Making the coffee to tea switch. Suggestions?

southrnchic479

I am a hazelnut creamer with a splash of coffee person ... it's time to make a change. Besides, I think I am developing a lactose intolerance as I get older ugh...so all the more reason to switch over. I love my sweet morning coffee (it is a delicious hazelnut roast, to which I add pumpkin pie spice and then like I said LOTS of hazelnut creamer) so what can I try that is "similar"? I probably would prefer more of a gourmand flavor but I'm open to raspberry or something fruity. Preferably something I can get at the grocery store! Thanks in advance!

livingleanlivingclean

Almond milk and hazelnut stevia.... With coffee?

I don't understand not wanting to drink coffee..

Cbean08

There are so many flavors of tea out there, even ones that are sugar cookie or chocolate or apple cider. Look over your tea aisle at the grocery store. You might like a more savory flavor like cinnamon or vanilla chai. Use soy milk/almond milk and honey/splenda to sweeten.

southrnchic479

Every time I've tried stevia I've been less than impressed Trust me, I love my coffee...but most of the time after I have it I feel....bleehhhh. I've dabbled with DIYing creamers but so far it's just felt like a poor imitation so rather than try and duplicate a creamer I figured I'd just try something completely different. We'll see. I may give that stevia a try. Never heard of hazelnut stevia. Thanks for the idea!

jgnatca

Creme au Roobios. Sweeten with an artificial sweetener.

http://www.glenns-restaurant.com/PDF/CompleteTeaMenu.pdf

sixxpoint

You can enjoy both. Learning how to actually enjoy coffee for what it actually tastes like will be your problem... And it's not bad at all if brewed properly.

Cold brew coffee is low acidity, very smooth on the palate, and can be easily learned to enjoy without milk because of those two facts. You can brew it at home for cheap, or buy a liter from your local supermarket in the refrigerated isle. I suggest learning how to grind your own dark roast beans and utilize a cheap French press.

Although it's not technically cold brew, if you have a Keurig, start by using a good tasting dark roast coffee pod. Set a mug full of cubed ice under the brewing area and set to the lowest amount of brew 4 or 6 oz. (To account for the melting ice). Use 1 splenda and no milk. Try it. If you like it, you just discovered an easy, healthy, lower acidity, lactose free way to enjoy coffee. If not, you maybe lost 30 cents. Graduate to using no splenda, and you have the health benefits of coffee, with natural caffeine, zero calories, and a completely new respect for coffee as an ingredient.

As far as tea, I only drink tea that tastes amazing. I never force myself to drink bad tasting teas for the fractionally minimal health benefits. Tea intake is not going to make or break you despite the articles about the Japanese living longer simply because they drink more tea.

gentlygently

Mmm - British person alert. Not so many of us do the heavy flavoured creamer/coffee thing. And I second the voices that encourage you to try - er - coffee (!). It is a taste worth acquiring. We just buy good coffee beans/grounds and use a cafetière pot. Simple. Delicious.

But as for teas. ... firstly please please don't put flavoured milk or flavoured milk substitutes in! You can however get some really good highly flavoured black teas (earl grey, chai, ginger, vanilla, cardamom, xmas spice) - does eg Whittards exist for you guys? Or buy on-line? In my opinion best served weak, unsweetened and with just a dash of milk. And best made from lose leaf tea not bags if you can get it.

And if you like rich flavours but want a non-black leaf tea - how about the various liquorice based ones. Liquorice and cinnamon is really good. Pukka tea bags sell over here in eg health food shops.

Mmm may be I'll go pit the kettle on!

lemurcat12

I love coffee, and like tea pretty well, but not as much. I would never give up coffee (other than temporarily), but when cutting down on coffee sometimes (caffeine), I may substitute teas that have less caffeine. Sometimes I just want an alternative too, and I sometimes find chilled tea more refreshing than chilled coffee.

As for advice, I guess it depends on why you are switching and what you would miss about coffee. Your first post talks about what you put in your coffee, and as a person who loves her coffee black, perhaps I'm just not following, but why would that mean you had to switch to tea. Do you think you would be less inclined to put high cal stuff in your tea?

rheddmobile

I love hibiscus tea. It's pretty and smells delicious!

