What is your favorite brand and flavor of tea?

jnv7594
jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've wanted to start drinking tea as I've heard a lot of people say it helps with cravings and can help satiate hunger. A couple weeks ago, I started looking into different brands to see what we had around here, but it's so overwhelming. Plus, some of the organic teas are rather expensive, so I'm afraid to spend money on them without kind of knowing what I'm buying because we live on such a tight budget. I can't afford to waste 6 or 7 dollars on a box of tea if I don't know if I will drink it. So what kind of tea do you like (chai, green, etc.) and what brand? And how would you describe the taste of them? Oh, and I would prefer decaffeinated teas if possible, as i can't tolerate caffeine.
«13

Replies

  • sweetsorrow18
    sweetsorrow18 Posts: 54 Member
    My favs:
    - Bigelow's Vanilla Caramel Tea - When I feel like I want caramel coffee, this one is a good substitute - this one is caffeinated
    - Traditional Medicine Eater's Digest in Peppermint - great after meals, minty taste but not strong
    - Tetley's Honey, Lemon Ginseng Green Tea is one of my fav's (caffeinated)
    - Trader's Joes has a bunch of great teas like Chamomile (hard to describe the taste, good for before bed), Well Rested (one of my favs, has some licorice and fennel which I Love, good for before bed), Ginger Pear White Tea (sort of sweet with a little bite from the ginger)
    - Lipton's Blueberry & Pomegranate White Tea - sweet and light, I'll have it if I'm in the mood for something fruity

    All those are not too pricey and great tasting too - hope I helped!
  • salbunnylettuceleafyexley
    salbunnylettuceleafyexley Posts: 19 Member
    i drink normal supermarket (asda) or tetley brand green tea with lemon juice til it comes out of ears, supposedly it can help u lose weight, but amount i drink i should be stick thin by now, lol, i also enjoy some supermarket brand fruit teas, might be an idea to try a few, but my personal faves are the citrus ones, i'm not sure if drinking all day long can stop u being hungry, i mean i probably drink perhaps 4 ltrs+ of fluids a day and it doesn't stop hunger pangs
  • myrtille87
    myrtille87 Posts: 122 Member
    For normal tea (black tea with milk) it's got to be Yorkshire Tea (which I assume you don't get in the States!).

    My favourite flavoured black teas are Lady Grey (like Earl Grey but a bit orangey) and Twinings Rose Garden. In winter I also like Chai, particularly this brand which has cardamom in it, not just cinnamon and ginger like some have. http://www.palanquin-tea.com/details.php?id=1

    My favourite green tea from the supermarket is Twinings Orange and Lotus Flower, and I like Jasmine too. I really want to get hold of some good quality green jasmine leaf tea - had a pot at a tea shop a while ago and it was amazing.

    I don't like most fruit teas (eg: berry flavours) - they smell nice then just taste of vaguely sour water which is disappointing. I like Chamomile and Spiced Apple, Chamomile Honey and Vanilla and I don't mind Peppermint. I also like Lipton's "Morocco" tea, which is mint, liquorice and cinnamon.
  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
    I have over 50 types of tea in my home, and my favorite by far is the TeaSource's Mango Tango Black, followed by their Machu Peachu White tea.

    If you are new to tea, I would suggest finding a tea store near you that will have free samples and educated staff to help you figure out what you would like. I know the tea source does cupping events where you can basically get a flight of tea, then if you like any you can buy it and take it home.
  • pineapple_jojo
    pineapple_jojo Posts: 440 Member
    Tick tock red bush tea (also called rooibos). It's naturally caffiene free and tastes sweet and honey-ish. Also very nice cold :) and you don't need to add milk.
  • StraubreyR
    StraubreyR Posts: 631 Member
    I like Constant Comment (black tea with orange and spice), Earl Grey (black tea with bergamot), and Vanilla Chai. All Bigelow brand, and all come in decafe. For herbal tea, I like mint (any brand), and Sleepy Time (Celestial Seasonings). You can buy boxed tea samplers, those are great for trying things out without the commitment of a whole box!
  • candyliquor
    candyliquor Posts: 27
    I just started getting into tea, myself! At the moment I drink Bigelow's Green Tea with Lemon, Celestial Seasoning's Wild Berry Zinger as well as their Sweet Harvest Pumpkin, but I usually drink that in the fall/winter. I'd love to try more tea, but like you said, it's really expensive. =\
  • ForeverCharlie
    ForeverCharlie Posts: 183 Member
    Top two favorite are: Earl Gray and Polish Wild Strawberry, then all other Polish fruit teas. Nom.
  • Jelaan
    Jelaan Posts: 815 Member
    Stash double bergamot Earl Grey - so delicious.
  • Karabobarra
    Karabobarra Posts: 782 Member
    For iced tea I like Tazo passion tea (it has caffeine though)

