Non sugary alternatives to black tea

[MissFliss]

Hi,

i am currently in the process of joining the LDS church.  My only struggle is giving up black tea.  In the morning I usually have a cup of unsweetened black tea with a dash of milk in it. I just enjoy having a warm drink in the morning and am looking for an alternative.  It's not the caffeine I am missing, it's just drinking something warm that isn't sweet or fattening.

i tried switching to hot cocoa, but it is way to sweet and makes me nauseous in the morning. Hot milk won't work either because I'm sensitive to lactose when I drink more than just a bit. 

Maybe this is so hard for me because I grew up drinking tea with my family and it's kind of a tradition and comfort.  Water and tea are the only 2 things I drink.

I really feel a connection to the church and have been reading the scriptures. I just don't want to get baptized and not live the full Word of Wisdom.

 

Does anyone have any advice?

[Guest]

Herbal tea, or Pero?

[Guest]

I vote for Pero or Cafix depending on the area of the country you're in). Or, if you've got Amazon, then either.

You can also take ground wheat, barley, and brown rice mixtures and boil them in water.  Drain off the juice and it tastes remarkably like tea.

[prisonchaplain]

I tend to like ginger, as it cleans the pallet. Amazon has an instant beverage called Ginger Drink, by Gold Kili. It's from Singapore. Some of the reviews call it a tea, but the description says it's a powder, and goes directly into the water (hot or cold). It has some sugar, but reviewers say it is not overly sweet or syrupy. Also, it has some lemon flavoring in it. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Kili-Instant-Ginger-Beverage/dp/B0009ML5T4

 

Edited November 24, 2016 by prisonchaplain

[zil]

Postum!

[beefche]

I love Celestial Seasonings herbal teas. These are not sweetened (I add honey or sugar or stevia). My favorites are Tension Tamer, Sleepytime, and Mandarin Orange Spice. I'm pretty sure they have a sampler pack so you can try different ones to see if anything is to your liking. 

[Sunday21]

I drink a ginger tea sold in bulk barn. Super cheap!

[jerome1232]

mmmm, I'm going to have some Pero right now.

[classylady]

I have two friends that put lemon in some hot water and drink that. I haven't tried it, but I like lemon in ice water, so I suppose it would be just as good.

[anatess2]

You should try the Filipino Tsokolate (in Pilipino) or Sikwate (in Bisaya).  It is made out of cacao as opposed to cocoa.  Yes, that's not a typo.  Cacao is the main ingredient before it gets processed and mixed with milk and sugar to make cocoa.  Cacao, on its own, is bitter - like coffee beans or black tea.  So, if you're used to coffee or black tea in the mornings, replacing it with cacao drink would be up your alley.

Cacao comes in either ball form or thick discs (tablea) and can be found in most Asian stores.  You would put it in water over a stove and stir with a whisk until the water boils and the cacao completely dissolves.  You can drink it just like that (black)... or you can add milk and sugar to your taste which would make it more like hot chocolate.

But that's the letter of the law.  The spirit of the law is breaking habits that form a dependency stifling your free agency.  So, if you're at a point where you can't "function" in the mornings until you've had your first cup of Sikwate, you haven't really fulfilled the spirit of the Word of Wisdom.

 

[Windseeker]

On my mission we drank what is called mugicha, or barley tea. It's amazing both hot and cold. 

I drink Guayusa/Ginger/Citrus tea by Runa. It's really good but caffinated.

[MissFliss]

Thank you so much for all the responses! I'm going to start looking into your suggestions.  I never imagined there were so many alternatives out there!

[Blackmarch]

On November 24, 2016 at 8:37 AM, MissFliss said:

Hi,

i am currently in the process of joining the LDS church.  My only struggle is giving up black tea.  In the morning I usually have a cup of unsweetened black tea with a dash of milk in it. I just enjoy having a warm drink in the morning and am looking for an alternative.  It's not the caffeine I am missing, it's just drinking something warm that isn't sweet or fattening.

i tried switching to hot cocoa, but it is way to sweet and makes me nauseous in the morning. Hot milk won't work either because I'm sensitive to lactose when I drink more than just a bit. 

Maybe this is so hard for me because I grew up drinking tea with my family and it's kind of a tradition and comfort.  Water and tea are the only 2 things I drink.

I really feel a connection to the church and have been reading the scriptures. I just don't want to get baptized and not live the full Word of Wisdom.

 

Does anyone have any advice?

Mint and lemon or lime or lemongrass boiled in water

Pine needle and honey boiled in water

Ginger, lemon, honey. 

If you want it more bitter dont use the honey.

Edited January 15, 2017 by Blackmarch