Choosing the best teas to drink in the morning can be a very personal choice. But there is a vast selection of teas on offer – depending on your taste, diet, and other preferences.

In this post, I’m outlining the top 20 teas you might want to consider as your preferred morning options. Including caffeinated and decaffeinated teas, as well as with or without milk options.

Here’s the quick run down, then I’ll go into why for each tea below…

Best teas to drink in the morning:

Morning teas include the traditional caffeinated option of black tea, but can also be Green, White, or Oolong tea. Matcha, Earl Grey, Pu-Erh, Yerba mate, or Kombucha. Teas with milk include Breakfast tea, Masala Chai, or Royal Milk tea. Decaf options include Rooibos or a selection of herbal teas.

Here’s the full list for you.

Find out more about the Teahow Tea Sommelier Course!

Caffeinated teas to drink in the morning

• Green tea 
• Oolong tea 
• White tea 
• Matcha
• Black tea
• Earl Grey 
• Pu-Erh 
• Yerba mate 
• Kombucha

Caffeinated milk teas to drink in the morning

• English breakfast tea 
• Masala chai
• Royal milk tea 

Caffeine-free teas to drink in the morning

• Rooibos tea 
• Sage tea 
• Ginger tea 
• Peppermint tea 
• Rosemary tea 
• Lemon tea 
• Turmeric tea 
• Tulsi /Holy basil tea

20 Best teas to drink in the morning

If you’re new to tea and want to begin drinking tea in the morning, then combining this list with my best teas for beginners will also help ease you into the tea head habit. If you’re trying to get into tea drinking then here’s my advice on how to become a tea drinker.

Ok, you’ve seen my complete list straight off the bat. So there are no secrets between us now! But why do these make my list?

Well, let’s get into the details of each choice … starting with Caffeinated tea options.

Caffeinated teas for your morning drink

1. Green tea

Drinking green tea in the morning is a tea to take knowing that it will bring more benefits through the morning and beyond than just getting you jump-started.

Green tea has the least caffeine, because of less oxidation and is a rather light tea.

This may bring less of an up and down buzz for the morning, but makes it a great option for people who don’t want too much caffeine at the start of the day.

The amount of caffeine and L-theanine in the tea helps to boost alertness and attention which can start a productive day.

Aside from that, this tea as many know helps to burn fat, and so having it in the morning can assist in fat burning throughout the day.

If you want to increase the fat burning in a day using tea, then take this tea before exercise for best results, but avoid taking it on an empty stomach.

I suppose you could add milk to green tea too! And I’ve also written on whether you should add sugar to green tea?

2. Oolong tea

Oolong tea has around the same amount of caffeine as green tea. So again good for those who do not load up on caffeine and who look for benefits beyond the morning buzz.

Oolong tea can be a great drink to start your morning routine as it helps in increasing your metabolism.

This increased metabolism, in turn, supports weight loss, eases digestion, lowers cholesterol, and helps to stabilize glucose levels throughout the day. 

Apart from this, oolong tea also helps go a long way to maintaining mental alertness, making it a pretty good tea choice to start your morning off. Here are my 6 Oolong teas you need to try!

3. White tea 

White tea will have more or less caffeine than green tea, depending on its quality. Although many believe white tea has less caffeine, it’s not always necessarily the case.

White is a great option if you want your morning drink to have a more natural sweetness and floral or fruity notes for a wake-up tea experience.

The combined effect of caffeine and L-theanine in white tea can support cognitive performance and alertness if you drink it in the morning – resulting in a productive day. 

Also, White tea in the morning can have a great effect on your mood, performance, and overall brain health.

This is also a good tea to serve hot on a winter morning, or on rainy days as it has that cozy heartwarming effect.

I could probably add yellow tea into this category too because yellow tea also has lots of health benefits. And also here’s the comparison between White tea and Green tea.

4. Matcha tea 

Matcha (green tea powder tea) is a morning tea if you want an alternative to your daily coffee punch in the morning …and it certainly delivers that.

It has the most caffeine in the tea varieties next to black tea, as it’s in the form of a fine powder, so it’s ingested after mixing.

Having it in the morning can kick start your metabolism and fat burning through the day. 

If you’re a person who opts for green tea in the morning for a weight loss goal, then Matcha green tea powder tea can help you burn fat at a rate of four times than average.

Matcha green tea powder tea also induces calmness, relaxation, and mental wellness, which offers a good start for a busy stressful day ahead. 

5. Black tea 

Obviously, I was going to add black tea to the list. It’s certainly one of the best alternatives to have in the morning as a tea to replace your morning coffee!

This is a tea you can drink in the morning if you’re a heavy morning coffee addict and want something to replace it.

Apart from the caffeine content, many find black tea to have a similar flavor to coffee compared to most other teas.

