There's More Than One Tea to Help You Quit Coffee
Let’s face it: as much as we all may love coffee, the addiction isn’t good for you. A cup in the morning could easily turn into four cups by late afternoon. And as good as it may taste, keeping your body that addicted to coffee isn’t healthy. Packed with antioxidants, however, is coffee’s oft-overlooked counterpart in this department, tea. Shockingly, there are some teas with enough caffeine to get you through the day, that are way better for you. Here are a few.
Matcha
Matcha is of course having a moment right now, and that’s in no small part due to the fact that for many of us it’s replaced coffee completely. There are so many ways to drink your matcha, and it tastes good no matter how. But what’s most important about it is that it’s detoxifying, boosts metabolism, and enhances mood and aids in relaxation, which makes it perfect for stressful days at the office.
Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is made of the dried leaves of an evergreen holly tree, found in South America. But don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like christmas. Its earthy taste just is that of herbal tea, but you can pick up a flavored or sweetened bottle or can in any bodega, supermarket, or corner store you could think of. On top of that though, it’s absolutely loaded in vitamins and minerals, and did we mention it has about three quarters of the caffeine in coffee?
Guayusa
Guayusa tea is another holly species, which grows in the Amazon. So its taste is close to that of yerba mate. However, it actually contains even more caffeine—in fact, as much as a cup of coffee. It also holds twice the antioxidants of your standard green tea. The most popular brand of guayusa is RUNA, who deserve a special shout-out simply because they’re dedicated to maintaining fair-trade, ethical farming practices. You can find their guayusa anywhere you can find a Whole Foods.
Black Tea
Good old reliable black tea. If you drink tea, you’ve probably had it in one of its many forms—earl grey, chai, thai tea, or maybe just on its own. But its varying tastes aren’t the only amazing thing about it. It can reduce cholesterol and tooth decay, and may even reduce your risk of contracting certain kinds of cancer. For the mild-to-moderate caffeine drinker, it’s the perfect pick me up. If spiced varieties aren’t your jam, we recommend the Black Currant from Harney & Sons, it’s perfectly fruity.
