A most horrifying thing has happened ...

CharlasTea!

Únete a LibraryThing para publicar.

A most horrifying thing has happened ...

Este tema está marcado actualmente como "inactivo"—el último mensaje es de hace más de 90 días. Puedes reactivarlo escribiendo una respuesta.

1CaraCuilleain
Oct 29, 2006, 1:02 pm

My doctor has forbidden me caffene!

Now that half of the tea shelf in my pantry sits idle, waiting only to delight the tongues of guests I find myself in need of inspiration as regards herbal teas and even (perish the thought) decaf teas.

So please, help me out in my hour of need and reccomend a few :). As far as specific brands go, I'm uk based, but have access to stateside friends and an internet connection.

2UberTumbleweed
Oct 29, 2006, 1:29 pm

Oh no! I don't really drink many herbal teas, so I can't recommend any. I just wanted to offer commiserations. I'd go mad without my tea.

3imaginelove
Editado: Oct 29, 2006, 1:40 pm

Something most tea lovers will not tell you (but I will!)

All the caffeine comes out in the brewing in the first 30 seconds, so you soak the tea in hot water for 30 seconds and immediately transfer it into the water you are going to brew it in. It will make your tea a little weaker than you are used to - but it's a decent compromise when faced with the challenge of all or herbal. ;-) Expiriment with it for a while and just keep in mind that even decaf teas are only 97% caf free!

Edited to add: Twinings has a perfectly acceptable line of decaf teas. My fave is Lady Gray but the Irish Breakfast and Prince of Wales are delish too. :-)

4nickhoonaloon
Editado: Oct 29, 2006, 3:08 pm

Forbidden caffeine ! How will you cope ?

My wife recommends Twinings fruit teas, she likes one called blackcurrant bracer.

I like Dalgety, manufacturers of soca, calypso and reggae teas (I`m not making this up !). Each box has three different teas. The boxes labelled soca tea contain lemongrass and feverfew and two teas with ginger.

Those nice people at Clipper tea do some caffeine free varities, including the South african rooibos tea ( naturally caffeine free).

Apparently there are two types of decaff tea - those that are naturally that way, and those that have had the caffeine removed - I can`t imagine how !

5staffordcastle
Editado: Oct 29, 2006, 3:32 pm

How awful! I have been fearing such a thing for some time myself - I dearly love my morning cuppa, and sipping tea with friends!

However, there is hope. Look for Rooibos ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos ) in a store with a good tea selection; it is from a cousin of the real tea plant, tastes just like real tea, and does NOT nor ever did have any caffeine in it. It is often called Red Tea, or Red Bush Tea, and comes from South Africa. There are quite a few versions of it on the market; one I like is called Bourbon (no relation to the alcoholic drink, it's named after a French royal dynasty) from Mariage Frères. The Republic of Tea calls theirs Red Tea; Numi Tea calls theirs Red Mellow Bush.

Best of luck, and I hope it gets better soon!

6fleurdiabolique
Oct 29, 2006, 4:24 pm

That stinks. :(

I second people who suggest Twinings -- they make my favorite Earl Grey, it comes in decaf, and I've never noticed a taste difference between that and their regular caffienated Earl Grey.

I also second the suggestions for Rooibos.

I don't know if you get Numi much in England, but they make a good Moroccan Mint and some green teas (Gunpowder Green and Monkey King, a jasmine-flavored green tea) that I believe are decaffienated.

7imaginelove
Oct 29, 2006, 7:04 pm

Green tea is caf unless otherwise stated and sometimes has some very dangerous other additives in it like ginseng. It depends on what your doc has forbidden you from caf for - I have a faulty heart valve and have to be very careful with my intake, so I drink 1/2 caf coffee in the morning and decaf tea througout the day.