    If you are looking to satiate hunger you want hot tea, my favorite decafs are Yogi caramel apple spice (tastes like apple cinnamon waffles) and Bigelow French vanilla, sweet and dessert like.
  • angelamb1970
    angelamb1970 Posts: 123 Member
    I adore Good Earth Sweet & Spicy (they have caffeine free too) very cinnamony... and it tastes very sweet without adding anything. I love it hot in the morning and Iced all day.
  • LoneWolfRunner
    LoneWolfRunner Posts: 1,160 Member
    Tea is for Brits.
  • 15ruth99
    15ruth99 Posts: 8
    Love tea! The trick to not making your tea bitter is not to over steep it. Bring filtered water to almost a boil state (but not full boil). Put tea bag in cup and pour hot water over it. Cover w/saucer and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bag and enjoy! I have about 15 different teas in my cupboard. My favoirte brand is Celestial Seasoning. Green tea is a cancer fighter. Green teas (decaf - with white tea for smooth taste is about $4 a box). In the evening I enjoy Celestial 's Sleepytime green tea with Jasmine (better than a sleeping pill that gives you a "hang over" feeling in the morning). Traditional Medicinal Herbal Tea like "Organic Roasted Dandelion Root" is known to help detoxify your liver (doesn't taste the greatest - I do it for my liver, not for my enjoyment). I love Tazo's Green Ginger tea as well as their Zen that has lemongrass and spearmint.Yogi's Honey Lavender Stress Relief tea is great after a crazy day at work. I also enjoy Choice organic Rooibos tea (red bush tea from S. Africa) that is caffeine free. I still start my morning with two cups of Folgers coffee. No longer do I use artificial sugars or high caloric creamers. I now use SO Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk creamer (French Vanilla). It is organic and has only 20 calories per tablespoon. It is a little expensive (almost $4 for 32 ounces) but it lasts a long time (and it is so yummy).
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    I generally drink loose leaf. No real reason, I don't find that it tastes any better than boxed/bagged tea, but I have some friends who sell a specific brand (think of it as Avon but for tea.... ugh) and you know, might as well support them and buy something I do enjoy. I like that there are lots of flavours though, which is cool.

    So for that, I drink Steeped Tea. For boxed tea I usually like Stash, Celestial Seasonings (the Bengal Spice is my FAVE), and just whatever looks good really. I really like flavoured green teas, black and white teas,herbal, rooibos, and sometimes fruit teas (these are better steeped cold or left to cool off, and I usually steep them extra long since you can only steep them once anyways).

    BTW oversteeping is an issue, but uh... 10 minutes = oversteeping. E.g. for green tea, 2 mins is more than enough. Fruit and herbal are usually longer steepers, like 4-5 mins.

    ETA: Herbal, fruit, and rooibos are all caffeine-free. Green and white are not too strong for caffeine though, and some companies make decaffeinated versions of teas.

    I'm not a big fan of chai myself, it just.. idk how to describe it but I'm not a fan. Bengal Spice is very spicy in that cinnamon-y way, but so good. A good place to start would be to look for a box with multiple flavours. Fruit teas aren't the best warm, so if you like iced tea then try a mixed box and cold steep overnight with a few bags in a large pitcher.
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
    I've wanted to start drinking tea as I've heard a lot of people say it helps with cravings and can help satiate hunger. A couple weeks ago, I started looking into different brands to see what we had around here, but it's so overwhelming. Plus, some of the organic teas are rather expensive, so I'm afraid to spend money on them without kind of knowing what I'm buying because we live on such a tight budget. I can't afford to waste 6 or 7 dollars on a box of tea if I don't know if I will drink it. So what kind of tea do you like (chai, green, etc.) and what brand? And how would you describe the taste of them? Oh, and I would prefer decaffeinated teas if possible, as i can't tolerate caffeine.

    I think any brand of tea is good. I have purchased from the gamut of grocery stores. Safeway to Trader Joes to Local health food stores. It just depends on your price range, your priorities and of course your taste buds. I do however have a preference. The brand I currently buy is Traditional Medicinals. I grew up drinking Twinings teas and Celestial Seasonings teas. Like you, I don't drink caffeine.

    Here are my current faves:

    Whole Earth brand- Original sweet and spicy, comes in a decaf version as well. Tastes great without added sweeteners.

    I also like the Celestial Seasonings brand- Lemon Zinger

    Here is what I currently have on hand....

