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S/O keeping warm: hot chocolate replacements


PinkTulip
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One way I have historically kept warm at night is to have a big mug of steaming hot chocolate to warm my body and hands before going to bed. I am really trying to cut calories and more importantly, sugar, and need a hot drink replacement. 

The obvious answers of coffee or tea are out due to religious reasons. Herbal teas are fine, but nothing with actual tea leaves or a lot of caffeine. Bonus points for something that tastes good and not like flavored water. Thanks! 

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I drink a lot of herbal teas (that aren't actually tea leaves) and find those work well. There are so many flavors out there.....I love an apple cinnamon one (I just shop my grocery store tea aisle.....), especially in winter. It's flavored enough that it doesn't need sugar/honey added. Alternately, the hibiscus ones, chamomile, peppermint.....all good choices. 

You could do spiced hot cider, but I think that would have more calories than you'd like, probably. 

There are so very many options out there, really, it's just going to come down to what your taste is. Take a trip down that aisle in your grocery store and pick up a few variety packs (there are almost always variety boxes), so you can try lots of flavors, and then choose your favorites from that for the next shopping trip. 

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Chicken broth?  I am not a fan of the name ''bone broth" - but, it is best made that way.  Once a week, in the winter, I boil (or IP) a whole chicken.  When the chicken is finished, I take it out, shred the meat and place the bones back into the water with what I have on hand (onions, carrots, celery) and a tsp or so of vinegar.  Boil that longer (or IP for an hour) and strain the broth.  With a little dash of salt - yum all week!

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We like Trader Joe’s Apple Cider but it’s high in sugar. I also drink Trader Joe’s turmeric ginger tea. I don’t mind any ginger tea actually since it helps with reducing my colds and runny noses. Sometimes I make my own ginger tea but I am usually too lazy to go peel and slice ginger.

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I drink herbal tea—red raspberry, lemon detox, or dandelion root. Dandelion root can be flavored with Torani syrup (sugar free) as it has a flavor profile that is robust.

I also drink mate (which is a grass/herb) but it has caffeine. 

Fwiw, red raspberry leaf has a ton of minerals and is my favorite. I use one stevia packet with it.

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I like tension tamer with some honey. Or just lemon and honey in hot water. For sugar free I like the red, fruity herbals. They don’t need sugar. DS has herbal tea at bedtime every night. Currently he’s working through a box of black cherry. Before that it was honey vanilla chamomile. On deck is blueberry pomegranate açaí. 

If the goal is warmth, take a “lobster bath.” I run a hot bath and just stay in until my core temperature rises enough that I can stand to get out and be naked for a minute before I get dressed. I also highly recommend a heated mattress pad. IMO, It’s so much better than a heated blanket. 

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If you can/will use artificial sweetener, diet hot cocoa doesn't have a lot of calories - I think the one I use has 25 calories/cup.

Also, Red Rose Tea makes delicious hot teas with the artificial sweetener in them - I think they are called Sweet Temptations?  They come in flavors like Apple Caramel, Blueberry Muffin, Strawberry Cheesecake, Lemon something, Pumpkin Pie, and a Peach one, too.

 

ETA - as mentioned above, Celestial Seasonings and Bigelow make some delicious teas, too but those have no sweeteners in them.

 

 

Edited by Kassia
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When I want something sweet, I drink a chocolate raspberry tea from Tiesta Tea. It's herbal and I really like it. I'm not sure if it's sold in stores though. I buy from them online. It's loose leaf but I keep tea bags here so it's still no fuss or mess.

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I am partial to herbal teas with orange spice flavors, like Bengal spice someone mentioned earlier. I enjoy ginger teas, too. Other than that I’m more of a real tea person.

Have you thought of making your own hot cocoa mix with less sugar, at least for an occasional treat?

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