It's also a good idea to keep a dictionary of herbs around to know what the herbs in your teas are used for. Some are very potent when used in tea and not always what you should put in your body if you have a health issue. For instance: green tea is a metabolism booster and when mixed with ginseng, provides a super-caf energy drink effect. This is why it's boiled down into a powder and sold at gas stations in pill form. If you drink two or three cups a day of this unknowingly, you could put yourself in danger. Please don't! We like you! :-D

8Eurydice
Editado: Oct 29, 2006, 8:22 pm

Well, I'll second the decaffeinating tip from imaginelove, which I've also mentioned somewhere in Tea! before. If you mustn't have caffeine, you may still have to cut down, but I do find it tastes better than commercial decaffeinated teas. Also, I agree with suggestions for rooibos and honeybush; they come closest to leaving a tea-like impression, v. an herbal one, amongst the naturally caffeine-free. In fruit/herbal blends - there was a brand I used to get at a British imports shop, which was excellent. If I remember what it was, I'll post it.

Other than that: you have my commiseration.

9SimonW11
Oct 29, 2006, 8:44 pm

mint... morrocan or peppermint.
Grow it and use it fresh from the garden. When you come in from the cold wet winter and think you have a cold coming on hot sweet hibiscus can be very comforting.

Simon

10CaraCuilleain
Oct 30, 2006, 1:23 pm

Thank you, everyone for all the replies!

I've picked up a couple of different kinds of rooibos tea from a wholefood co-op near me today, one just as is and one with honeybush they reccomended as an evening drink - so far I'm very much loving it. It's a huge delight to have something that actually makes me think 'tea!' alongside the various fruit herbal options.

I'll definitely be keeping your advice in mind too, Imaginelove. If I find myself missing my genmaicha too much I'll experiment with pre-soaking and see how I find it. Having identified a couple of things full of ginseng in my cupboard, I shall be doublechecking the contents of herbal things too.

I shall investigate the rest of these suggestions as time and pocket allow, thank you again everyone :).

11chamekke
Oct 31, 2006, 1:27 am

You have to be careful with flavoured teas. Sometimes they are indeed tisanes, but other times they're actually black tea with flavourings added; to be avoided!

If you like genmaicha, maybe you would be OK with kukicha or just possibly hojicha. Kukicha is Japanese "twig tea" and has virtually no caffeine; hojicha is made of a combination of kukicha and low-caffeine bancha, and so is the lowest in caffeine except for kukicha itself.

I also drink mugicha (roasted barley "tea"), which has a pleasant roasted flavour that's a little similar to genmaicha - and it's 100% caffeine free, as it's made only from barley! You can drink it either hot (nice in the wintertime) or chilled for summer. Yet another drink is sobacha, made from roasted buckwheat (soba) ... I haven't tried that yet, but look forward to doing so. Both mugicha and sobacha are said to be extremely good for the health, and again, both are completely free of caffeine.

Anyway, some ideas that may make a nice change from the tisanes - although of course they are delicious too!

12Eurydice
Oct 31, 2006, 1:38 am

I'm glad to hear it's working out well, so far!

Speaking of herbals, I really enjoy verveine (lemon verbena), and a chamomile-lemon myrtle mix I've had here (in the U.S.), as well. They're a nice change from fruity blends, yet more robust than say, chamomile itself.

13imaginelove
Oct 31, 2006, 8:31 am

Eurydice - where did you find the verveine? My doctor prescribed that for panic attacks because I'm allergic to ativan and it is the only other proven, safe, short-term remedy. I can't find a good quality blend here in GA!

14RuTemple
Nov 11, 2006, 1:39 am

Imaginelove, get thee to your favorite bulk spices and tea emporium, and look for it by the name Lemon Verbena. Barring that, you can order and grow the plant - it should thrive in GA, and is wonderful fresh.

15mrdrjohn
Nov 11, 2006, 2:15 am

Let me throw my vote in for the Rooibos tea. My favorite one is the Belgian Chocholate. If you enjoy chocholate, you will love this. It has a hint of mint.