    Traditional Medicinals:

    Roasted Dandelion
    Ginger
    Nettle Leaf
    Chamomile
    Licorice

    I use the licorice tea to sweeten the dandelion tea. I put a bag of each per cup.
  • beachylove
    beachylove Posts: 137 Member
    I am only an iced tea person, I just cant get into it hot. I love the Tejava unsweetened, I buy a ton of bottles when its on sale and take it to work for my afternoon pick me up. :)
  • drabbits3
    drabbits3 Posts: 140 Member
    OMG--I drink TONS of tea--love it--can't do the amount of caffeine in coffee so I am a total tea girl! I like green tea-plain green tea. Rooibos is too sweet, herbal too blah. Trader Joe's own brand of green tea is really good and super cheap. My favorite brand is Tazo--they sell it at Whole Foods and Starbucks. I like China Green Tips the best. I also LOVE loose tea--I have probably five different flavors in my house right now, all some version of green teas, one with cherry blossoms, one with green mango, one plain. Genmaicha and kokicha are also good--more coffee-tasting, but still low caffeine.
    If you have a David's Tea Shop by you, they let you taste stuff before you commit.
    good luck!!!!!
  • NikiaSue
    NikiaSue Posts: 259 Member
    Lipton Sweet Tea (I'm from the South)

    or

    Long Island Iced Tea.

    Well, they're tea anyways
  • SusanL222
    SusanL222 Posts: 585 Member
    Celestial Seasonings "Bengal Spice" .......sweet cinnamony herbal tea, needs nothing!
  • rachiealx
    rachiealx Posts: 36
    Any and all green tea. My favourite at the moment is Twinings gingerbread green tea though, it's amazing!
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
    I adore Good Earth Sweet & Spicy (they have caffeine free too) very cinnamony... and it tastes very sweet without adding anything. I love it hot in the morning and Iced all day.

    This is my all time fave as well. MMMmmmmm... I also like to add a bag of this to my water bottle. I don't even need to heat up the water first. I toss the bag in the night before.
  • KidP
    KidP Posts: 247 Member
    Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    My son bought me a Cuisinart tea brewer last year and a bunch of tins of loose tea. I use the appliance either to boil water (it uses less electricity than a stove) or to brew tea. I got rather addicted to loose tea and tend to drink it all afternoon in winter and fall when I'm home. My favorite flavor is earl grey, but I have a wide variety of green teas and chais. Roobios is also very nice, with lots of antioxidants. Camomile is good for relaxation I actually had some leftover and put it over ice with a little sugar and it was very refreshing
  • mrsemmypants
    mrsemmypants Posts: 44 Member
    Tetley Black. It's British and pretty full of caffeine and delicious! I love all of the Stash Tea that I've tried, my favorite is the white chocolate though. Tea is delicious :)
  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
    Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions. :smile:
  • mxmkenney
    mxmkenney Posts: 486 Member
    I don't drink traditional tea, but I do enjoy Korean honey citron "tea" which is like a marmalade you can add to hot or cold water. Great to soothe a sore throat or warm you up! Every now and again I will have some herbal peppermint tea, celestial seasonings has a good one.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Twinings Darjeeling. Or Earl Grey or English Breakfast.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    A true tea is made with camellia leaves (camellia sinensis) and that's what makes green tea, darjeeling, matcha, sencha, etc etc etc
    http://camellia-sinensis.com/en/tea

    I just love tea!! I don't usually want the caffeine, and so I'll choose something decaffeinated or herbal, like decaf green from Savemart (it's their store brand, and very good, BTW!!) or rooibos, or chamomile, peppermint etc. Trader joes has a decent selection, as does Cost Plus Imports! I really DONT like a tea which contains added flavors. I only want to taste whatever herb they used.

    Numi brand is expensive, but very delicious.

    If you don't mind brewing using bulk herbs instead of tea bags, you could buy here
    http://www.bulkherbstore.com/
    You could make up your own tea bags by purchasing bags from bulkherbstore.com
  • bandgeek_17
    bandgeek_17 Posts: 10
    Stash double bergamot Earl Grey - so delicious.

    One of my favorites! I am a sucker for Earl Grey. I also love Stash Moroccan Mint. Tazo Zen and their version of mint tea (I put one of each tea bag for a great mix). If I am in the mood for fruity, which is rare Tazo Passion.

    I love tea, especially in the fall. I don't drink coffee at all.
  • angelamb1970
    angelamb1970 Posts: 123 Member
    I adore Good Earth Sweet & Spicy (they have caffeine free too) very cinnamony... and it tastes very sweet without adding anything. I love it hot in the morning and Iced all day.

    This is my all time fave as well. MMMmmmmm... I also like to add a bag of this to my water bottle. I don't even need to heat up the water first. I toss the bag in the night before.

    OH WOW!!! you are my new best friend!! LOL I've been icing it!! tonight it's steeping in the bottle!!

Categories