Tea is one of the UK’s most sought after beverages for refreshment and relaxation. Pukka Herbs are a Bristol based company in the UK and is now part of Unilever supplying a range of products of a herbal nature. They are perhaps best known as an award winning producer and supplier of teas blended by Sebastian Pole, their specialist herbalist. There is such a variety to suit all occasions that it’s difficult to know what to go for. All their herbs are sourced organically where feasible and from farmers all over the world. It’s not surprising they won the Great Taste Gold Award in 2011.
All their teas are certified as Fair for Life which is the gold standard in fair and ethical trade. Some of their ingredients like their licorice root is Fair Wild. As Pukka state, the FairWild Foundation are an international organisation that aims to provide a worldwide framework for implementing a sustainable, fair and value-added management and trading system for wild-collected natural ingredients and products.
Pukka have employed a variety of herbals and supplements to make their teas taste great with some of the magic for want of a better word associated with the various claims made for ingredients long held to have benefits. To get the best from these infusions, add the desired amount to freshly boiled water for at least 5 minutes.
Products In The Range
After Dinner Tea
Ingredients: Roasted chicory root (24%), aniseed, fennel seed (20%), licorice root, cardamom seed (8%), orange peel, ginger root.
A soothing blend of roasted chicory interspersed with the soft flavours of aniseed and aromatic cardamom followed by licorice and sweet fennel. The small amounts of orange peel and ginger root also add Designed to soothe digestion especially after a meal it combines these ingredients in a manner which is ideally suited for relaxing. Pukka consider it a fine alternative to serving coffee after dinner. It is caffeine-free.
Chamomile, Vanilla & Manuka Honey
Ingredients: Naturally Caffeine-free and ethically sourced, organically grown ingredients: Chamomile Flower (68%), Sweet Fennel Seed, Licorice Root, Vanilla Pod (3.5%), Manuka Honey Flavour* (3.5%), *Contains Non Organic Antioxidant: Ascorbic Acid.
Sebastian Pole (Master Herbsmith) claims of this product:
In the midst of chaos and clutter, there’s a pool that’s still. Finding your way there is easy – fresh water and heat awaken the magic of nature’s finest gifts: silky golden chamomile, exotic vanilla pod, and the golden balm of manuka honey. With a sip, stillness takes over. Enjoy your blissful moments.
Cleanse Tea
Ingredients: Naturally Caffeine-free and ethically sourced, 100% organically grown ingredients : Nettle Leaf (40%), Peppermint Leaf (25%), Fennel Seed (25%), Dandelion Root, Licorice Root, Aloe Vera Inner Leaf.
Six key ingredients are used to help with digestion but also in ‘cleansing’ the blood as it is colloquially described.
Cool Mint Green Tea
Fairtrade Sencha green whole leaf (70%), Fairtrade spearmint leaf (30%). 100% organically grown. Fairtrade ingredients certified to international Fairtrade standards, total 100%.
Detox Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine free pure organic herbs: aniseed (40%), fennel seed (20%), cardamom seed, licorice root (10%), coriander seed, celery seed.
A tea designed to cleanse and revive the body. All the herbs are associated with detoxifying and cleansing the body. The six chosen herbs specifically for this role are all associated with aiding digestion, improving assimilation and toxin removal. Aniseed and fennel seed are said to specifically aid digestion and also flush out the urinary tract. Cardamom has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to reduce mucus formation whilst celery and coriander help flush out toxins. Licorice root is excellent for calming and even improving the skin.
Elderberry & Echinacea Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine-free and ethically sourced ingredients: Licorice root*, ginger root*, echinacea root and leaf* (10%), beetroot*, aniseed*, elderflower* (8%), peppermint leaf*, orange peel*, rosehip*, elderberry* (6%), acerola fruit*, orange essential oil flavour*, natural blackcurrant flavour. (*organic ingredients (99.9%)).
Lots of red fruit and flavours of hedgerow permeate this tea.
Lemongrass & Ginger Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine-free and ethically sourced, 100% organically grown ingredients: Lemongrass (48%), ginger root (28%), licorice root, lemon verbena leaf, lemongrass essential oil flavour (4%).
Licorice & Cinnamon Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine-free and ethically sourced, 100% organically grown ingredients: Licorice root (25%), cocoa bean shell (20%), roasted chicory root, cardamom pod, cinnamon bark (15%), sweet fennel seed. Contains licorice – people suffering from hypertension should avoid excessive consumption.
Love Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine-free and ethically sourced, 100% organically grown ingredients: Chamomile flower (25%), lime flower, elderflower, marigold flower, licorice root, rose flower (5%), lavender flower (5%).
Night Time Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine-free and ethically sourced, 100% organically grown ingredients: Oat flowering tops (30%), licorice root, chamomile flower, lavender flower (14%), lime flower (10%), valerian root, green Rama tulsi leaf.
Original Chai Tea
Ingredients: 100% organically grown and ethically sourced ingredients: Cinnamon bark (40%), black tea (20%), ginger root (20%), cardamom pod (10%), licorice root.
Relax Tea
Ingredients: Naturally caffeine-free and ethically sourced, 100% organically grown ingredients: Sweet fennel seed (24%), chamomile flower (18%), licorice root, oat flowering tops, cardamom pod, ginger root, marshmallow root (10%).
Refresh Tea
Ingredients: Peppermint leaf 50%, licorice root 20%, fennel seed, hibiscus flowers, rose flowers 5%, coriander seed
The Refresh tea really does as it claims to – refresh you. You could argue of course tea does anyway but when there are six herbs associated with ‘refreshment’ in the mix, it could be anything but. Peppermint leaf, rose and hibiscus flowers have a long and interesting association with relaxation and ‘cooling’ us down. Fennel seed and coriander seed are used for digestion whilst licorice root has a number of tonic properties which are still being explored.
Products
Click on the name of the tea to acquire the type from our marketing affiliate ‘Pestle Herbs’ which suits you.
N.B. This page contains links to our affiliate marketing partner. Please also check out our disclaimer and always consult a health professional if you consider using these tea products for certain health reasons.
If you are interested to know more about the health properties of each ingredient then please look at the following articles:-
aniseed
peppermint leaf
My favourite in the Pukka range has to be the lemongrass and ginger one. Love the flavour of this one and I just hope the makers keep this one on the list as I know they like top chop and change the different varieties. I have tried Nighttime and that works for me as well. Would like you to talk more about the different ingredients although I find some of the information in your articles.
Is this a tea brand I can find in Armenia ? I like their styles based on this page although they may have changed their name and manufacturer in the meantime. Would be interested to know more !
I’m not sure about Armenia. Unilever I believe now have the brand and given their commercial reach may well be selling he product in a number of European states that are ex. Soviet as it were.