In the battle of the AM rites and rituals, your beverage of choice is a pretty important factor. By the time you wake up in the morning, make your bed, meditate, work out, pick out an outfit, and finish up your 10-step skin care routine, you’re ready for the main event.
You could be seeking any number of things when facing the beverage decision: comfort, energy, detoxifying, familiarity, convenience, or perhaps a healthful and delicious start to your day. Many consider either tea or coffee the holy grail, comprising all of these elements and more. While coffee has long been a default go-to for many Americans, the tides may be shifting in favor of its biggest competitor: tea. Going head to head, the two might be more similar than you think.
The Elephant in the Room: Caffeine
In the spirit of getting down to brass tacks, let’s acknowledge that when we get up, especially on a weekday, caffeine is really what we’re after. And if it’s in the form of a comforting and delectable warm beverage, even better. It’s no secret that coffee and many teas contain caffeine, and both, depending on type, vary in amount. A lot of people complain of the jitters from the strong caffeinated punch of coffee—which is often followed by the dreaded crash, while tea—especially green tea—can provide a smoother, less tumultuous caffeine experience. Invigorating yet stable? Sign us up for tea!
The Benefits Make Tea Hard to Ignore
Far be it from us to recommend never enjoying coffee again. It undoubtedly has a unique flavor profile and long cultural history and tradition of its own. But coffee does come with some of its own hurdles: complex prep, price, acidity, over-stimulation and addiction, and perhaps some gnarly tooth stains. Tea after sunrise, though, has so many benefits that it’s hard to ignore any longer—starting with health. According to Harvard University, “Both [tea and coffee] are rich in antioxidants like polyphenols, which help reduce chronic inflammation and neutralize cell-damaging free radicals. Green and black tea tend to have higher polyphenol content than other teas and are close to the high antioxidant amounts in coffee.” Various tea types offer all sorts of health benefits, from digestion and metabolism to heart health and anti-cancer properties. And it’s less fussy, less pricey, less acidic and not as jitter-inducing.
So, are you ready to hear more?
Matcha: The Early Contender
Already gaining steam in terms of coffee substitutes is matcha—the concentrated powdered green tea dubbed a superfood. With similar caffeine levels to coffee, a lot fewer of the adverse effects, a host of health benefits, a unique vegetal flavor, and alluring bright green hue, is there any reason not to give it a try? Between positive weight-loss effects, anti-cancer properties (which is actually one of the things that got our founder into the business), supporting cognition and digestion, it may be easier than you think to replace coffee with this seemingly magical beverage.
Stimulation Without Jitters
In terms of nutrition, versatility, variety, taste, and ease of preparation, there’s no denying that tea is a strong contender for breakfast time. A simple loose leaf brew is easy and cost-effective to prepare, can range enormously in flavor to meet your preference, and definitely jolts you awake (but in a gentler way), and keeps you stimulated throughout the day. You can pick your preferred flavor, easily consume it without additives, and have it with all types of food without a taste clash. All of this is without sacrificing the stimulation or comfort of coffee.
The Classic Breakfast Tea: Black
Whether you prefer classic English Breakfast, bergamot-bent Earl Grey this tea is robust and lends a comparable richness to say, a shot of espresso. Its neutral and earthy taste also holds up coffee’s, and makes it drinkable on its own or with any and all breakfast foods. Across the Middle East, you’ll find this one as a staple on every morning table.
Green Tea
We’ve made no secret of our obsession with green tea here at Heavenly Tea Leaves. It’s nutritious, it’s rich, it’s flavorful, it’s revitalizing, and it’s great for calming the stomach. It’s also less acidic than coffee! Some people like to add a little sweetness to their palate in the morning. This passion-fruit flavored green tea blend is the perfect way to do that without actually adding sweetener—or calories. Regular green tea is a bit less concentrated than the matcha we mentioned earlier—perfect for those who like a milder, smoother experience.
The Creamy Component
If the creaminess of a cafe latte or cappuccino is what you crave, don’t forget that the British often drink tea with a spot of milk, called “milk tea,” or more often just “tea” as the default way of drinking it. Typically, it’s preferred with a bit of white sugar for a touch of neutral sweetness. Texture and taste-wise, this will get you pretty close to coffee, plus all the benefits of tea.
The Choice is Yours
All points taken, we’d say we’ve made a pretty clear case for considering replacing your morning coffee (or even afternoon habit) with a delicious cup of hot tea (especially come fall and winter)—or iced, if you’re seeking something more refreshing and less jittery. Tomorrow morning, it’s worth asking…which caffeinated cup will you opt for?
