Non-Dairy, not overly-sugary ways to make a cup of hot tea taste better

[Ginevra]

And for our purposes, I mean hot tea in the literal, non-WTM-euphemistic way. ;)

 

I quit coffee to see if it will help reduce my IBS. It does seem to help. But I miss my coffee/cream/sugar taste. I drink hot tea (Earl Grey or English Breakfast) with a teas. honey. It's satisfying in the hot beverage way, but - meh. I don't really love it. I can muddle through it if it keeps my belly from hurting, but do you have any non-dairy, less sugary hacks for making a tea yummier?

[Laura Corin]

I like soy milk.

[Alessandra]

Almond milk, sweetened or not

[8circles]

:lurk5: Interested.

 

I don't care for the fake milks so I'm hoping for some ideas.

[happypamama]

Is your water decent? Coffee might mask the taste of meh water, but maybe tea doesn't. Maybe try using jugs of water for a while?

 

Flavored stevia maybe? Drops to your taste.

[happi duck]

I have had teas that "need" milk and/or sugar and also teas that taste great without anything added. It might be some trial and error but there's probably a tea out there that you'll like with nothing added. I agree that water could play a part too. Also, sometimes steeping time can make a big difference.

 

I tried various nondairy options, even homemade, and nothing gave the texture I missed. I finally went to black coffee when we starting using a chemex (pour over with a filter).

 

Happy tea hunting!

[JFSinIL]

Try different blends of tea.  The two you mention I can not stand, and I drink a lot of tea. 

[Mergath]

Buy better tea. ;) There's a world of difference between a cheap tea bag out of a box and a pot made with high quality loose leaf tea. 

[HomeAgain]

Try making your own fruit syrups.  A nice blackberry one is amazing in tea - you can add as little or as much as you like but the fruit flavor comes through more than the sweetness.

[Thia7278]

Does it have to be a black tea? There are so many good herbals out there to try! Those can also be blended together. As far as good old traditional black tea, I have, in the past, put non-dairy creamer (powder) in my tea with some sugar and it's not terrible (iirc).

[Guest]

Is your water decent? Coffee might mask the taste of meh water, but maybe tea doesn't. Maybe try using jugs of water for a while?

 

Flavored stevia maybe? Drops to your taste.

Our water is good. I drink it every day and it doesn't taste bad or funny to me.

 

Maybe Stevia. I have a little bottle.

[Guest]

Does it have to be a black tea? There are so many good herbals out there to try! Those can also be blended together. As far as good old traditional black tea, I have, in the past, put non-dairy creamer (powder) in my tea with some sugar and it's not terrible (iirc).

No, doesn't have to be black tea. I haven't had an herbal that I liked; I only just muddled through them for whatever medicinal purpose I was after.

 

I do like chai teas.

[Guest]

Buy better tea. ;) There's a world of difference between a cheap tea bag out of a box and a pot made with high quality loose leaf tea.

I would be okay with this if I knew anything about what I was doing, and if it doesn't require too much synaptic activity at 6am.

[theelfqueen]

Find a hazelnut tea blend -- it sort of smells like coffee.

 

Some teas are improved with a bit of lemon.

 

[Guest]

Looseleaf tea doesn't require any more thought than tea bags. One thing you do need ahead of time is a tea steeper. Then, just put a spoonful of loose leaf into the steeper, then drop the steeper into the hot mug. Steep for however long you would normally steep (well, actually most good teas will list a good length of time to use, but this can vary based on the strength you want, and once you know the number, it's still not different than tea bags.)

 

But really, for me, finding teas I like has been all about trial and error. Do you have a good tea store by you?

Probably. I am outside of D.C. Surely there's a tea store or two.

 

I do have a tea infuser. I think it is meant for one cup.

[Janie Grace]

Don't reboil water (fresh every time), good brand of tea, do not oversteep. Oversleeping is really easy to do when you're sleepy but it turns tea bitter. I can easily cover this with milk and sugar, but without those, oversteeped tea is NASTY.

[whitestavern]

Bulletproof? Which is a tablespoon of coconut oil and a teaspoon of grassfed unsalted butter. It's how I have my coffee and I enjoy it very much. I used to do cream.

[Laura Corin]

:lurk5: Interested.

 

I don't care for the fake milks so I'm hoping for some ideas.

 

I think it's worth remembering that soy 'milk' has been drunk in Asia for a very long time.  It's only fake in that the word 'milk' is inappropriate.  Hot doujiang ('bean liquid') was made by the vatful at the breakfast shop opposite the office where I worked in Taiwan.  Nothing fake about it, and not a substitute for anything.

[Jenn in FL]

Right there with you...

 

You might consider trying either Peppermint or Salted Carmel by Bigelow.  

