Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea

Passing by the tea section at Kroger, I spied a new Lipton flavor—Vanilla Caramel Truffle. So, in an effort to break my morning indulgence of white chocolate cappuccino, I bought a box. After all, at 120 calories per 3-tablespoon serving for the cappuccino, my waistline could use a no-calorie tea replacement.

At first sniff, Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea reminds me of caramel mixed in with the not-so-delicate odor of, well … burnt ash. (Oh, yes, sounds yummy I know—In fact, I bet you’re racing out the door at this very moment to buy a box.)

But do I give up and toss the Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea box? No, of course not; Not a health food junkie like ole’ Food Meister here. I laugh in the face of menacing foods.

So, I start boiling water. And I look to the box to find encouragement to go on with this taste test.

Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea may not produce the most inviting fragrance, but it does have some nutritional pluses. This flavored black tea contains 90 milligrams of flavonoid antioxidants per serving. Inflammation and certain heart-related illnesses can be avoided with a diet rich in antioxidants. I feel better about testing this tea already.

Well, just a tad.

This Lipton tea also contains a modest amount of caffeine with each serving—35 milligrams—which should be just enough to provide health benefits without unleashing the jitters. In moderation, caffeine may reduce the risk of neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.

So, how was it? Sorry, but Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea is not going to be on my grocery list any time soon. The woodsy smell overpowers the caramel aroma, making Food Meister one sad puppy. I really did want this no-calorie tea to replace my morning cappuccino. Sigh.

Maybe if I had never tried the white chocolate cappuccino in the first place, then this tea would have tasted better. But it’s too late; my taste buds have been spoiled. I still have the rest of the tea box, sitting in my cupboard. Perhaps I’ll give Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea another try when my cappuccino container runs out. If I could get used to the tea’s woodsy aroma, my health (and waistline!) would thank me.

One last thing for you adventurous types who are still willing to try this tea. On the box, it suggests drinking Lipton Vanilla Caramel Truffle Tea chilled as an alternative to the usual warm brew. If you normally drink your teas and coffees warm, I’d advise disregarding this idea—unless, of course, you’re trying to decrease your appetite by ingesting foul drinks. In my opinion, coldness does nothing to enhance this tea’s already tainted flavors.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Tea

I am a daily tea drinker. My favorite is green tea, but occasionally Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea is my choice of the day. Not many people are aware that chocolate tea is even available on the market, so I think a review is in order. But before I discuss Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea, let’s talk about the health benefits of tea in general.

Tea has gotten a lot of positive reviews in the past few years. Whether it’s green, black, white, or chocolate, the average tea bag packs a nutritional punch without adding calories to your daily diet. Folate, potassium, manganese, and magnesium are among the vitamins and minerals found.

But what really gets people a-buzzing about tea is the antioxidants this warm drink contains. Antioxidants are known to detoxify our body’s cells. This detoxification helps prevent dangerous free radicals from overpopulating within the cell. Free radicals wreak havoc by encouraging blood clot development, atherosclerosis, and even cancer.

Okay, enough about the health benefits of tea—let’s move on to Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea. This tea is basically a decaffeinated black tea with natural flavoring from cocoa beans. This tea also contains a hint of vanilla and coconut, giving it a unique flavor that compliments the chocolate taste.

Overall, I’d say that Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea has a pretty decent flavor to it. Honestly, it doesn’t help me when I have strong cravings for real chocolate. It does hit the spot for those times I want a little taste of something chocolate, but don’t want to rack up extra calories.

On occasion, I’ll add a few drops of the calorie-free sweetener Stevia and a splash of nonfat milk to Trader Joe’s Chocolate Tea for a richer flavor. Don’t expect this concoction to give your Aunt Emma’s award-winning, bazillion-calorie cocoa drink a run for its money, but it is tastier than those 25-calorie cocoa packets at the store.

I'm sadden to announce that Trader Joe's Chocolate Tea is no longer in production. When my supply runs out, I think I'm going to try Celestial's Chocolate Caramel Tea next. Crossing my fingers ...