For coffee and tea lovers torn over what to drink in the morning, you may never have to choose again: scientists have brewed a tea made from the leaves of the coffee plant. They're calling it the coffee tea leaf. Behold the future, friends.
Of course, it's not that simple, nor is the idea really new. Coffee tea was apparently the next big thing in 1851, according to Dr. Aaron Davies, a botanist at Kew Gardens in London.
The coffee leaf tea, which is said to have an 'earthy' taste that is less bitter than tea and not as strong as coffee, boasts high levels of compounds which lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease, experts said.It also carries far less caffeine than traditional tea or coffee and contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Most of these health claims are still unproven, but I wouldn't be surprised if this starts showing up in coffee/tea houses in coming years. Look out, Portland and Brooklyn.
Read More: • Can You Make Tea Out of Coffee? | The Smithsonian • Tea of Coffee? How About Tea Made from Coffee? | The Daily Mail • Tea Made from Coffee Leaves Found Beneficial for Health | The Telegraph
Related: How Do You Make Your Morning Coffee?
(Image: Flickr member motograf licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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Really. Really? Ooh I want to try some! Although 'earthy' - many a disappointment has begun with that word!
They actually sell this at Blue Bottle Coffee... we have it... and it tastes quite interesting... I drink it with ginger, per a google search... I believe it's called Cascara Tea.
I think Cascara is made from the fruit/berries/beans themselves, whereas the Coffee Tea is made from the leaves of the plant.
I seem to remember Starbucks experimenting with this some time back as well. Kinda off topic, but somewhat related, in Hong Kong cafes, we often drink something called 鴛鴦 (Yuan Yang) which is a combination of milk tea and coffee. Its delicious~
Cascara is made from coffee berries, but it is worth checking out as well! It is especially good iced.
I like both coffee and tea, but the idea of combining them in any way doesn't seem like a good idea! If I'm ever in the mood for an "earthly" coffee, I think I'll try Indian Monsooned Malabar