As a die-hard tea drinker, I like to see tea given its due. Often it’s portrayed as the also-ran to coffee, but these days tea is being lauded as a tasty–and healthy–drink.

Says the Daily News in a recent story about the brew: “Hundreds of recent studies show that drinking tea may lower your cholesterol, protect your bones, bolster your immune defenses, and even increase your metabolism.”

And there are lots of exotic types to try, including Pu-erh, White Peony, Dragon Well, and Jade Oolong.

Related posts:

1. Gramercy and Midtown Tea Shops: Two for Tea
2. NY Coffee and Tea Festival Coming Feb. 19-20
3. Midtown: Our Place Shanghai Tea Garden