16Eurydice
Nov 11, 2006, 6:29 am

Sorry, just reading this.

Imaginelove, I got my verveine/verbena from Harney & Sons. (http://www.harney.com) It's very good, but not inexpensive. Particularly if you buy it without a tin, Upton Teas' is cheaper, though probably very good, still. It's item #BH80, at http://www.uptonteas.com . Hope one of these helps. Both are companies you can rely on.

Upton also has an appealing Zesty Lemon tea, described as 'An enticing, caffeine-free blend of olive leaves, basil, rosemary, linden flowers, lemon grass, citrus peels, licorice root, marigold blossoms, and natural flavoring.' No lemon verbena there, but I mention in case it appeals to anyone. Next time, I'll have to leave a spot on my order for it!

17Eurydice
Nov 11, 2006, 6:29 am

Mrdrjohn: is that the one from Culinary Teas? It's very good.

18imaginelove
Nov 11, 2006, 11:43 am

Thanks guys! I'll definitely have to order some - especially after yesterday. It's amazing what teas can do for the soul and the mind.

I have an inoperable arachnoid cyst on the right frontal lobe of my brain, and like the idiot it causes me to be, forgot to put the refill of my meds in my purse. The cyst is on the layer of my brain that controls seratonin production and uptake and also neuron signals that control memory and cognitive thought. The worst symptom is that it triggers migraines and with the seratonin out of whack, the panic attacks get bad. With the meds, I'm able to work and function normally, but yesterday I was pretty much a doo-doo head. ;) *note to self: start writing apology notes now...*

I have a lemon verbena perfume made in France that is basically the herb diffused in alcohol, and that works rather well. I think the tea would work much better and can be set out on my desk at work as a chi-chi conversation starter. ;)

19Eurydice
Nov 11, 2006, 1:08 pm

Imaginelove, I agree and I hope it helps. I'm sorry to hear about the rest of it. That kind of thing is very hard; but I'm glad there are things that you know of which can help. The tisane's a pretty color, too: speaking of conversation starters. Pale chartreuse?

Forgetting meds: very bad, yet very likely, now and then. Hope you recover from any shortfall quickly.

20imaginelove
Nov 11, 2006, 1:51 pm

Eurydice, thank you for your suggestions and empathy. :) I love pretty colors - I can't wait to get mine in the mail!

I kicked myself all day yesterday, but now that I've been dosed, I'm already feeling better. Thank you again!

21Eurydice
Nov 11, 2006, 2:15 pm

You're quite welcome. :) And missing my own medicine is not a good thing. I know it can make an enormous difference.

Hope you enjoy the tea, and find it palatable, pretty, and effective! If it's Upton, (well, either of them), let me know what you think. :)

22mrdrjohn
Nov 11, 2006, 3:54 pm

Euydice,

the tea that I get is from http://www.psteas.com/belgian-chocolate-p-141.html It is called Paper Street Tea. You will see that it is lose tea, but Oh so worth every ounce.... and I don't even work for them!

23Eurydice
Nov 11, 2006, 4:00 pm

How interesting! It looks to be exactly the same line of teas, sold by a different company. See especially the pictures and the names of the herbal tea blends/flavored rooibos. Here: http://www.culinaryteas.com . What do you think? I agree they're very good with herbal teas, whoever blends them, and always am in favor of getting tea loose, when there's the possibility!

A good tea company never needs to pay you, I agree!

24mrdrjohn
Nov 11, 2006, 4:14 pm

They certainly could be related. I don't know. I discovered this tea on a trip to Lynden, WA while visiting an Aunt. There is a place called "the Tea House" that has little "tea-rooms" set for 4. I saw the name on a long list of teas to order and challenged the waitress on it's authentic taste for chocholate... She assured me I would not be disappointed.... and I wasn't. However, when I bought the little baggie of lose tea to take home I knew I would need to find a cheeper source. So my search took me to the Paper streeet Tea web page. They are wonderful to work with. A+. ...And the funny part is, I generaly don't care to much for tea. I usuallly drink coffee.

