Energise with Turmeric & Horopito - NZ Herbal Pyramid Tea
A uniquely New Zealand herbal blend with global botanical reach. Energise combines the ancient Ayurvedic power of tulsi and turmeric with the distinctive peppery heat of horopito: one of New Zealand's own native botanical treasures, for a caffeine-free brew that is genuinely invigorating.
This is a blend born from curiosity and a love of botanicals that deliver real character. Tulsi (holy basil) is one of the most revered plants in Ayurvedic tradition, celebrated for its uplifting and adaptogenic qualities. Turmeric brings its warm, golden earthiness and its remarkable natural compounds. Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata), known as the New Zealand pepper tree, adds a distinctive peppery dimension that is unlike any other botanical, bright, warming, and unmistakably local. Ginger, cinnamon, fennel, liquorice root, and black pepper round out a blend of extraordinary depth and vitality. Caffeine-free, bold, and entirely memorable.
Why You'll Love It
- Uniquely New Zealand: Horopito is native to Aotearoa, you will not find this combination anywhere else in the world
- Invigorating and warming: Ginger, black pepper, and horopito create genuine warmth and energy without caffeine
- Rooted in Ayurvedic tradition: Tulsi and turmeric bring centuries of traditional herbal credibility to every cup
- Golden and beautiful: Turmeric gives this brew its characteristic warm golden colour and earthy depth
Origins & Character
Energise brews to a deep golden hue that speaks to its turmeric heart. The aroma is warm and complex, earthy turmeric, sweet tulsi, the freshness of fennel, and an underlying peppery heat from horopito and black pepper. On the palate, the flavour is bold and layered: tulsi's herbal sweetness leads, turmeric adds earthy warmth, ginger and cinnamon build spice depth, and horopito delivers its characteristic peppery finish that lingers with genuine vitality. It is the kind of cup that wakes you up from the inside.
Functional & Wellness Benefits
This blend features horopito (Pseudowintera colorata), a native New Zealand shrub found in mountain and forest environments throughout the country. Horopito has been used in traditional Maori wellness practice and is increasingly recognised internationally for its unique botanical character. Alongside it, tulsi (rama variety) and turmeric are sourced from trusted botanical growers. Ginger, cinnamon, fennel, liquorice root, black pepper, and calendula petals complete this carefully assembled blend.
Traditional Wellness Benefits
Tulsi is revered in Ayurvedic tradition as an adaptogen, traditionally associated with stress resilience, mental clarity, and overall vitality. Turmeric has been used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. Horopito was used in traditional Maori medicine for its warming and antimicrobial properties. Ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper each bring their own long traditions of use for warming and supporting digestion and circulation.
*These statements reflect traditional use and are not intended as medical advice.
Energise is a blend that earns its name, invigorating, complex, and distinctly New Zealand. A cup that inspires exploration with every sip. Order today with same-day dispatch on orders placed before 3pm.
Tea bag packaging material
There are generally 3 main types of tea bags: Pyramid shaped tea bags made from PLA – Polylactic Acid (t leaf T only uses this type), old style paper tea bags (usually rectangular and heat sealed), Pyramid shaped tea bags, made from nylon.
PLA tea bags – used by t leaf T – commercially compostable and 100% non-gmo
PLA teabags have been around since the mid 2000’s and they are 100% Plant based (non-petroleum based) and our NeoSoilon® Pyramid Tea bags are derived from sugar cane.
PLA (polylactic acid) is mainly extracted from corn or sugar cane and is then spun into thread which is used to weave the clear material that is used in t leaf T’s teabags.
PLA behaves like a plastic, even though it is plant based, this enables the sealing of the tea bags using ultrasonic vibrations that effectively welds the seams together at a specific temperature without the need of petro-chemical based plastics.
PLA tea bags are 100% INDUSTRIAL or COMMERCIALLY COMPOSTABLE -100% NON-GMO
At t leaf T we would love our PLA tea bags to be easily home compostable, but the technology is not there yet. The technology currently exists to achieve home compostability, however it has the tea bag material breaking down in in a matter of weeks so this material would not be a practical option for a long shelf-life like product like tea.
Old Style Paper Tea Bags
Paper tea bags have been around for almost 100 years. They Require heat sealing to close the tea bag because the paper fibres do not naturally adhere to each other. To be able to seal the tea bags, petro-based nano plastics are blended into the tea bag material by the material manufacturers, about 2 % of the teabag, so that when heat and pressure are applied it melts the plastic and the teabag can be sealed.
So, most paper tea bags contain approximately 98% paper fibre, that will break down in home composting, BUT 2% of the teabag is petro-based nano plastics that are not compostable or biodegradable. Not an option for us here at t leaf T.
Nylon Pyramid Shaped Tea Bags
The nylon tea bag material has been around since around 1996 as the PLA technology did not exist at the time. The pyramid tea bags look nice, but the material is entirely a petro-based plastic. The cost of Nylon is substantially cheaper than PLA so low cost driven produces will mostly opt for nylon because of the price.
Nylon is not compostable, or biodegradable so will be around for hundreds of years. Again, not an option for us at t leaf T!
In summary
No teabag solution is perfect but at t leaf T we believe that the PLA material we are using is the most sustainable solution currently for, convenience based, teabags. Every tea we sell is also available in loose leaf and is a better environmentally friendly and sustainable option.