MAKING THE TRANSITION TO TEA
There's a wide variety of reasons why you may be contemplating reducing your coffee consumption and/or making tea your daily beverage of choice. It could be that you are looking for a low to non-caffeinated beverage, or because you are looking for an option that makes you less jittery because of the theanine content, because of pregnancy, or a health condition. Whatever the reason, it can feel like daunting, but you can do it.
Here are some tips!
1. KNOW HOW MUCH CAFFEINE YOU'RE AIMING FOR.
Less caffeine? No caffeine? Black teas typically contain the most caffeine and is usually has half the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. This is a great option especially when you are first weaning yourself off morning coffee.
Green and oolong teas are generally a little bit lighter in caffeine than black tea, equivalent to around a one third the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.
If you are looking to go strictly caffeine-free, or want an afternoon pick-me-up without the buzz, we recommend looking into herbal teas.
2. DON'T REPLACE COFFEE WITH A COFFEE-LIKE SUBSTITUTE.
Nothing will ever taste exactly like coffee, especially if you're craving it. Instead, go for a distinct tea that has some flavors that appeal personally to you. Like fruity, or floral, or spice? Find a tea with a strong personality. Good quality tea should taste great on its own, but you can punch it up in a variety of ways with local raw honey, lemon, steamed milk (or milk alternative), lavender simple syrup, etc.
3. CHOOSE HIGH QUALITY, LOOSE LEAF TEA
Lastly, please consider avoiding bagged tea. Most of it is not high quality. Some of it may be, but the few seconds you save due to convenience you are trading it for taste and freshness. Instead, seek out artisanal quality, gourmet teas that will open up a world of flavors.
*Be aware that this is not health advice and should not be taken as such. Plants are potent and can have medicinal effects and impacts not stated herein. Please consult with your doctor before making any changes, especially if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are taking medication.