In its raw form, tea leaves may have more caffeine than coffee beans, but when brewed using hot water, 1 cup (237 ml) of brewed coffee generally has more caffeine than a cup of tea.

However, just like coffee in the right amount can improve attention, having a cup of black tea in the morning can also help with attention in everyday life – while also being a healthy option over coffee. 

Aside from the numerous vitamins and minerals that you gain from drinking most types of tea, Black tea also helps with sweat evaporation, which in turn cools down the body. So a cup of hot or cold black tea in the morning can help you to deal with summer sweat.

Want to see how black tea matches up to black coffee? then check out my head-to-head article on black tea vs black coffee!

6. Earl grey 

Earl grey is traditionally a black tea flavored with bergamot rinds or bergamot oil. With the same or slightly less amount of caffeine than black tea.

The benefit of Earl grey over a classic black tea in the morning is that the bergamot oil helps with boosting immunity and energy.

Alongside the citrus properties of the bergamot oil aids with digestion and digestion-related complications throughout the day.

Not only that but if you’re the kind of person who experiences morning anxiety or is susceptible to morning chills, then Earl Grey tea is the one for you.

7. Pu-Erh Tea

Pu-Erh is a fermented tea and is low in caffeine, in fact, some varieties barely contain caffeine at all.

Despite the low caffeine content, this tea is extremely energizing in the morning.

So this tea makes it a great option for those who need coffee in the morning to feel energized or banish any remaining drowsiness.

If you wake up feeling chilly in the morning in winter – or if you wake up suffering from a cold, a hot cup of Pu-Erh tea can also help warm your morning up and ease those chills. But, here is my list of the best teas for a cold.

8. Yerba mate tea

Yerba mate tea has a very high caffeine level, so it can be as energizing as a cup of coffee in the morning.

But the specialty of Yerba mate tea is that it contains another xanthine known as Theobromine. Theobromine is a naturally occurring stimulant that is also found in chocolates.

This stimulant gives smoother and more long-lasting energy throughout the day than caffeine.

In other words, Yerba mate tea gives an insane morning boost that will last throughout the day, more than coffee. And many in South America drink it by the bucket load – so check out more in my complete guide to Yerba Mate. 

9. Kombucha 

Kombucha is a lower-caffeine tea that can give you a little morning boost without a heavy caffeine dose.

It’s a fermented and slightly sweet tea that helps to balance your gut bacteria and supports digestion throughout the day. 

Having Kombucha in the morning on an empty stomach can give you some real digestive benefits.

You can also read my article on the best teas to drink without milk.

So let’s move on to teas with milk that you should consider in the morning…

Best caffeinated teas with milk to drink in the morning

10. English breakfast tea

Here it is again, English breakfast tea is traditionally made with a blend of Assam, Ceylon Tea, and Kenyan Leaves and is mixed with milk.

This makes a heavy and creamy caffeine drink, which can still be healthier than coffee. This is also a great option to take if you like your tea with milk.

This tea will give a little less caffeine than pure black tea, because of the added milk, so it offers up a moderate caffeine kick to start your day.

English breakfast tea in tea morning can help with maintaining good heart health.

This means that the heart can pump blood without straining too much. This will help you to do physical tasks with low-stress levels throughout the day.

I talk much more about tea health in my easy-to-learn Tea Sommelier Course!

11. Masala chai 

Masala chai is a fragrant black milk tea filled with spices like ginger, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, fennel, nutmeg, and lemongrass. 

I’m including Masala chai in my best teas to drink in the morning simply because it’s packed with all those rich spices that make it a great tea to start your day with.

Alongside its caffeine kick, this tea in the morning helps with boosting heart health, reduces blood sugar, and aids digestion, and weight loss because of its spices. 

It’s can be more palatable for many as a fragrant, and almost wholesome meal of a drink …which can be more satisfying than regular milkless teas.

Here’s my full info on Chai.

12. Royal milk tea 

Royal milk tea is a Japanese tea that’s a lot like English breakfast tea – but I still think it warrants including as an option.

Mainly because Royal milk tea gives the same start to the morning as the English breakfast tea, but is brewed differently. It’s much milkier and stronger (steeped for longer) than English breakfast tea.

It’s made with a blend of Assam and Darjeeling tea leaves and milk.

This tea could be a great morning drink if you’re a milk coffee person, and want to switch to a lower caffeine option – but with a milkier, more substantial substitute that has a similar flavor.

Caffeine-free options for the best teas to drink in the morning

13. Rooibos tea 

Rooibos tea is caffeine-free, low in tannins but rich in minerals and antioxidants.

This combination of properties makes it a great morning tea to keep you hydrated all day long. It also helps to boost your antioxidant levels in the morning.

See more on Rooibos tea in my complete Rooibos tea guide. As well as my article just on the pros and cons of Rooibos tea.

14. Sage tea 

Sage tea is a morning peppery tea that will help improve your digestion and support weight loss …while eliminating waste from your body.

