Replace Tea: 8 Alternatives to Tea

Have you heard of rooibos, mugicha or chai? These drinks, which come from all over the world, are often compared to tea. And yet, they do not come from the tea plant and, for the most part, do not contain caffeine or theine. They have a variety of tastes, can be very tasty and will allow you to replace tea whether it is to vary the pleasures or for health and well-being reasons.

Table of Contents

Barley tea

Buckwheat tea

Rooibos

The cellar

Matcha

Mate

Chicory

Herbal infusions

Alternatives to tea: comparisons

FAQ: Alternatives to tea, why replace tea?

Barley tea is a beverage made from the infusion of roasted barley grains. It has several variations around the world and has been consumed for several centuries: in Japan it is called Mugicha, while in Korea it is called Bori-cha, or caffè d'orzo in Italy.

Barley tea has a slightly bitter and caramelized taste that brings it closer to a lightly brewed black tea. When prepared like a coffee (for example with an Italian coffee maker), it takes on a more full-bodied taste, which brings it closer to coffee. Contrary to what its name suggests, barley tea has the particularity of not containing theine and of being very low in tannins, while being a drink rich in minerals and GABA, a molecule known for its anti-anxiety effects.

How to consume it? Like tea, barley tea requires an infusion of between 5 and 10 minutes and can be combined with spices and milk to make it more gourmet. You can drink it throughout the day, hot or cold. We recommend opting for organic barley tea to avoid pesticides that can be deposited on the grains in conventional agriculture.

Where to find barley tea?

Although barley is a cereal grown in France, barley tea is still relatively unknown in France. Our founder, Charlotte, consumed it for the first time in Japan and wanted to bring it back to France. That's how she created Maison Aimi. Our barley tea is 100% Japanese-inspired 🇯🇵 and 100% made in France 🇫🇷 and organic 🌱. Try it now!

Like barley tea, buckwheat tea is a “fake” tea, in name only. This drink is made by infusing roasted buckwheat seeds. Particularly popular in Japan, it is called Sobacha, a name by which it is beginning to be widely known.

Buckwheat tea has a caramelized taste that makes it similar to black tea. It is possible to play on its infusion (more or less long or cold) to vary its taste. Buckwheat tea contains neither theine nor tannins and the infused grains can then be consumed in a preparation, such as granola.

How to consume it? Like tea, buckwheat tea can be infused for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your taste. You can add spices and milk to make it more delicious and consume it throughout the day. Prefer organic buckwheat tea to avoid pesticides.

Where to find buckwheat tea?

Buckwheat tea is becoming more and more popular in France. You can find it at Maison Aimi , made in France and organic!

Rooibos is a red drink made from the leaves of a bush native to South Africa. The name "rooibos" comes from the Afrikaans words for "red bush", which refers to the distinctive reddish colour of its leaves.

This drink is also known as “red tea”. A name that describes its color, therefore, but also its important taste. However, rooibos is not a tea like the others since it does not come from the tea plant and does not contain theine / caffeine. It also has the particularity of being very low in tannins. Rooibos is rich in flavonoids which facilitate digestion. It also contains many minerals: copper, iron, potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc…

How to consume it? Like tea, it requires an infusion of between 5 and 10 minutes and can be combined with spices and milk to make it more gourmet. You can drink it throughout the day and even in the evening, since it does not contain theine.

Where to find it? Increasingly well-known in France, you can find rooibos from South Africa in many organic grocery stores, in bags or in bulk.

Chai is a true national drink in India and has since become internationalized for our greatest taste pleasure. This Indian tea (in Hindi, “chai” means “tea”!) is traditionally made from a mixture of black tea, milk and spices: honey, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper… The mixture of spices and their quantity depends on the families and tastes! And among the possible variations, it is entirely possible to create a chai without tea – either by replacing it with rooibos, or by simply removing the tea and replacing it with other spices.

The benefits of this drink are associated with the spices it contains. For example, cinnamon and ginger are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Compared to the other drinks on this list, however, it will have the particularity of being more caloric because it is based on milk (vegetable or animal) and sugar.

How to prepare it? Unlike the other drinks on this list, chai does not have a specific recipe or fixed ingredients. You will find as many recipes as there are aficionados! Generally speaking, it will involve heating the milk and infusing your favorite spices in it.

Where to find it? More and more grocery stores offer chai spice mixes in sachets to infuse in water or milk to rediscover the taste of chai. There are also powder sachets and syrups for faster preparation: the latter will however be very sweet.

Mate, also called yerba maté, is a drink originating from South America, widely consumed in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and some regions of Brazil. Often confused with tea, due to its name, color and taste, it does not come from the same plant. In fact, it is prepared from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant.

Mate has been described as grassy, ​​slightly bitter, and earthy—like a steeped green tea. It can be more or less strong depending on how it is prepared and the variety of yerba mate used. Mate is often associated with various health benefits, including antioxidant properties, stimulant effects, potential digestive aid, and cardiovascular health. It is also notable for being high in theine.

How to prepare it? Mate, as a cultural drink, has its own preparation ritual. Yerba mate leaves are placed in a gourd and covered with hot water. The bombilla is then inserted into the gourd, allowing drinkers to sip the drink through the straw while avoiding drinking the leaves.

Where to find it? Mate leaves and the equipment needed to prepare it are available in various organic and/or South American specialty grocery stores.

