AM Sips: What is the Best Morning Tea?

Whether you are a morning person or not, we all get out of bed and inevitably reach for...THE cup. For many people that means the first cup is the same ole cup of coffee as yesterday. But there are those of us who have veered from coffee in the morning and enjoy starting the day with a cup of tea first thing in the day.

Tea is a great alternative to start the day. The difference between coffee and tea are the benefits of drinking tea. Tea not only boosts energy, it provides your body with antioxidants and other health benefits. The bottom line is we all want to wake up and start the day energized, but what is the best morning tea?

I love the variety of blends to choose from - it allows me to align my cup of choice with my mood at that point in time. But with choice also comes that decision about a good morning tea. Don't stare with barely opened eyes at your cabinet. Read this guide to help you choose the best tea in the morning.

Caffeinated Teas

Of course, when thinking about waking up caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind. Caffeine is well known to jumpstart your day with a boost of energy. The caffeine in coffee is different than tea.

Unlike coffee, the caffeine and l-theanine in tea combine together. This provides a synergistic elevation of energy, focus, and improving mental clarity. This amazing effect also helps reduce stress and improve mental endurance.

Black tea

If you're feeling particularly groggy in the morning, black tea is one of the best teas for breakfast. Of all the teas, black tea is one of the most caffeinated cups. Black tea can range from medium-bodied to full-bodied and display flavor profiles from savory to sweet.

Black tea provides the desired morning kick start without the associated jitters that people often experience with coffee. Milk goes well with black tea, so if you are struggling replacing your morning latte, black tea is a good place to start.

English Breakfast tea is a full-bodied Keemun black loose leaf tea blend. People enjoy it for its rich flavor with a slightly smoky palate.

Irish Breakfast is a blend of Ceylon and Assam black tea. This gives it a more intensely robust flavor than English Breakfast tea. It has a spicy and jammy aroma, malty flavor, brisk mouthfeel, and nice sweetness in the finish. People often enjoy these full-bodied teas with a splash of milk.

One of the most popular black teas, Earl Grey Creme presents warm flavors of vanilla and creme. The addition of vanilla softens the edge of the bergamot orange citrus notes.

Black tea is also available in various blends. Black tea is most often the base found in chai tea. Spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, orange peels, cloves, and apple mix with black tea to create a tasty Apple Chai Spice tea. 

Masala Chai is a strong, rich Ceylon black tea. Blended with spices like clove, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon creates a flavorful balance. Black tea also blends well with fruit such as in Ginger Peach tea with ginger root, peach, apricot flavor, and marigold flowers.

Black tea also provides several health benefits. From reducing bad cholesterol to boosting the immune system, black tea is a good choice for overall wellness. Refer to this article for more info on the health benefits of black tea.

Oolong tea

The level of oxidation in the leaf determines the level of caffeine. Oolong tea leaves are semi-oxidized placing the caffeine content just below black tea. Oolong tea provides a smooth and gentle palate with flavors ranging from savory to sweet depending on the type of oolong blend. 

• Jade Oolong has a sweet flavor and fresh green-floral aroma.
• Darjeeling Oolong combines muscat grape and apricot pit aromas with a tangy dried fruit flavor and deep floral notes. 

Oolong tea is a good option for morning. It combines the health benefits of green and black teas by helping support heart, brain, bone, and dental health. 

Green tea

Green tea is a bit less oxidized than Oolong or black tea, creating a lighter, sweeter flavor. However, green tea still contains a good amount of caffeine and is a popular choice as a morning tea.

Because the leaves a less oxidized, green tea is a rich source of antioxidants. The healing compounds of green tea literally make it a superfood. Green tea has similar healing and anti-aging compounds as those found in blueberries and dark chocolate. If you are limiting your caffeine intake, green tea is a healthy warm beverage for your morning.

Matcha takes green tea to the next level. Matcha is made from finely ground Japanese green tea leaves. When you drink matcha, you are consuming the entire tea leaf. One serving of powdered green tea provides antioxidant levels equivalent of 10 cups of standard green tea.

The caffeine level of matcha is slightly higher than a regular cup of green tea. Our pure, organic, or flavored blends of matcha provide metabolism-boosting benefits for an instant pick-me-up. 

Herbal teas? In the morning?

You wouldn't typically consider an herbal tea in the morning since they are often associated with being caffeine-free. But that is not always the case.

Yerba Mate is one of the best herbal teas for morning. Yerba Mate comes from the twigs and leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant, native to the rainforests of South America.

It is traditionally enjoyed in a gourd. Sipping through a metal straw with a filter strains out the leaves. However it can also easily be made in a loose leaf tea infuser or basket.

Studies have shown that Yerba Mate is higher in antioxidants than even green tea. Yerba mate has the strength of coffee with the healthy benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate. All this in a single morning herbal tea.

Energy-boosting Yerba mate can also be found in blends. Enjoy is in a chai blend such as Samurai Spirit Mate. Or for a rich, dark chocolate and natural hazelnut flavor, try Hazelnut Chocolate Maté.

Caffeine-free Teas

If by personal choice or doctors recommendation you are staying away from caffeine, tea can still be the best drink for the morning.

Herbal teas are infusions of leaves, fruits, bark, roots, or flowers. Because herbal teas don't originate from the Camellia sinensis tea plant, most do not contain caffeine. Herbal teas, or tisanes, offer amazing flavors. Mental and physical health benefits of caffeine free teas help us stay well in a stressful and chaotic world. 

From South Africa comes the naturally caffeine-free tea, Rooibos (also known as "red tea" because of the color that steeps out). Rooibos is rich in minerals and antioxidants.

It may help protect against cancer, heart disease, and stroke, making it a healthy choice for many people. Research shows that Rooibos flavonoids may help with weight loss and fighting obesity. 

Rooibos is a natural when it comes to blending. You'll often find it in blends with sweet ingredients like fruit, vanilla, chocolate, spices, and caramel.

Unlike the red variety, Green Rooibos is unoxidized. The leaves are dried right after harvest which avoids oxidation, preserving the color, and flavor. As an unoxidized variety, Green Rooibos retains higher levels of antioxidants, similar to that of green tea.

Tropical Green Rooibos tea is a delicious blend of passionfruit, mango, orange zest, and apricot. It's a great way to start the day.

Even though Peppermint tea has no caffeine, it is also good tea in the morning. Studies have shown that drinking peppermint tea may improve mood and increase alertness. The refreshing flavor and aroma can provide your morning with an energy boost.

When choosing the best tea to drink in the morning, it is best to avoid teas that are blended with Chamomile tea or Lavender. They are known as delicious teas to enjoy at night because of the relaxing effect. Drinking Chamomile tea may make you want to crawl back under the covers.