25Anlina
Nov 25, 2006, 5:21 pm

Celestial Seasonings has a really delightful herbal tea under their Dessert Teas line, called Almond Sunset. It has lovely almond and citrus notes and with a base of roasted chickory it leans towards a more tea flavour than most herbal teas.

26Lakeofcoheeries
Dic 26, 2006, 11:52 pm

I beg to differ, but I am afraid not "all" of the caffeine comes out of the tea in even the first 5 minutes (it goes to about 1/6 the caffeine in 5 minutes.) I actually did a study recently where the amount of caffeine in black tea was measured under varying steeping conditions and the bottom line was that not even "decaf" teas are free of caffeine.

On a lighter note I recommend that you try making your own masala chai.

Sliced fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, whole cloves, pepper corns, and whole allspice. Simmer in a pot of water for 8-10 minutes and then use the infused water to brew rooibos (I like to use the vanilla rooibos.)

Or if you preferred green teas try a soothing lemon grass tisane.

27Eurydice
Dic 27, 2006, 12:05 am

Actually, I'd read it was something like 70-80% less in thirty seconds. Perhaps the figures were wrong, and it certainly isn't 'all', but it is enough to help substantially without ruining the flavor of the tea.

Lemongrass is lovely. :)

28Lakeofcoheeries
Dic 27, 2006, 2:45 pm

I agree whole heartedly that it helps, I do it for any tea that I drink that can stand it flavor-wise as I am sensitive to caffeine. I was just under the impression that SemilahMeriwae couldn't have any and did not want a "total" removal indicated.

I also enjoy mint, licorice, chamomile blends as well as Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) when I can get it.

29Eurydice
Dic 27, 2006, 7:12 pm

I haven't had melaleuca in many years, but I do remember enjoying it. Probably my next herbal buy will be Upton's Zesty Lemon. The rosemary, etc. makes it sound especially interesting.

Anyway: of course it helps to be precise. :)

30Gypsyqueen Primer Mensaje
Mar 21, 2007, 8:44 am

Hello all,

I'm new here ... and you just can't imagine how happy I am to have found people who love tea, and books as well.

I can sympathize with your caffeine difficulties ... and just this morning wrote a short article for my blog on the no-caffeine issue:



Evening Tea

For the caffeine-sensitive, or just those of us who like exquisite touches -- the "little nothings" of life that in French are called petits riens...

Verveine has no caffeine, and a delicate flavor. Like lemon, but softer. Some verveines that I've sampled have too many stems in the mix. Harney's, as usual, offers a perfect one: http://www.harney.com/verveineodorante.html

Linden flower tea has a reputation as a nerve tonic, and is soothing:
http://www.harney.com/tilleuldecarpentras.html. Adding a drop of vanilla extract to a pot of this will send it into orbit ...

In some parts of the world, orange flower water which is added to a pot of hot water, and then sweetened is called "white coffee" : http://www.escential.net/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6183

Drinking these from antique teacups, which can be found cheaply on Ebay,
is a completely different experience than gulping from a disposable cup with a plastic lid.

A delicate teacup asks us to slow down, to take care -- of ourselves, and a friend if we are lucky enough to have one handy!

Good tea reading: http://www.kqed.org/weblog/food/2005/10/mistress-of-tea-part-i.jsp

Gypsyqueen

31SimonW11
Mar 21, 2007, 12:01 pm

GypsyQueen putting a space before and after a URL address should make a clean link for some reason LT chews up the adress otherwise.

32Eurydice
Mar 21, 2007, 3:22 pm

Very nice, on adding vanilla to Harney's verveine. I'll have to try that. :)

33denelirate
Mar 21, 2007, 3:42 pm

Hey, no worries. I can't have caffeine either. Bigalow's (sp) makes a fantastic decaf English Teatime tea, which I am rather fond of but may not work for someone who has been drinking caffinated tea for ages.

