinking this tea! After the tingling of the ginger subsided, there was a strange sweetness that came across, which came from the liquorice in the blend. The taste of cloves also is very evident.

I think this blend is a very good candidate for making cold and turning into a punch during the summer. It would go really well poured over ice cubes. The spiciness of the ginger and the coolness of ice cubes would make good bedfellows!

And what of the rumbly tummy? Well the whole idea of Settling Ginger is to help digestion and settle your tummy after a bit of over indulgence, or during times of stress or anxiety. With a few minutes of finishing the cup, my stomach settled down and remained so for the rest of the day. A bit of relief from the rather embarrassing gurgling that had plagued me all day.

I really like this blend, but as I said before, there is no middle ground. If ginger is your thing, I think you'll really love it. If not, it's perhaps one blend best avoided. I think it would be hard to get through a mug if your not keen on anything too spicy. But for me, it's perfect.

Summary of Settling Ginger

- Available in boxes of twenty in supermarkets and online. Price for twenty bags is £1.29.
- Can be brewed for however long you feel it needs, but I would suggest around 4-5 minutes.
- No milk or sugar needed!
- For extra kick why not use two tea bags!