Alternatives to Your Favorite Hot Caffeinated Drinks

After being diagnosed with an allergy to caffeine, I tend to scour the supermarket shelves for beverages without caffeine. In a world of energy boosting power drinks loaded with caffeine, a Starbucks coffee shop on every street corner and Coke advertisements gracing our television screens, it can be difficult to find non-caffeinated beverages. The following is a guide to my favorite caffeine free hot beverages that are full of flavor, and not caffeine.

Rooibos Red Tea: Herbal Tea with Flavor
Don't let the fact that this is an herbal tea fool you. This tea has a full-bodied flavor, and reddish color. Grown in South Africa, leaves are collected from the Red Bush to make the rooibos red tea. The caffeine free tea tends to have a nutty, caramel type flavor. I have tried two brands of rooibos red tea including the Madagascar Vanilla Red Rooibos Tea by Celestial Seasonings and the Hy-Vee grocery store brand Rooibos Red Tea.

The Madagascar Vanilla Red Rooibos Tea by Celestial Seasons is flavored with vanilla extract and vanilla beans to give it a sweet dessert quality. When brewed in a clear mug, it definitely has a deep red hue, as suggested by its name.

The Rooibos Red Tea by Hy-Vee is flavored with lemon, hibiscus, orange peel and rosemary giving it a lively flavor. The lemon makes it more tart than the Celestial Seasonings Madagascar Vanilla Red Rooibos Tea , making it very flavorful.

Postum: A Coffee Flavored Hot Beverage
While browsing the many brands of coffee at the grocery store, I stumbled upon Postum. Positioned near the instant coffee, I began to read the label and noticed the dark powdered grounds were labeled as a caffeine free alternative to coffee and tea. Since I used to be a coffee lover, I had to give this product a try.

Although Postum doesn't have the same flavor as a freshly brewed cup of black coffee, it does have similar taste qualities. I have found that I don't prefer it "black", since it doesn't taste just like coffee, but when I add milk or sugar, it tastes more like traditional coffee. Add a little chocolate syrup or caramel syrup, and you're on your way to enjoying a caffeine free, hot, flavorful beverage!