My coffee is good quality coffee with foamed almond milk, cinnamon, and dark chocolate. Fits in my calories nicely.

ZoneFive

Love Yorkshire tea (bags). That would be the British formulation, not the dreadful stuff designed "for American tea-drinkers" -- dunno what they were thinking with that. A little splenda, a little 2% milk, and I'm very happy.

Pamshebamm181

I would just gradually cut down on the creamer.
I'd never give up coffee.

LiveLoveFitFab

I love yerba mate. All the caffeine of coffee, plus vitamins and minerals and some feel good chemicals. It doesn't need sugar or milk, so it's a calorie free treat. I drink the mandarin flavoured stuff, and I love the taste. I also love green tea. I couldn't stand watching my calories being spent on coffee just to get caffeine.

ritzvin

southrnchic479 wrote: »

I am a hazelnut creamer with a splash of coffee person ... it's time to make a change. Besides, I think I am developing a lactose intolerance as I get older ugh...so all the more reason to switch over. I love my sweet morning coffee (it is a delicious hazelnut roast, to which I add pumpkin pie spice and then like I said LOTS of hazelnut creamer) so what can I try that is "similar"? I probably would prefer more of a gourmand flavor but I'm open to raspberry or something fruity. Preferably something I can get at the grocery store! Thanks in advance!

Unless you steep it too long, tea doesn't have the bitter flavor of coffee that people are always covering up with giant loads of sugar and fat. A little splenda with or without a very small amount of cream/creamer goes a long way in tea compared to coffee.

MichelleWithMoxie

why would you deprive yourself of coffee entirely? just ease up on the creamer. i do flavored coffee + a little truvia + a splash of almond milk. tastes delish. calories so negligible i don't even count it.

lowjax75

There are hazelnut black teas out there that might work.

https://www.stashtea.com/products/chocolate-hazelnut-black-tea
http://www.svtea.com/Hazelnut-Black-Tea/productinfo/T0169/
https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Forte-HAZELNUT-TRUFFLE-Loose/dp/B006TZFOVU
http://www.spiceandtea.com/hazelnut-cookie-tea.html

LiveLoveFitFab wrote: »

I love yerba mate. All the caffeine of coffee, plus vitamins and minerals and some feel good chemicals. It doesn't need sugar or milk, so it's a calorie free treat. I drink the mandarin flavoured stuff, and I love the taste. I also love green tea. I couldn't stand watching my calories being spent on coffee just to get caffeine.

Also, yerba mate is great as well. My favorite is called Jumpy Monkey from David's tea. It's a yerba mate and coffee blend. Brewing a cup right now as we speak.

I've actually got a tea problem (according to some) and usually have anywhere from 3-8 different cups day.

MissDeeDee78

Lipton makes a variety of teas, not sure if you have Tetley tea where you are but they have a vast selection of tea. You can also check out David's tea, so many varieties of tea from green, to rooibos. Herbal teas are delicious but they contain little to no caffeine. I started drinking tea with sugar and slowly weaned myself off. Baby steps! Good luck! *Sips apple cinnamon tea - black*

lowjax75

MissDeeDee78 wrote: »

Lipton makes a variety of teas, not sure if you have Tetley tea where you are but they have a vast selection of tea. You can also check out David's tea, so many varieties of tea from green, to rooibos. Herbal teas are delicious but they contain little to no caffeine. I started drinking tea with sugar and slowly weaned myself off. Baby steps! Good luck! *Sips apple cinnamon tea - black*

Had some Apple Cinnamon Black tea just last Friday. It is perfect for the cooler weather starting here.

feisty_bucket

I have English breakfast tea (ie: black tea) every day (with milk & sweetener) but strongly dislike every other kind of hot tea I've tried. To me, that's standard tea. And then if you wanna mess around with that other hippie stuff later, you can .

As for coffee - don't drop it, just figure out how to make it so it's not a sugar bomb. Tons of polyphenols in coffee; it's good for you. Just avoid over-caffeinating yourself, because that's another trap that's easy to fall into (ie: over ~400mg/day).

