Can I drink this?

[Guest ArchangelKid]

Hi, so this may be a stupid question. I asked my local missionaries if I can drink ice tea, they said I could as long as it isn't real tea or contain tea leaves (they said herbal tea was okay, but it has to taste nasty for it to be okay ) They told me to check the ingredients. This is what it says:

Sugar, citric acid, instant tea, caramel color, natural lemon flavor, artificial color

I know it says "instant tea" so does that mean its real tea? Or fake tea? I actually drank it by accident yesterday. I forgot that tea doesn't have to be hot for it to be tea. I have probably drank hot tea maybe 3 or 4 times my entire lifetime. I have drank real ice tea and the fake ice tea (instant powdered version is what I consider fake). Can I drink this stuff? I will probably stay away from anything that has tea in it. I don't really understand the whole tea vs herbal tea thing. I always thought every tea was herbs and spices. Thanks in advance for answering.

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure it's real tea, brewed from tea leaves. Herbal "tea" is actually just an infusion of herbs or other such things, but not tea leaves; so you won't see the word "tea" in the ingredients, you'll see "chamomile" or "spearmint" or whatever kind of infusion it is. Most likely any iced tea you buy in a restaurant or elsewhere will be made with tea leaves at some point in the process.

We all make mistakes. Chalk it up to a lesson learned and move on. :)

[Guest ArchangelKid]

Well I'm glad I made this mistake before my baptism. I'm just gonna stay away from all teas period. Better safe than sorry.

[Backroads]

Well I'm glad I made this mistake before my baptism. I'm just gonna stay away from all teas period. Better safe than sorry.

That's a good idea, or you might end up in a not-so-grey area. I have an LDS co-worker who makes all sorts of excuses for drinking tea (right now, chai tea is okay). It's kind of annoying.

[jerome1232]

That being said, raspberry zinger tea is amazing. Just about all of the fruit tea's taste great imho.

[Aria]

Caffeine free - would that be okay?

or decaf coffee?

[beefche]

The prophets have stated hot drinks means coffee and tea. So, even decaf coffee or decaf tea is prohibited by the Word of Wisdom.

[Guest]

Since caffeine isn't the issue, no.

[Bini]

10 cups of decaf coffee equates to about 2 cups of coffee.

[Aria]

Sorry - this is new to me.

[beefche]

Sorry - this is new to me.

No worries. We all are kids in the Gospel--we all learn something new.

[Blocky]

I think Rooibos tastes the most like regular ice tea. It's herbal (not actual tea) and tasty, try it out:)

[RipplecutBuddha]

Sure you can. You can drink anything you choose, even poison. Whether it's in harmony with the word of wisdom is between you and Heavenly Father.

[Dravin]

Sure you can. You can drink anything you choose, even poison. Whether it's in harmony with the word of wisdom is between you and Heavenly Father.

It's also between the you and your Bishop (or Bishopric) and Stake President (or Stake Presidency), and if first joining the Church, the person giving the Baptismal Interview. That is to say if you smoke, drink alcohol, and coffee/tea it is most certainly of proper interest to the aforementioned parties.

[LittleWyvern]

I find it helpful to remember that tea can have two different definitions:

1) Any liquid beverage made by steeping herbs, leaves, roots, etc. in hot water

2) A drink made by the process of 1) with the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant

According to how I understand the Word of Wisdom, anything in 1) is fine to drink as long as it is not also in 2).