Best Tea for Non Tea Drinkers

Compared to coffee, tea is… Well, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But even a lot of non tea drinkers know that there are many health benefits of tea — and they want to get on board. 

Sound like you? Or maybe you’re a coffee drinker looking for a coffee alternative with less caffeine. 

Since my teenage days, I’ve started almost every day with a cup of tea. From herbal blends to rarer white teas and everything in between, I’ve come pretty damn close to tasting them all, so I think I’ve narrowed down the best tasting tea for non tea drinkers.

In this mega round-up, find all the best tea for someone who doesn’t like tea, plus tips on how to discover your tea palette, shop for tea, brew the best cup of tea, and build a small solo tea ritual into your everyday for an indulgent moment of calm.

The shortlist: All the best teas (and how to start drinking tea) for non tea drinkers

Understand the tea spectrum: the basics of black, green, and white tea

Top 10 best teas for non tea drinkers

Best teas for coffee drinkers (including teas with robust flavors and teas with high caffeine content)

Best teas for non coffee drinkers (including herbal teas for newbies and teas with low caffeine content)

4 strategies to find out what kind of tea you like

3 tips for shopping for tea for beginners

5 steps to acquire a taste for tea

3 tips to brew the best-tasting tea

3 ideas to level up your tea tasting

How to create your own solo tea ritual to enjoy tea more

Understanding the tea spectrum

Tea is tea is tea — not. The spectrum of tea is wide, diverse, and colorful. You can pour yourself a cup of some of the classics, like black or green tea. Or you can get into more fanciful territory with red tea, white tea, or tea blends in shades of pink or even blue. 

First, let’s start with the basics of tea for beginners:

Black tea basics

Probably the most common tea out there, black tea is usually first on the list for beginner tea drinkers. 

Here’s how black tea compares to some of the other most popular types of tea: 

Flavor profile: Robust and bold

Caffeine content: Moderate (although you can shop decaf versions)

Fermentation: Fully fermented

Oxidation: Fully oxidized

Reported health benefits: A source of theaflavins, antioxidants that can offer protection from chronic disease [SOURCE: Source: UCLA Health]

Green tea basics

A close tie for the most popular tea family, green tea is another staple you’ll easily find in restaurants and most grocery stores. 

Here’s how green tea compares to some of the other most popular types of tea:

Flavor profile: Fresh and vegetable

Caffeine content: Light

Fermentation: Not fermented

Oxidation: Minimally oxidized

Reported health benefits: Rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, like coronary heart disease and stroke [SOURCE: National Library of Medicine]

White tea basics

Less talked about than popular black and green tea, white tea deserves a lot more attention, especially if you’re looking for the best tea for new tea drinkers. 

Here’s how white tea compares to some of the other most popular types of tea:

Flavor profile: Delicate and floral

Caffeine content: Light

Fermentation: Not fermented

Oxidation: Very minimally oxidized

Reported health benefits: High levels of catechin (higher than in other tea species), which are antioxidants that can help protect against disease [SOURCE: Trends in Food Science & Technology, Volume 82 via ScienceDirect]

Oolong tea basics

When it comes to teas, consider oolong tea the wild card in the group. While green tea is only minimally oxidized (and white tea even less so), oolong tea is partially oxidized, falling closer to the fully oxidized black tea. 

Huh? Basically, this means oolong tea can have very distinct flavors, ranging from lighter, floral flavors to richer, fruitier, and nuttier notes.

Flavor profile: Varied, from fruity to floral, bitter, nutty, and more

Caffeine content: Moderate

Fermentation: Semi-fermented

Oxidation: Partially oxidated

Reported health benefits: Contains I-theanine, an amino acid link to prevention of cognitive diseases [SOURCE: Penn Medicine]

Herbal tea basics

Got ya! Herbal “teas” are not actually tea, but most people call them that, anyway. (Guilty.) You may also hear them called “infusions” or “tisanes.” Really, herbal teas are made from steeping herbs, spices, or other plant materials in hot water.

Flavor profile: Varied, including mint, floral, vegetal, and more

Caffeine content: None

Fermentation: None

Oxidation: None

Reported health benefits: Depends on which specific herbs it contains; see health benefits of three herbal teas from Harvard Health Publishing.

10 best teas for non tea drinkers

Understanding the basics of the different tea species is the best place to start if you want to learn how to start liking tea. But if you’re not interested in the nitty-gritty details and just want to make tea drinking a daily habit and find the best tea for new drinkers, I’ll c