Nothing screams “I’ve got my life together” more than brewing yourself a good cup of tea, but often, tea is seen as the lesser cousin of the venerable coffee. This article is a local tea aficionado’s attempt at making the case for why tea is indubitably the superior beverage.

By Morgan Scruggs

The Basics

The three main categories of tea are black tea, green tea, and oolong tea. Black tea has the highest caffeine content and is often the best option if someone makes the switch from coffee to tea and wants their cup of tea to pack a punch. Green tea,  most famously known for its matcha variant, can be quite strong but has less caffeine than black tea. Finally, oolong tea has the least amount of caffeine and often has light, floral notes that enchant the more refined palate.

Tea is a healthier option than coffee since it doesn’t leave you dehydrated and isn’t as potent if you like drinking multiple cups a day. Personally, I switched to tea because coffee made me extremely anxious, which wasn’t a great way to set the tone for the day.

Tips on how to enjoy 

Choose your player

If you are just starting on your tea journey, use your favorite beverage as a template for what types of tea you will most likely enjoy. If you are someone who loves energy drinks, don’t opt for oolong or more floral teas; instead, try green tea, especially green tea with fruit or mint flavors–Interested in swapping out coffee for tea? Try darjeeling or assam tea (both are types of black tea). If you love holiday drinks all year-‘round, black tea, milk and an array of spices from cinnamon to nutmeg are your best bet (also known as chai lattes).

Ice ice baby

Everyone knows the best coffee drinks at Starbucks are the iced ones, so why should tea be an exception? Use everything from giant ice cubes to fancy, tiny silicone ice cubes to amplify your tea. Just be sure to brew your tea hot and then add it to ice because brewing tea cold could subdue its flavor.

Ditch that microwave

Not everyone has access to a stove, and it’s completely alright to heat the water for your tea in a kettle or a microwave. If you do have access to a stove, though, take the extra time to brew your tea at the stove. It heats your water more evenly and usually at higher temperatures than a microwave. This heat heightens the tea’s aroma and overall flavor.

Loose-leaf superiority

Loose leaf tea is better for the environment and honestly, makes better tea. You will need a strainer and it does take longer than using a tea bag but, I promise you, the results are worth it. Also, as an added bonus, the used tea leaves can be used as compost and are great for your plants!

Spice it up

Froth your milk for your tea lattes, add cinnamon honey, and play around with different types of milk alternatives like almond or oat. Whoever said tea was boring wasn’t creative enough. You can add flavors to highlight the espresso in coffee, so why should tea be different? Also, pro tip: chai lattes with almond milk are a divine pairing.

Make your own

Ordering tea at a cafe is definitely an art in itself, and once you find an order that does not result in a burnt mess, it can be hard to pass up the convenience of buying your drink. However, making your own tea is a therapeutic act and makes the overall experience of consumption more enjoyable. When you are involved in making your own tea, not only do you appreciate it more, but you can customize every aspect of it.

So go ahead out into the world and enjoy your tea, for you are no longer a tea novice but a budding tea aficionado!