 

Easy to locate at the grocery store and ridiculously inexpensive to boot.

 

I have really come to love the Peppermint and it is very calming to a rumbling tummy.  :thumbup:

 

 

 

[8circles]

I think it's worth remembering that soy 'milk' has been drunk in Asia for a very long time.  It's only fake in that the word 'milk' is inappropriate.  Hot doujiang ('bean liquid') was made by the vatful at the breakfast shop opposite the office where I worked in Taiwan.  Nothing fake about it, and not a substitute for anything.

 

No, you misunderstood me and I could have been clearer.

 

I enjoy soy milk & almond milk & even rice milk when the mood strikes.  I don't have anything against them.  I don't like them in my warm beverages.

 

I only meant fake in that they aren't actually milk.

[ktgrok]

Try rooibos tea. It's caffeine free, and almost sweet on it's own. 

[MercyA]

So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamers are pretty good in coffee; you could try them in tea. 

[The Girls' Mom]

I use this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EVRQ2GS?psc=1 , and use the water from our Keurig, so I can use loose leaf teas.  My current no milk/no sweetener combo is black tea mixed with Rooibos.  The Rooibos gives it a sweet flavor, while the black tea gives me the caffeine.  Sometimes I also throw a chai mix in there.

Edited September 23, 2016 by The Girls' Mom

[happi duck]

Don't reboil water (fresh every time), good brand of tea, do not oversteep. Oversleeping is really easy to do when you're sleepy but it turns tea bitter. I can easily cover this with milk and sugar, but without those, oversteeped tea is NASTY.

Yes, *oversleeping* is really easy to do when you're sleepy! (Autocorrect is so much fun sometimes!)

[happi duck]

I would be okay with this if I knew anything about what I was doing, and if it doesn't require too much synaptic activity at 6am.

There are paper teabags that come empty to use with loose leaf tea. They're big enough to leave room for the tea and you could prep it the night before. We use Melitta Tea Filters and compost them along with the used tea.

 

We also have washable/reusable tea steeping things for when we're more awake!

[caedmyn]

Coconut milk (the type that comes in a can) might be worth a try. It's higher in fat so should be creamier than other "milks". Or a different sweetener might help...personally I don't like honey in any sort of tea. White powdered stevia from NOW is my preference for a sweetener. Or try a different but similar flavor of tea like Rooibos or even red raspberry leaf, or something entirely different like one of the Celestial seasoning flavored "teas" (most have no actual tea in them).

 

I would think chai would be the closest to coffee though (guessing anyway...I'm not a coffee drinker). Decaf chai with coconut milk and stevia tastes just as good to me as the premade chai mixes with sugar and powdered milk in them.

[Guest]

Rum, Quill. The solution is rum.

[Beaniemom]

Around DC there is Capitol Teas and they have a great chocolate loose leaf tea. They have a huge selection and you can purchase in small amounts to try.

[zoobie]

Have you tried the nut blend milks? Those are creamier than the plain almond milks I've tried.

 

Celestial Seasonings vanilla rooibos is easy to find and tastes sweet. They also have a sugar cookie that's probably not out yet that's very sweet-tasting.

[Janie Grace]

Yes, *oversleeping* is really easy to do when you're sleepy! (Autocorrect is so much fun sometimes!)

 

LOL!!! Hilarious.

[Guest]

Licorice root is also sweet. It doesn't taste at all like licorice candy.

[ktgrok]

Also, why not just sugar, instead of honey? Both have a pretty similar impact on health (if anything honey has more fructose so may be worse). 

 

I think honey tastes odd in black tea. It is okay in herbal tea, but weird in black tea, to me. 

Edited September 24, 2016 by ktgrok

[Guest]

Also, why not just sugar, instead of honey? Both have a pretty similar impact on health (if anything honey has more fructose so may be worse).

 

I think honey tastes odd in black tea. It is okay in herbal tea, but weird in black tea, to me.

Well, I really would rather have *neither* sugar nor honey in it. I'm just doing the honey in the meantime. The main reason I put that specifically as something I'm looking for is because I know there are all sorts of syrups and other flavorings that taste great, but are very sugary. So, ultimately, I want something that tastes good enough that I don't feel begrudging, yet is not full of stuff I shouldn't have anyway.

[Rebecca]

The Republic of Tea makes AMAZING tea. I have loved every kind I have tried. Found at Wegmans or online.

 

I love tea with a bit of integral collagen.

 

I do not usually drink tea sweet the way I drink coffee. However, a yummy tea has been made with some collagen, coconut sugar, and splash of coconut milk.

 

I have also had manuaka honey in tea and that is taking it to the next level.

