Green Tea has long been touted for its health benefits. Not only can it help reduce hunger and speed up your metabolism, but it is also a relaxing drink that has been proven to alleviate anxiety.
When you need a substitute for green tea, try substitutes like black tea, herbal tea, Oolong tea, ginger tea, or white tea. Many of these types offer similar health benefits to those of green tea, too!
Like green tea, many of these alternatives can be drunk cold or hot. They come in a variety of forms, including whole tea leaves, loose leaves, or in convenient tea bags. However you prefer to drink your tea, there are plenty of alternatives to green tea to choose from.
Of course, the most popular replacement options for green tea are other types of similar teas. Although you might think every tea tastes the same, this isn’t the case. Some can be more bitter, while others are more astringent.
Still yet, you can buy a lot of these green tea substitutes with flavoring, too. Take a look at some of our favorite green tea alternatives you can find at your local health food store or supermarket:
1. White Tea
Containing the highest amount of antioxidants, white tea is the least processed type of tea there is. This is why white tea is considered one of the most similar options to green tea.
Scientifically, white tea has some of the most comparable properties to green tea in terms of health benefits, which makes it a great alternative to green tea. White tea is known to boost your overall health and reduce heart disease while boosting immunity.
White tea can also reduce the risk of insulin resistance and can help give you great skin.
2. Ginger Tea
You may have heard that ginger can help cure an upset stomach, so you probably won’t be surprised to find that ginger tea also has many health benefits. Not only can it spice up your food, but it can treat a lot of health ailments, too.
Ginger tea can be used to alleviate motion sickness and reduce associated symptoms, such as vomiting, cold sweats, and nausea. Along with alleviating nausea, ginger tea can also help improve heart health and reduce high blood pressure.
Additionally, by lowering blood sugar levels, ginger tea aids in the prevention of diabetes. Weight loss is a common side effect of those who frequently drink ginger tea, as well, as this drink can help you feel full and reduce your hunger.
3. Oolong Tea
Packed with nutrients, oolong tea is an ancient Chinese tea that is usually enjoyed hot and is a good alternative for green tea. It has the same nutritional value as green tea and black tea, too.
The antioxidants in oolong tea can help prevent diabetes by reducing blood sugar and insulin levels. It can also aid in improving the heart health of regular tea drinkers, as well as can quickly activate weight loss enzymes to utilize stored fat as an energy source.
Improving your nervous system and helping you maintain your alertness, oolong tea can keep your body in good shape, too. This tea also assists in keeping your teeth and bones strong.
4. Herbal Tea
This green tea alternative provides an array of mind and body health benefits. For this reason, herbal tea is a great substitute for green tea. Although it may not be considered as an actual “tea,” herbal tea can be drunk warm or cold and offers a variety of benefits, including curing an upset stomach.
Herbal tea is also known to prevent arthritis, as it is an anti-inflammatory. It’s also soothing enough to reduce stress and anxiety. Herbal tea is also great for skin health.
As you can see, there aren’t many reasons not to drink herbal tea. Its benefits far outweigh most other types of drinks.
5. Black Tea
Black tea is a healthy substitute for green tea, but only when you drink it without sugar. Made to be drunk warm or cold, black tea is widely popular all across the world.
Its strong flavor and ample caffeine make it the drink of choice for many who need a jolt of energy, too. Black tea also includes many health benefits, such as lowering bad cholesterol, relieving high blood pressure, and boosting your heart health.
Not to mention, reducing your risk of diabetes comes naturally to black tea, as it also lowers your blood sugar levels drastically.
Varieties of Green Tea Substitutes
Not every type of tea is available in a little tea bag you can dunk in some warm water. There are a few different ways you can buy green tea alternatives and prepare them.
As the most organic type of way to prepare tea, you can simply steep tea leaves in a warm cup of water to draw out their essence. You will have to remove the tea leaves before drinking your tea, of course.
However, this is the most rustic way to enjoy a cup of tea. You can find fresh tea leaves at virtually any health food store, too.
Loose Tea Leaves
This is a type of tea you won’t be able to just put in a cup by yourself. You’ll have to have a tea ball infuser to put your loose leaves in and steep, as they would otherwise float out and appear as coffee grinds in your water.
Many people simply enjoy the look and feel of loose tea leaves over other types of tea.
Final Take
There are many other types of tea you can substitute for green tea, many of which mimic the same health benefits as this green-colored tea. You can choose anyone and get a whole new taste with each choice.