Matcha is a drink originating from Japan. A true cultural drink, it consists of the emulsion of a powder created from green tea powder and can be drunk with water or milk (matcha latte). It is therefore an alternative to tea in terms of taste and experience, but matcha does come from the tea plant.

Matcha has a sweet, rich flavor, with hints of grass and umami (a Japanese taste that is somewhere between sweet and salty). It is often described as having a creamy, velvety texture when properly prepared. Like green tea, of which it is a variant, matcha is rich in antioxidants, particularly catechins, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Note: We recommend selecting organic matcha, as pesticides can tend to remain on the tea leaves in traditional farming.

How to prepare it? Like mate, matcha requires real know-how to prepare it. To prepare it, you must gently mix a small amount of matcha with hot water using a very fine bamboo whisk. This creates a frothy and creamy infusion that is then topped up with hot water or milk.

Where to find it? Matcha powder can be imported from Japan where it exists in different formats and qualities but it is now also possible to find French brands in different organic grocery stores.

Chicory is a popular drink, made from the powder of the roasted root of the eponymous plant. Known to the Romans and appreciated by Louis XIV, it came back into fashion in France when coffee was blockaded by Napoleon. It is still very popular today in the North of France but also in Louisiana, in the United States.

Chicory roots are dried, roasted, and ground to be used as a substitute for or in addition to coffee. With its roasted taste and thicker-than-water consistency, it is similar to coffee for many and offers a different taste experience for hot beverage lovers. Chicory is considered to have digestive benefits. Chicory roots contain inulin, a prebiotic fiber that can promote gut health. Additionally, chicory is a source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and potassium.

How to prepare it? Preparing chicory is quite simple since it involves mixing instant chicory powder with hot water. It is also possible to mix it with hot milk, for a more gourmet drink.

Where to find it? You will find chicory in supermarkets and organic grocery stores.

Last but not least, alternative to tea: drinks made from herbal infusions. We talked a little earlier about cereal infusions (barley tea, buckwheat tea) but there are many plants that can be infused and mixed with each other. The result is many drinks with varied tastes and energizing properties.

Examples include nettle, rosemary, thyme, freshly grated ginger, peppermint, or dandelion or liquorice roots. Each has its own virtues that are worth discovering. We recommend that you harvest the plants from your own garden (to avoid pesticides) or buy your plants from a herbalist: a herbalist will be able to advise you on the taste of the plants, their benefits or even how they should be infused.

How to prepare them? If you have purchased infusion bags, simply immerse them in hot water for about 10 minutes. If you have opted for plants to prepare, the infusion time will depend on the plant chosen.

Where to find them? You will find ready-to-drink herbal tea bags in organic grocery stores or herbalists in your city. You will also find dried plants intended to be infused in herbalists; in this case, remember to ask for the infusion times.

Replacing tea can be interesting for various reasons, trivial – to vary the pleasures! – or serious – to pay attention to the environment.

To vary the pleasures

There are hundreds of different varieties of tea and you probably have your favorites. But being a tea lover shouldn't stop you from discovering other tastes and drinks! There are so many possibilities! Replacing your morning Russian tea with a cup of chicory or your afternoon green tea with a cup of mugicha from time to time allows for variety!

To reduce theine (caffeine)

We have already discussed this issue together in our article on Quitting Coffee, but caffeine and theine are nothing more than the same molecule named differently depending on whether it comes from coffee or tea. Yet another way of opposing tea and coffee ;)

So, drinking a lot of tea can lead to the same caffeine/theine addiction problem as drinking a lot of coffee. What's more, you may find yourself experiencing the same symptoms: heart palpitations, feeling stressed, sleep disturbances...

Because tea can have adverse effects on health

Beyond the question of theine, drinking tea in large quantities can be of little interest to your health... Like almost any food consumed in large quantities, in fact! It is therefore recommended to drink between 3 and 4 cups of tea per day.

• Tea limits iron absorption: if you tend to have poor iron absorption and are anemic (especially if you are a young woman, have heavy periods or are pregnant), drinking tea may make your condition worse. In fact, it helps block your body's absorption of iron;
• The tannins in tea can contribute to yellowing of teeth: this is not a real health problem but we were not sure where to put it… and honestly, it is still a point that seemed important to mention. 😉
• Pesticides in tea : the tea plant needs a warm and humid climate to grow optimally. However, this is a climate that can promote the development of fungi and insects. Hence the systematic use of various fungicides and insecticides in conventional crops. This explains the presence of residues of these products in ready-to-brew tea bags, especially since the tea is not washed at any point during its preparation. Good news, however: tests have shown that organic teas are not affected by this phenomenon.

Because tea has harmful effects on the environment

Just as coffee growing can pose ethical and environmental issues, tea growing can be problematic.

• Pesticides used: Used to protect tea plants and increase their yield, pesticides are used in conventional agriculture. They poison the soil and farmers. This is especially true since tea plants grow mainly in countries where human rights can be violated, such as India, China, Sri Lanka or Kenya.
• Working conditions of farmers: beyond the health of farmers which can be endangered by pesticides, their working conditions can be complicated: long working hours, child labor, etc.
• Faraway countries (significant transfer): the majority of tea crops are found in India, China, Japan, Sri Lanka and Kenya… Countries far from our European regions which require the tea to travel a long way before arriving in our cups.

Whether you want to slow down tea for taste, health or ethical reasons, there are many drinks you can turn to. Barley tea, rooibos, herbal infusions: many are the drinks that can be drunk hot or cold, with milk and/or spices. Great discoveries!

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