[mamaraby]

I like the Harney and Sons tea bags. They're bigger than your standard tea bag and have much bigger leaves in the bag. We've tried three. My kids like the chocolate mint black tea, my dh likes the Earl Grey, and I have the Cinnamon Sunrise black tea blend because I like cinnamon. I'd much rather have coffee, but my kids insist that poetry tea requires tea and no, there is no exception for mom who should know better. Duh. I can get the Harney & Sons at Target and there's often a Cartwheel app coupon on them. We drink ours straight.

 

If I was serious about this tea thing then I'd go the tea shop route. You can tell them what you like or don't like and they'll make recommendations. The few times we've gone that route, we've been able to purchase a small quantity to see if we like it at home. There were even steeping directions, but tbh, it just seems too complex so...Harney and Sons tea bags is what I always end up with.

[ebunny]

What works for any brand tea, although I prefer Twinings.

 

Lemon tea- squeeze half a lemon+honey(optional)

 

masala chai- add a very small stick of cinnamon and a few grains of cardomom when you brew a cup.

 

Peppermint tea- mint leaves while brewing- Lemon(optional)+ Honey(optional).

 

 

[mmasc]

Like mamaraby, I'm also going to recommend Harney and Sons brand. My two favorite are Coconut Green Tea and Blueberry Green Tea. They are really nice little saches, filled with fragrant loose leaf tea. I love them iced with no sweetener or dairy. If I really want a bit of sweet I use agave nectar. I know this isn't any better for you than sugar or anything else, but I like the taste and that I only need a drop or two for my preferred level of sweet.

[kentuckymom]

My favorite cheap and easy to find hot tea is Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea. It's kind of inspired by chai, but it's herbal so it's caffeine free. I drink it both hot and iced with no sweeteners of any kind, and it's just sweet enough to make my sweet tooth happy.

[ktgrok]

Lemon instead of sugar/cream might be a switch. i do like it with lemon. 

[Daria]

Jam, especially jam that's homemade with a lot of fruit and little or no sugar.

 

During my study abroad in the Soviet Union (yes, I am that old) I was introduced to wonderful plum jam stirred into hot tea.  Delicious!

[Um_2_4]

I have a friend who lets a couple raisins soak in the tea. Gives sweetness and touch of fruity flavor.

[J-rap]

Cardamom and a squeeze of fresh orange.

[foxbridgeacademy]

almond milk for a light version. To get the full fat thickness I use coconut cream.  Just buy a can of full fat coconut milk put in fridge overnight and the next cay when you open it (don't shake) you have a bunch of super thick cream.

[fdrinca]

I would try chai and whatever you like to lighten it up. I prefer almond milk (unsweetened vanilla). The spices in the chai make it feel sweeter, and the mouthfeel of the almond milk helps it to not feel just like tea.

[Katy]

Well, date sugar isn't processed sugar at all, it's powdered dried dates. It's the healthiest sweetener, closely followed by blackstrap molasses. The molasses has a distinctive flavor though.  So date sugar and a little Silk unsweetened Almond Coconut milk would probably be closest.

 

If you wanted a non-dairy chai latte, brewing tea with ginger, cinnamon, and a little nutmeg, sweetening with blackstrap molasses, and adding enough unsweetened soy, almond, or coconut milk to lighten it a bit should be very good.

 

If you want something completely different but still healthy, cold brewed iced tea actually has a bit more antioxidants than hot tea.  A pitcher with tea bags and lemon juice left in the fridge overnight is something we like for hot weather.

 

Even more healthy than that, anti-oxidant wise, is hibiscus tea.  All of the different flavors of red zinger are hibiscus. I put about six bags in a pitcher along with the juice of one lemon and about a half cup of pomegranate juice and a little sweetener of choice.  It tastes more like watered down fruit punch than tea, but is super good for you.

[Janie Grace]

Oooohh, I forgot -- Good Earth tea! It's naturally sweet and SO YUMMY.

[Alicia64]

I take a scoop of protein powder and blend it with almond milk and put that on top of my coffee. It's good and gives morning protein. I'm sure it would taste good on tea.

 

I love Trader Joe's protein powder.

 

Alley

[regentrude]

Better tea?

 

The main stream store brand tea bags are not good tea.

Try a good lose leaf tea; it is a lot more flavorful.

Edited September 24, 2016 by regentrude

[Guest]

My favorite cheap and easy to find hot tea is Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea. It's kind of inspired by chai, but it's herbal so it's caffeine free. I drink it both hot and iced with no sweeteners of any kind, and it's just sweet enough to make my sweet tooth happy.

You reminded me; I've had that tea before at my friend's house and I agree, it's yummy!

[bethben]

Good earth original tea or a licorice tea.  Both are naturally sweet.