WilmaValley

What great suggestions, can't wait to try them!

southrnchic479

Thanks for all the feedback! Lots to look into! ❤️ I recently bought some almond milk creamer for my coffee. It's pumpkin spice and I'm not really a fan but I'm going to check into maybe almond milk + that hazelnut sweetener another user mentioned. Figured I'd try and improve upon the coffee while I try and figure out what tea I want to try and where to buy (wasn't impressed with the selection at my local grocer so to Amazon I go)...

xvolution

Do you enjoy mocha (coffee with chocolate)? If so a tea called Bolder Breakfast might be a good in-between. It's a smooth tea with hits of chocolate in it, making it taste similar to a mocha coffee.

BeccaLoves2lift

I slowly reduced my amount of creamer over time and now I'm drinking black coffee. It's been six months of plain black coffee and I wouldn't drink it any other way now!

erickirb

Chi Tea with sweetened vanilla almond milk

leggup

Nondairy creamer has no lactose, so there really isn't any reason you have to give it up.

cjsacto

I made the switch about 9 months ago. I loved coffee, but always sweetened it, so giving it up was a big part of cutting out daily sugar. (I don't like the taste of stevia or any artificial sweeteners. Anything in a pink/blue/yellow packet tastes blech.)

I really like chai and went to that for a while but now I'm mostly drinking Republic of Tea Super Brain Boost, which is a delicious green tea blend with a little sweet fruitless from black currant. It took a while to get used to the milder flavor.

Another major reason I gave up coffee was because it was damaging my teeth. My dentist gave me a talk about how acidic it is, I sip on my morning drink all day and I was having problems with sensitive teeth. Tea is acidic, too, but not as much. And my breath is 1000 times better all day!

I actually tried to have a treat cup of coffee a few times since I quit but I can't handle the caffeine any more, I felt too jittery. I love my tea now.

cerise_noir

Torani hazelnut syrup with 1-2 tbs coffee cream/half and half? ~45 cals per cup.

FitGamerSmoak

I'm a huge coffee drinker and am doing the same. Coffee just sits weird lately. I do love Tazo teas. My favorite being Ginger Green Tea, it's light but flavorful, it's really good. Also a mint refresh tea is really good. I put nothing in my tea.

Also if you want to keep coffee, try cold brew (I put filtered water in a big mason jar, add the coffee grounds and let sit in the fridge overnight for 10-12 hours but no more. Then I run it through a filter and it's a lot smoother than hot brewed tea. Good luck!

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LiveLoveFitFab

lowjax75 wrote: »

There are hazelnut black teas out there that might work.

https://www.stashtea.com/products/chocolate-hazelnut-black-tea
http://www.svtea.com/Hazelnut-Black-Tea/productinfo/T0169/
https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Forte-HAZELNUT-TRUFFLE-Loose/dp/B006TZFOVU
http://www.spiceandtea.com/hazelnut-cookie-tea.html

LiveLoveFitFab wrote: »

I love yerba mate. All the caffeine of coffee, plus vitamins and minerals and some feel good chemicals. It doesn't need sugar or milk, so it's a calorie free treat. I drink the mandarin flavoured stuff, and I love the taste. I also love green tea. I couldn't stand watching my calories being spent on coffee just to get caffeine.

Also, yerba mate is great as well. My favorite is called Jumpy Monkey from David's tea. It's a yerba mate and coffee blend. Brewing a cup right now as we speak.

I've actually got a tea problem (according to some) and usually have anywhere from 3-8 different cups day.

I too have a tea problem...*sips seventh cup of the day*

lowjax75

LiveLoveFitFab wrote: »

I too have a tea problem...*sips seventh cup of the day*

It's an awesome problem to have.

zindroth

It isn't an answer you can find in the grocery store, but I love David's Tea. They have some AMAZING flavored Chai teas in right now, including a pumpkin one I believe. I do know you can get them online. I drink both tea and coffee (black). Depends on the day and the flavor I am craving. https://www.davidstea.com/