Blossoming goodness

THINK of tea and most often the usual black tea such as Earl Grey comes to mind, but tea isn't limited to just that – there are also oolong, green tea, white tea, yellow tea, fermented tea, and herbal and fruit tea.
And today, more and more cafes and restaurants have started introducing flower tea in their menu while some even sell it as one of their products.
When Amber Mah Su Yin and Wilfred Liow Lye Jue graduated from university, they weren't sure what direction they should take or what job to do until one day they discovered the benefits of flower tea and decided they wanted to share about it. As time went by, they made it their career.
Amberyin Flower Tea was founded in 2010 when many did not know or understand the benefits of flower tea. Some even thought the flowers were for decoration or car fresheners. However, according to Mah and Liow, more and more people are beginning to know and drink flower tea.
"Each flower tea has its own benefits. Some help to relax, relief cough, help with constipation, improve the digestive system and reduce diabetic problems. Most customers choose depending on the health benefits they are looking for," Mah said.
"We source our flower tea from Taiwan, China, France and even Malaysia. We make sure the suppliers have good manufacturing practice and the source is reliable. Then we look at the colour, smell, taste and texture of the tea. The colour and smell must be fresh and the taste must not have any fragrance," added Liow.
Besides selling flower tea, they offer experiential classes in aromatherapy as well as professional aromatherapy courses with the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (Naha) for those who are interested to study aromatherapy.
"There aren't any downside to drinking flower tea except for some individuals who may be allergic to certain flower tea. We would normally ask our customers what teas they are looking for and then only recommend those that suit them. We, however, do not recommend pregnant women to consume most types of flower tea," Mah said.
For those who are new to this, it is recommended to choose the tea you like after smelling it while considering the health benefits you want. In terms of preparation, you will need a tea pot, glass and a strainer or empty tea bags.
It is important that the tea is fresh and to not soak certain teas for too long or overnight. For example, lavender tea needs only five to seven minutes of steeping for the taste to not be too strong.
The teas can also be combined for best results.
Some of the best combinations are the Beauty series comprising french rose, jasmine and jasmine green tea, the Leg Slimming series comprising verbena, lemongrass and rosemary, and the Relax series comprising lavender and chamomile.
"Besides being used for consumption, flower tea can be used to make infused oils which can then be used to make handmade soaps. The flowers can also be used in art classes. We look forward to educating more people on the benefits of flower tea and aromatherapy. We also want to conduct more workshops and classes," Liow said.