34evedeve
Feb 4, 2008, 1:54 pm

I'm revisiting this thread after joining the ranks of the no caffeine allowed folks. *sigh* I too have a cupboard full of teas I will have to "decaffeinate" or else just wait to see if I can have it again in the future. This is killing me...I miss my tea variety. Mind you it is giving me a chance to explore the decaf end of the world. I must make a trip to my tea dealer to see what they have.........

35abbottthomas
Feb 4, 2008, 2:23 pm

Since this is a book site, just a mention that a great enthusiast for red bush tea is Mma Ramotswe of the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency

36DromJohn
Feb 4, 2008, 3:11 pm

Caffeine is fine in moderation for me, but oxalates have been banned.

37Eurydice
Feb 4, 2008, 8:22 pm

Lowering caffeine is again on my goal list.... but that's good. It doesn't have to be none, for which I am most grateful; and I am enjoying the excellent tisanes and decaffeinated tea I just bought very much, as well as the push to drink them. May it help!

Upton's Vanilla Cream Fruit Tea was very pleasant a few minutes ago, with a plain 'butter biscuit', so delicious and innocent and wrongly named (only some brands having even that delectable hint of butter in their coating). I'm always amazed by Upton's quality in herbals. Maybe I'll pull Peach Melba out of the cabinet, now, and drink some in a while.... it's delicious, if brewed right (so you get fresh-peach flavor and the proper hint of raspberries AND cream - all tasting fresh, delicate, and natural). It's been languishing in my tea cabinet because I could drink black, instead, all the time, and that's a shame. Losing total freedom in this is going to be, in sum, a good thing.

(But my sympathies to everybody; trying to cut it out, completely, is a much harder proposition.)

38Eurydice
Feb 4, 2008, 8:22 pm

DromJohn, what are oxalates?

39alcottacre
Feb 5, 2008, 8:02 am

My favorite caffeine free tea is Good Earth Original Sweet & Spicy Herb Tea (www.goodearth.com). I normally hate decaffeinated tea, but love this one and actually prefer it to the caffeinated version Good Earth also puts out. The decaf tea is made with rooibos, mentioned in many of the other previous posts.

40DromJohn
Editado: Feb 5, 2008, 2:37 pm

Oxalate is a salt that can form "calcium oxalate - CaC2O4, a major component of kidney stones."

"Tea" teas are very high in oxalates. Many herbal teas made without tea are ok.

41DromJohn
Feb 5, 2008, 2:39 pm

Of the allowed, I'm partial to chrysanthemum and hibiscus.

42bnielsen
Feb 5, 2008, 5:05 pm

You could try to sway the judge:
http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v57/n3/full/1601572a.html
seems to suggest that a bit of milk can bind the oxalates.
I'm not sure a doctor could make me give up on tea, so don't trust me on this issue, but do some research yourself.

43DromJohn
Feb 6, 2008, 4:33 pm

Thanks.
My urologist has given me the option to take food calcium with the oxalates when I have to, with "have to" meaning I don't have another option.

44Eurydice
Feb 7, 2008, 11:34 am

Thank you for explaining, DromJohn. My mother had terrible trouble with kidney stones (so hard the more intense procedures could barely break them); I've seen how painful they can be, in a stoic lady. Best wishes on them - or, rather, not being troubled by them.

45StardustLuna
Abr 25, 2012, 11:31 am

I'm from America, but I'm pretty sure Celestial Seasonings sells their teas online and they have a wide variety of Herbal and Caffeine Free teas. Plus they taste great!

46edwinbcn
Jun 23, 2012, 7:21 am

Lower temperatures (80 degrees C for green tea) and short steeping time, i.e. brew in a small pot that holds less than a mug of water and pour out immediately through a strainer that withholds tea leaves, the brew should contain very little caffeine.