I can't get used to tea without sugar

[CannibalPanda]

Granted it's only been about 5 days but I only had half a teaspoon before, so really thought I would start to adjust by now. I'm not, it's miserable

I've bought some naice loose leaf tea which helps a bit, but I'm wondering what the point is and whether I should just bin off tea altogether or persevere.

For those who gave up sugar in tea, did you adjust, and how long did it take you? Any tips?

Persevere! I allow myself one tea with sugar in the morning, then the rest If the day I have it without. It makes the first tea of the day even more special! ☕️

Personally, for the sake of ½ a teaspoon I would keep using it. Or gradually reduce the amount you put in

I gave up sugar in coffee and I'd never go back. It took a while, but now I find sugar in coffee far too sweet and not at all thirst quenching.

Have you tried sweeteners, OP? I find Canderel not too sweet and does not have the nasty backtaste of saccharine.

I bloody love sugar in tea. It makes me happy. I realise this is absolutely no help to you, op. Sorry.

I think sometimes there is a threshold of sweetness with tea that if you go beyond it becomes not worth drinking. Personally, for me, that is also 1/2 a tsp. If I try to drink it with none I just stop drinking it 🤷🏻‍♀️ others I know it's 1 sugar

I’m the same, I can’t stand it without. I only drink a maximum of 2 cups per day, so I figure unless I start drinking lots more, a little bit of sugar isn’t actually that bad.

Yep, you have to stick with it. I can remember thinking it tasted like punishment way back when. I was someone who would put four sweeteners in their tea!!!! Now I do tend to have my tea with quite a bit of milk which probably sweetens it somewhat, so perhaps try that.

I'm the same, I've weaned myself down from 2 spoonfuls! to 1/2 a spoonful, but I for some reason I can't make to jump from that last 1/2 spoon . I interchange with green tea and herbal teas because I'd drink it until it comes out of my ears left to my own devices.

The theory is it takes 14 cups before you get used to it a different way - not sure how many you have had over the 5 days?

That was definitely true for me. I always had sugar in tea, but then worked in an office which only had an on-site Starbucks. People bought rounds; everyone else had lattes without sugar and nobody ever remembered to get a sugar for me. And it was such a long way downstairs that I couldn’t be bothered to go myself. So I got used to no sugar....and when someone accidentally put sugar in my tea a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t drink it!

I gave up taking sugar in tea and coffee nearly 40 years ago so can't remember quite how long it took me to enjoy them without sugar, but I'd say persevere - I can't stand any sugar in either drink now (perhaps a good thing considering how many cups of tea especially I drink!).

I've weaned myself down from 2 teaspoons to a 1/4 teaspoon but I can't do the final leap to no sugar. I've tried but it just doesn't taste like tea without any sugar at all.

My dh recently made me a cup of tea and added 1/2 a teaspoon to my cup and it tasted really sickly and horrible so I guess if you wean yourself down very slowly then you will naturally become less tolerant to sugar in your tea if you're aiming to cut it out altogether.

It took me 6 months but I don’t miss it now.

I had sugar in tea for 30 years and have given it up completely. I don’t even use it now. I went from one teaspoon zero. I kept reducing the amount very gradually, until it was just a smidgeon, then stopped. I did it over about three months.

Persevere! I think it took me a couple of weeks to get used to it.

I went from 2 teaspoons to nothing, Gradually. it took ages. The last 1/2 is a leap of faith. Can’t bear sugar in tea now.

Attempting to do the same with coffee. It’s been quicker this time from 2 spoons to 1/2. Making the final jump tomorrow.

I went from 2 teaspoons to a quarter of a teaspoon some years ago. I've not had any success getting below a quarter.

I'm similar to a pp, my first cuppa in the morning has to have a sweetener in it but after that I'm fine without. Weirdly its way too sweet if I do it in my afternoon cuppa for example.
Took me the whole of Lent to enjoy unsweetened tea

Try switching your milk just to provide some novelty for your tastebuds. Oatly barista is a very good option or simple sweetened soya (note that most sweetened options have the same amount of sugar as cows milk, but in a different form, but check each brand so that you aren’t adding more sugar!)

Thanks so much for replying everyone! I really appreciate the advice.

The 14 cups thing is interesting. I've had about 12, maybe I'm about to turn a corner..? That gives me hope! As do the stories of people giving up after years and not tolerating it any more.

I will continue for 2 weeks I think and if it's still horrible, will try the gradual weaning method instead. I actually use a set of measuring spoons (control freak emoticon) so can try the quarter spoon instead of the half spoon!

@PerditaNitt

Try switching your milk just to provide some novelty for your tastebuds. Oatly barista is a very good option or simple sweetened soya (note that most sweetened options have the same amount of sugar as cows milk, but in a different form, but check each brand so that you aren’t adding more sugar!)

Yes, good tip. My final hurdle of dropping sugar completely was eased by using non-dairy milk at that stage.

I went from 2 teaspoons to nothing when I was told my blood sugar was too high! I added slightly more milk to begin with and also experimented with tea bags as I found some to be quite bitter. Aldi English Breakfast are my current favourite.

a few things that help

brew the tea for less time

use whole milk, not semi

use softened or purified water (e.g. from a Brita jug)

I don't ever have sugar in coffee as I usually have a caramel latte so it doesn't need any sugar. In tea I always have a spoonful of sugar, sometimes a large sugar in the morning if I'm really tired! .i can cope with half a spoonful but when someone accidentally forgets to put sugar in at all I don't enjoy it. I only have one or two cups of tea a day though so like a pp said I don't think a small amount of sugar is too bad. Oh I also have almond milk since I became dairy intolerant, I did not like soya, coconut milk or Oatley barista (I love their ice cream tho!) hazelnut milk is ok, I haven't tried rice or hemp etc

Try swapping your milk for oat milk it's quite sweet!

I started drinking chai tea for a while and I don't need any sugar in that.

Then when I went back onto normal tea, I needed less sugar in it.

I still have the end of a teaspoon of sugar though, I just don't enjoy it with none in