Coffee: the thing we claim as our source of success. From memes about drinking three iced coffees a day to actual college students who couldn’t imagine going a day without having one to drink. Some people twirl up their nose at the mention of tea over coffee. But tea and coffee are similar substances that can both be provided in hot or cold, decaffeinated or not and plain or with whatever extras you like to add to your drink.
The main difference is one is better for you than the other—much better for you. Something I can’t understand is why we discourage from understanding the benefits and turning to tea. What I concluded is that it’s possible people can’t find a reason to love teas the way I do. Though there are countless tea types and combinations, there are five that I truly couldn’t imagine living without.
- Roasted Dandelion
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Dandelions are a bright yellow flower with a wonderful fall taste to boot! Not only is this tea full of vitamin C, but it also helps detox your body while helping out your immune system in the process. For those with sickness spikes and busy weeks, this tea promotes everyday wellness. Major plus: it’s got such a great taste on its own. Some even call it the “miracle weed” to stress its health factors.
For those who couldn’t bear to part without coffee—don’t! There is such a thing as dandelion coffee. It’s a tea brewed a certain way that has a taste comparable to coffee. Personally, I have never tried it, but if it tastes good why not make the switch?
- Turmeric Ginger
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Not only is turmeric great in skincare, but it’s also great in tea! It’s got a refreshing taste when combined with ginger. For those times when you’re nauseous, this anti-inflammatory will help settle your stomach better than any caramel macchiato will. Overall, I believe this to be the better option over coffee. Something that is known to benefit and not harm me in any way is a-okay with going in my body!
- Green Tea
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Green tea is named, unsurprisingly, because the color of the tea is green. It’s a great wake-up tea because of how caffeinated it is, but without the uncontrollable anxiousness that can sometimes come with coffee. The great part about tea for me is how much I can drink and not feel the way one coffee makes me feel (and it’s also a natural diuretic like coffee). Personally, I think all teas taste better by themselves (minus a good old sweet tea).
- Chamomile Tea
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This warm tea is great to drink before bed or after an anxious day of classes. Relaxation is the main reason why so many favor this tea. Who doesn’t love a delicious taste that helps you sleep instead of man-made medicine to knock you out? A bonus: chamomile can help that stress acne that keeps popping right back up!
- Lavender Tea
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This tea is for when you’re on the third paper and getting ready for that online quiz that has a shorter time limit than the number of questions. Make yourself a steaming pot of lavender tea and gobble it down the hatch. Between the great smell and benefits of a simple lavender oil, I couldn’t miss this one when adding to the list!
When it comes to teas, they can all be great and usually have similar properties no matter which one you decided to drink. But if you’re someone who doesn’t even know where to start, here are five options to go through—and maybe you’ll find one you can’t live without!
Remember that even though tea is better for you than coffee, you still need to be aware. You might have allergies that could be affected by the plants used in these, and too much of anything is a bad thing. So when drinking tea, make sure to have fun but not too much fun. Maybe medium fun.