Tea Paranoia

redimock

So, I am all about the hot beverages in the winter, and I can't drink coffee all day, because caffeine keeps me up. I've been trying all sorts of different herbal teas. I found one that tastes AMAZING, but maybe that's because it also tastes really sweet. I don't see anything in the ingredients that scream SUGAR to me, but maybe I'm missing something. It's the Tazo Sweet Cinnamon Spice (I know, sweet is in the name!). Here are the ingredients:

cinnamon, licorice root, orange peel, indian sarsaparilla, chicory root, rooibos, natural flavors, star anise, almond extract

Is one of these sugar in disguise?

RalfLott

That's an interesting riddle.

Have you googled these in your hunt for false friends?

baconslave

chicory root and licorice root both taste sweet naturally. I haven't check to see if the amount that comes out in the brew process contributes carbs. I'll go check.

Edit: I haven't found anything that has said they do have carbs yet. That doesn't mean they don't. I'll keep looking.

carlsoda

I think you are fine but why don't you email Tazo and ask! Maybe you'll even get a coupon for your next purchase

kpk54

If you like coffee, why not drink decaffeinated coffee?

I don't see anything in the ingredients of your tea that indicates "sugar" but haven't looked them up. I think many herbal teas seem naturally sweet. Rooibos in particular.

swezeytba

Yes...from what I remember Rooibos tea is generally sweet....

KnitOrMiss

Even fatsecret.com agrees, 0 calories, 0 carbs.

Edited to add: Our nose can take sweet smells and tricks our tastebuds, thankfully.

williams969

Rooibos tea is somewhat sweet naturally. Also, it's not listed, but some teas advertised as sweet have stevia leaves in them, which are also sweet.

redimock

Thanks everyone! I tried google on the tea itself (not the individual ingredients), but just kept ending up at Tazo's page or other pages similarly less helpful. I will happily continue to drink it. I wish teas had to have nutritional info labels on them too - that would help me

@kpk54 - I don't know how it started, but my sensitivity to caffeine is way up. If I have coffee in the morning, it generally has to be half caf, or I get jittery. If I have decaf in the afternoon, I have to cut myself off by about 3 or so, or I can't sleep. It's kind of pathetic!

@carlsoda - That's a good idea - I didn't even think of that!

kpk54

I've read that various supplements (and meds) can cause increased sensitivity to caffeine. I've never researched it though since I'm don't use caffeine and take only 1 supplement.

Additionally, bodies just seem to change. Good you have become aware of your body's reaction.

I get major jitters, heart palpitations and sometimes nauseous from (too much) caffeine now that I've not been using it since 2000 as per recommended by my neurologist.

KnitOrMiss

@redimock - Taking taurine with any caffeine source can help prevent that shaky feeling (and mitigate caffeine headaches, etc.) if it isn't doing anything else, like spiking your blood pressure and such... It helps with improving electrolyte transition, etc.

redimock

@kpk54 & @KnitOrMiss - great to know, thanks!

Tazo wrote back quickly and says it is "less than 1 g carbohydrate." And then told me "after all, tea is one of the original diet beverages."

cimarrona27

redimock wrote: »

So, I am all about the hot beverages in the winter, and I can't drink coffee all day, because caffeine keeps me up. I've been trying all sorts of different herbal teas. I found one that tastes AMAZING, but maybe that's because it also tastes really sweet. I don't see anything in the ingredients that scream SUGAR to me, but maybe I'm missing something. It's the Tazo Sweet Cinnamon Spice (I know, sweet is in the name!). Here are the ingredients:

cinnamon, licorice root, orange peel, indian sarsaparilla, chicory root, rooibos, natural flavors, star anise, almond extract

Is one of these sugar in disguise?

Licorice root is sweet- very sweet. You can buy it at health food stores. I have no idea on how it translates into sugar though.

My mom used to buy it for me because I liked it. It is very woody and has an unusual sweetness. I loved it.

LowCarbInScotland

I used to have a loose leaf tea company and I custom blended flavoured teas. The natural and artificial flavourings used by the majority companies making blended flavoured teas and herbal concoctions do not have any added sugar. In fact I first heard about the ketogenic diet when I sold tea because I had a group of parents with epileptic children who would buy the flavourings I used to add to their children's food to try and help them eat. They were maintaining a 90% fat diet. I'm so grateful that I can get away with eating more protein than that. It must be so hard for children to struggle to understand why they can't eat like their friends.

kpk54

PaleoInScotland wrote: »

I used to have a loose leaf tea company and I custom blended flavoured teas. The natural and artificial flavourings used by the majority companies making blended flavoured teas and herbal concoctions do not have any added sugar. In fact I first heard about the ketogenic diet when I sold tea because I had a group of parents with epileptic children who would buy the flavourings I used to add to their children's food to try and help them eat. They were maintaining a 90% fat diet. I'm so grateful that I can get away with eating more protein than that. It must be so hard for children to struggle to understand why they can't eat like their friends.

I used to shake my head wondering why adults (not to mention children) would have so much "trouble" eating a true ketogenic diet if it would help minimize or remove their seizures...until I tired it for my movement disorder, recently upping the fat. For me cheese is not fat as it has too much protein to keep a required high fat ratio. Fat is fat. MCT Oil, Coconut oil, butter. Just fat. I'm not complaining though.

ETA: Yes to your comment above. I've been adding flavorings to coconut oil to help get it down the hatch. MCT, I can usually bury in some sort of alfredo, curry, tuna salad etc.

RAC56

Afternoon tea time is very much enjoyed at our house. We like to have a cup of Rooibos with or without a slice of dried lemon or orange. We also enjoy having holy basil tea, spearmint tea and ginger tea. None of these have caffeine.

I love teas, but many of them end up causing me to make a quick run for the bathroom, sigh. Jiaogulan (also known as Gynostemma) tea is very sweet and tasted good but caused a quick bathroom visit for me. Just be aware of those possibilities.