Sometimes you need a boost of energy.
Of course, you could drink coffee.
But maybe you’re looking to cut back. Or you don’t like the taste of coffee.
Or, like me, you find the boost from coffee too “jittery”.
Whatever the reason, you want a tea that can give you a similar kick in the pants.
So what tea gives you energy and can keep you going throughout the day?
Keep reading for a list of 8 different teas that can provide an energy boost. I wanted to include many different types, so there should be something there for everyone’s taste.
Table of Contents
What Tea Gives You Energy?
The following 8 teas all provide a nice little boost of energy to keep you going. As mentioned, I made sure to include a variety of different teas, because I wanted to make sure there is something here for everyone’s tastes. My personal favorites are matcha and pu’er.
Green Tea
Green tea contains small doses of caffeine which give you an energy boost without the crash that often accompanies caffeine intake.
The tea also contains L-theanine which improves mood, relieves stress and anxiety, and helps you focus and concentrate better. This is a major difference between green tea and coffee.
Green tea is both calming and energizing. The combination of caffeine and L-theanine in green tea provides controllable, steady energy with calmness and alertness.
How To Drink It
If you are feeling tired, a small cup of green tea with little caffeine can help relieve fatigue. It is ideal for drinking any time of the day, since it won’t interfere with your sleep (for most people).
To get energy from green tea, sip a cup or two a day. You can drink green tea between meals (2 hours before and 2 hours after food is ideal, but anytime is fine, to be honest).
Who Should Avoid it
Some people tend to feel weak after drinking green tea in excess. This could be because the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea binds with iron molecules resulting in low hemoglobin levels.
Low hemoglobin can cause fatigue and breathlessness. If you are anemic, please do not drink too much green tea.
Matcha
If you find that green tea does not give you enough of a boost, try matcha, a green tea powder. Matcha differs from green tea in that you consume the whole leaves, which results in much more caffeine. But the caffeine boost is not jarring, like the one you get from coffee.
Matcha green tea contains flavonoids and L-theanine which increase the brain’s alpha frequency band to boost dopamine, serotonin, and neurotransmitter GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) levels.
Moreover, the combination of amino acids and caffeine in matcha tea work together to reduce fatigue and give you a boost of energy.
The L-theanine in matcha tea also reduces cortisol levels and helps you remain in a state of calm alertness.
How To Drink It
Matcha tea can energize you without any of the coffee’s jittery pick-me-up effects. So, you can have it any time of the day. However, the best time to drink matcha for a boost of energy is in the daytime.
You can drink matcha hot or cold, although most tea aficionados recommend cold matcha tea for energy.
Matcha does require special implements, most notably a chasen (a bamboo whisk) to brew it in the traditional method. However, you can prepare matcha tea without a whisk, too.
Who Should Avoid it
Pregnant women should not drink more than a cup or two of matcha tea, due to its high caffeine content.
Yerba Mate Tea
Yerba Mate is a traditional tea popular in South America. It contains 80 mg of caffeine per cup. This can enhance performance and boost energy levels.
Those who consume yerba mate regularly also report feeling more energetic without the jittery after-effects of coffee. If you are curious what yerba mate tastes like, read this article. If you find the taste too bitter, learn how to make yerba mate taste good here.
Yerba mate tea also boosts mental function. Its caffeine content enhances memory, mood, and alertness. It also stimulates the neurotransmitter dopamine. See our comparison of matcha vs yerba mate for more on how they differ.
How To Drink It
You make Yerba Mate by steeping the leaves of the yerba mate plant in hot water. Traditionally, yerba mate is drunk in a container called a gourd which has a metal straw with a strainer that filters the leaves of yerba mate out.
You can drink it hot or cold, with water, milk, and even with juice. You can safely drink up to 2 to 3 cups of yerba mate a day.
Who Should Avoid It
Pregnant women should not drink too much yerba mate, since it contains a significant amount of caffeine.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some studies have shown that long-term consumption of yerba mate, along with smoking and alcohol consumption, could increase the risk of certain cancers.
Ginger Chai Tea
Ginger chai tea made with black tea, ginger, and milk is an energizing drink for the morning. Black tea contains caffeine that boosts energy.
Ginger has stimulating properties and is a natural energizer as well. It also increases serotonin and dopamine levels. The combination of the two gives you all of the individual benefits together.
How To Drink It
Make ginger chai tea by steeping ginger and black tea in hot water. Add milk and sugar or honey and lemon and enjoy it hot. You can drink 1 to 2 cups of ginger chai a day.
Who Should Avoid It
According to Medical News Today, people with gallstones should not drink too much ginger tea, because ginger increases the flow of bile.
Holy Basil (Tulsi) Tea
Holy basil or tulsi improves the body’s oxygen-carrying capacity, which helps boost stamina and energy levels. The tea provides a calming energy that uplifts the mood and senses.
How To Drink It
You can make holy basil tea by steeping dried or fresh tulsi leaves in hot water. Strain and add honey or lemon and enjoy hot. You can drink several cups of tulsi tea per day.
Who Should Avoid It
People with low blood sugar, women trying to conceive, and those on blood thinners should avoid holy basil tea in excess.
Peppermint Tea
Studies have shown that people given peppermint oil capsules had a significant reduction in fatigue during a cognitive test.
Menthol and menthone compounds in peppermint extracts are known to have beneficial effects on energy.
How To Drink It
Steep a handful of shredded peppermint leaves in hot water for 4 to 5 minutes. Strain and drink hot. You can safely consume 2 to 3 cups of peppermint tea a day.
Who Should Avoid It
People with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), heartburn, ulcers, or hyperacidity should avoid drinking too much peppermint tea.
Passionflower Tea
Passionflower tea contains phytochemicals and alkaloids, such as quercetin, which help reduce stress, improve mood, and boost energy.
The tea can be described as calmingly energizing. It helps overthinkers ‘turn off’ thoughts and relaxes their minds. Thus, passionflower tea can be described as energizing without any jittery effects of caffeine.
How To Drink It
Steep dried passionflower in hot water for 5 to 6 minutes. Drink no more than one cup of passionflower tea per day.
Who Should Avoid It
Passionflower tea can reduce blood pressure to dangerously low levels, so people taking hypertension medicine should not drink too much of it.
Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is a post fermented tea originally made from a ‘wild old tree’ that grows in the Yunnan Province of China.
Pu-erh tea contains caffeine which stimulates the heart, brain, and other organs. It also boosts energy. One cup of pu-erh tea contains 30 to 40mg of caffeine.
How To Drink It
It is best to limit your intake of pu-erh tea to around 3 cups per day.
Who Should Avoid It?
People sensitive to caffeine should avoid pu-erh tea. As such, it may also not be suitable for pregnant women.
People with sleep disorders, migraine, heart issues, blood pressure, and GERD should avoid pu-erh tea as well.
Best Tea For Focus And Energy: Final Thoughts
All of the 8 teas above can give you a boost of energy, but there actual effect can differ from person to person. If you tried one of them and did not feel like it gave you enough of an energy boost, try another one.
The same goes if you just didn’t like the way a certain tea tastes. I made sure to include many different types and flavors. Not all use caffeine to give you a boost either, so there are some options for those trying to avoid caffeine.
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