It also helps with morning menstrual cramps and morning sickness.

15. Ginger tea 

Ginger tea is a popular morning tea in many cultures. It’s a great cup of tea to have in the morning to help you warm up in chilly winters.

Having a cup of ginger tea in the morning can be so uber-healthy too! It helps with an upset stomach, motion sickness, nausea, or pregnancy-induced morning sickness.

16. Peppermint tea 

You probably already know that Peppermint tea has no caffeine but its minty flavor gives you a type of refreshing morning energy boost that no caffeine tea can and is guaranteed to make your mornings lively! Peppermint tea won’t break your fast either.

This tea also helps with a positive effect on your mood when drank in the morning, increasing your alertness.

17. Rosemary tea

Rosemary tea offers you a fruity flavor that’s refreshing to your mood and memory in the morning. It’s also widely used in diffusers, pillow sprays, and even lava bracelet blend recipes!

Rosemary tea also supports brain health and concentration and makes a great option as a morning tea for students.

18. Lemon tea 

Lemon tea is a popular detox drink that many have in the morning, to detoxify the body completely.

Having it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning can get rid of all the wastes and toxins accumulated in the liver too. Also, here are the benefits of Lemon zinger tea.

19. Turmeric tea 

Turmeric tea is on my list of best teas to drink in the morning because it’s a simple tea packed with medicinal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Having turmeric tea in the morning helps hugely with digestion, and metabolism, and even helps in managing diabetes.

For added benefits, many add lemon, honey, and ginger to make it even more palatable.

20. Tulsi /Holy basil tea 

This is my honorary mention. A simple holy basil tea in the morning can reduce stress and symptoms related to forgetfulness and exhaustion.

Apart from this, it helps with the morning cold and in managing blood sugar levels throughout the day. It’s a good “occasional alternative” to shake things up a little.

Advice for drinking tea in the morning

Here are a few things that can help if you’re planning or re-evaluating your morning tea drink.

You don’t have to stick to one tea in the morning

It’s easy to get stuck into a routine with your morning beverage, we all often fall into that same morning comfort. But it doesn’t have to be like that.

There’s a good argument for taking different teas, and exploring different types of teas, either on different days or at different times during the morning.

Tea varieties that you can take in the morning can all vary in their properties and benefits, so why not make the most of a variety of drinks and take on board a wealth of health and well-being benefits?

Be aware of food intake before tea in the morning

Some teas work better on an empty stomach, such as lemon tea. Others work better after some food, like Green tea.

So it pays to do some research first …and/or read the labels, so you know when it’s best to take these teas at their optimum time and without risking stomach upset.

Coffee lovers moving to tea in the morning 

Here’s some advice for the coffee lovers among us that are looking to switch to tea.

If it’s the caffeine boost you need to wake you up, then to lessen the impact of the change to tea in the morning, perhaps start with high caffeine and work down from there.

I’d recommend starting with a Breakfast black tea, or perhaps even a Yerba mate in the morning.

Make your morning tea the second cup

If you’re addicted to coffee, make one of the above teas the second cup of the morning, or even the third.

You will still be getting the benefits, without giving up your morning coffee, so it will still help. Why miss out on so many other benefits? when you can just shuffle the drinks to later in the morning.

Adopting a planned approach to your morning tea

For beginners … particularly those that are moving away from coffee, here’s the order I would look to adopt to take you through your morning selection.

We’re all different in how we react to tea, so it makes sense to run your own test. Try teas that you feel might help for a week or more – and be guided by where you are now and what you want to aim for.

Then either stop when you find one that brings the most benefits …or try a new one.

For those on the health path, I’d perhaps focus more on some detoxing teas, before heading into the health-boosting vitamin and mineral-rich options.

Try something like the following plan – depending on your aims…

	For Coffee Replacement	For Health Benefits
Week One	Yerba mate	Peppermint or Lemon
Week Two	Black tea	Sage, Turmeric, or Kombucha
Week Three	Matcha	Green tea
Week Four	English Breakfast Tea	White tea

Morning teas for dieting

For those more diet-targeting people, there are a couple of honorary mentions I’d like to add as a bonus, some of these are good as a small boost in the morning towards your diet aims.

But just be careful about how much and when you consume them, always consult a doctor if you’re concerned about taking them.

Some of these can pack a punch! So be sure to click the links to learn more about them in my articles…

• Senna Tea
• Catherine Tea
• Blue Tea

And don’t forget to check out my Tea Sommelier Course. It’s becoming really popular because I’ve made it super simple to learn about tea and become a tea connoisseur!

Find out more about the Teahow Tea Sommelier Course!

There you have it …my 20 best teas to drink in the morning!

So this is my list, yours might of course differ. But I hope it helps, and if it works for you then pass on the message to others.

Even if it makes them think a little more about what that all-important drink should be to start their day.