Any Tea Drinkers Out There?

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Also, unless you're 1) guzzling tea and/or 2) using way way way too much of the sweeteners in your tea, you'll be cutting back on simple sugars and artificial sweeteners in your life, which should do something for weight, blood sugar, mood, and/or general well-feelings. Comparing about 15-40 (that last number is Dr. Pepper, my favorite soda ever) sugars per serving of soda... that's what, 3 to 10 teaspoons of sugar? I don't use three teaspoons in a double-mug of tea! (about 20 oz)

[Evil Queen]

Ah, TeaVana. My favourite tea store. I can go broke in that place!

My favourite tea is called MateVana It's a tea for coffee drinkers. No, it doesn't taste like coffee. But it's sweet and chocolately and nutty (just like coffee is supposed to taste!) without even adding sugar or milk to it. Personally, I drink it with just a pinch of Sugar Cane Rock Sugar (also sold at TeaVana).

Otherwise, I'll drink Louisianne. With sugar and ice. You must ONLY drink this tea cold since it's designed to be made in such a fashion.

[AdminAssistant]

I need to try Luzianne and start drinking more tea. Even sweet tea is better than soda.

There's a Teavana next to my favorite bath goods store in a malll 30 minutes away. Might have to check that out....

[lupo pazzesco]

There's a Teavana next to my favorite bath goods store in a malll 30 minutes away. Might have to check that out....

yes. you MUST. Go forth and experience the joy of Teavana! Go! Now. FASTER!!

erm...I mean...hmm...

<sips her nighttime tea and slinks off>

[Amina516]

So, may i ask the opinion of our wise tea elders on this board....

What should I try? I am a big coffee drinker. Im not too into the peppermint sleepy teas. Jasmine gives me a headache and vanilla often makes me gag (when its strong). I like "regular" lipton tea (in bags) with some lemon and sugar. Not HUGE into honey but i could get used to it. My opinion on honey is somewhat vulgar...LOL. Seriously, dont ask.

Id like to order some loose stuff off adagio. Can anyone suggest mild-ish, GOOD teas that would be good for me? IDK if I like chai, I never tried it. I dont have a Teavana in the area, though I wish I did b/c i know they have teas you can buy or try in the store.

[Pedersen]

Comparing about 15-40 (that last number is Dr. Pepper, my favorite soda ever) sugars per serving of soda... that's what, 3 to 10 teaspoons of sugar? I don't use three teaspoons in a double-mug of tea! (about 20 oz)

Today, I decided to check out how much I was consuming, and compare. I put about two teaspoons of sugar into most of my tea. According to my bag of sugar, that translates to about 8 grams. That, by the way, goes into 16oz of tea (about 475ml for non-imperials). It also is about 36 calories (sugar and tea total).

I then grabbed a 12oz can (about 350ml) of Pepsi. According to the label on the can, it had 41g of sugar and 150 calories. I would easily go through 5 or 6 cans of the stuff daily. So, 205g of sugar, 750 calories, daily. Easily.

Compare that with about 40g of sugar and 180 calories. Wow. You can now color me as quite shocked. I had no idea I was doing that to my body.

So, may i ask the opinion of our wise tea elders on this board....

Well, I'm not an elder, but I'll throw my two cents in. Feel free to ignore it

What should I try? I am a big coffee drinker. Im not too into the peppermint sleepy teas. Jasmine gives me a headache and vanilla often makes me gag (when its strong). I like "regular" lipton tea (in bags) with some lemon and sugar. Not HUGE into honey but i could get used to it. My opinion on honey is somewhat vulgar...LOL. Seriously, dont ask.

Peppermint tea tastes like drinking a candy cane to me. I'd enjoy it most around Christmas.

Chai, though, is stuff of the gods. Very recommended. I haven't opened the Chocolate Chai, not yet. I'm expecting that to make a fantastic hot chocolate replacement come winter. I'm going to try it before then, but I expect I'll be ordering it in larger quantities.

As for what to do, you've got most of the right idea right here:

Id like to order some loose stuff off adagio.

I think the best thing to do would be to order up their sampler packs. I ordered a bunch of them (chai, black, black savant, and flavors), and got 20 different varieties to try. I joke about the cost above, but it really wasn't too bad. I spent a total of $60, got 20 teas, a tea pot (Inegnuitea, to be precise), and 100 tea bags (so I can experiment with what tea bags do to the flavor).

Thanks to that, I'm finding out what I do and don't like, and surprising myself a bit. You might do the same.

[lupo pazzesco]

Pederson's got it right on the samplers. However if you're a fan of spicy with a bit of sweet, I'd heavily suggest chai. But then, I'd suggest chai anyday, really.

If you're looking for a caffeine fix, try black or black savant samplers, both of which have wonderful flavors, plain, and good sweet or straight. The Chai sampler has some divine flavors. Chocolate chai = HEAVEN!! And yes, Pedersen it makes a good sub for hot cocoa, but the chocolate isn't as pronounced, and the spice of the chai is a bit mellower. It's really good if you add some cream to it, though. Also, the rooibos sampler has some wonderful varieties, especially the rooibos earl grey and the berry. I like to blend the berry with the mango, personally. And a teapot is a must with loose tea. the tea bags are great in a pinch, but nothing beats something like the InginuiTEA pots.

If you're looking for something for coffee drinkers then go with the suggestion EQ had, the mate tea from teavana. Mate is fantastic, it's got the kick of coffee without some of the side effects. Very tasty, too from what I've heard.


Pedersen: Re the sugar/calories. yes, tea is fantastic for health, too. When I sweeten it, I usually go with splenda and essentially have a calorie free beverage that's a nice change from water. Speaking of which, I need to go make more iced tea, I'm almost out!!

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Yeah. All those, empty calories. They aren't for anything but making food taste nice. No nutritional value aside from caloric content. Well, maybe obscure trace stuff, I'm no food scientist, but point is: yeah. BAD.
Here's to your health, guys.

[kokopuff3]

I like earl gray or chai tea, double double with milk

[Magpie]

I'm going to second the recommendations for mate. But if you get into it (even if you're brewing it like normal tea), don't buy it at tea stores. Go to a Central American store near you and buy it there. It's $4.25 a kilo at Mi Tienda Latina here, vs upwards of $6 for 50g in some tea shops.

[Amina516]

I'm going to second the recommendations for mate. But if you get into it (even if you're brewing it like normal tea), don't buy it at tea stores. Go to a Central American store near you and buy it there. It's $4.25 a kilo at Mi Tienda Latina here, vs upwards of $6 for 50g in some tea shops.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/drinks/b4f6/

Is that the stuff youre talking about? I wont buy it online, but Ill keep an eyeball open for it. Theres tons of spanish stores in my area.

[Amina516]

So that you guys can poo yourselves in glee for me....I went to the mall and saw this!!




Lol. Exciting. I can at least try stuff out now without buying a bunch at a time..

[ADoyle90815]

I love Earl Grey tea for both hot and iced tea, and looseleaf jasmine tea that I can get in Chinatown every time I'm in San Francisco. I just noticed that there is a Teavana store not that far from me, so I'm going to check it out soon.

[lupo pazzesco]

Amina: Yes, yerba mate is a version of what we're talking about! And while I won't poo myself in excitement, I will squeal! SO lucky!! I haven't been to Teavana in a LONG time. I'm not allowed in there by myself.... >.>

[Food Lady]

I drink my tea iced, always. Absolute favorite is Bigelow Constant Comment. It's a black tea with orange and clove. All my friends that have tried it were intent on finding out what kind it was. Now when we have potlucks, it's "Food Lady, can you bring some of your tea?"