Why you'll love them: Wake yourself up with a mug (or two) of Bigelow’s American Breakfast or Guayaki Traditional Yerba Mate.
When morning hits you hard, a cup of hot, steaming, liquid caffeine is the antidote. I’m a tea drinker. A big tea drinker. None of those dainty six-ounce teacups for me — I prefer my morning brew in a mug that holds at least 15 ounces. And the tea that is usually filling up that mug is American Breakfast from Bigelow.
This strong black tea is basically English Breakfast, but with 50% more caffeine. That gives American Breakfast the same kick as a cup of coffee. The extra caffeine is from concentrated black tea extract, it’s not an artificial additive.
While it’s a classic black tea, with the characteristic somewhat malty flavor, American Breakfast lacks any unpleasant bitterness. Even if I forget to take the teabag out at the five-minute mark, it tastes great. I prefer mine with sugar and half- &-half, but a squeeze of lemon is also good. It’s also a delicious iced tea, if you prefer a chilled beverage.
If you want a naturally caffeinated alternative to black tea or coffee, give Guayaki Traditional Yerba Mate (pronounce it yer-bah mah-tay) a try. Yerba mate is a traditional drink of South America, where the shrubby yerba mate tree thrives.
For many outside South America, yerba mate is something of an acquired taste. Newcomers to the drink often describe it as tasting like smoky grass, or as earthy. But once you take to it, you’ll appreciate the smooth kick of the caffeine — around 30 to 40 milligrams per cup — which doesn’t give you the jitters or an after-caffeine crash.
Steep it no more than five minutes to avoid bitterness. Many people add honey, sugar, or agave to sweeten the brew, and a dash of milk is another option. It’s also good iced.
Guayaki Traditional Yerba Mate is organically grown in South America and fair-trade certified.
Buy American Breakfast (60 teabags) at Walmart for $6.84 Buy Guayaki Traditional Yerba Mate (75 teabags) on Amazon for $10.36