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Original poster

I can't get used to tea without sugar

43 replies

CannibalPanda · 17/07/2020 18:51

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 Sad

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?

OP posts:
Dontsayyouloveme · 17/07/2020 18:53

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! ☕️

dementedpixie · 17/07/2020 18:53

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

JaJaDingDong · 17/07/2020 18:53

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.

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General food
Babdoc · 17/07/2020 18:56

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

weareyoung · 17/07/2020 19:03

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

GracieLane · 17/07/2020 19:07

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

40somethingJBJ · 17/07/2020 19:08

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.

justanotherneighinparadise · 17/07/2020 19:09

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.

DrDavidBanner · 17/07/2020 19:11

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 Confused. 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.

NataliaOsipova · 17/07/2020 19:11

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!

StandardPoodle · 17/07/2020 19:12

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!).

VanillaFrais · 17/07/2020 19:19

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.

PinkSubscriber · 17/07/2020 19:20

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

daisypond · 17/07/2020 19:22

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.

PlatinumBrunette · 17/07/2020 19:25

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.

BambooWhoosh · 17/07/2020 19:26

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

CleanHankie · 17/07/2020 19:32

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

PerditaNitt · 17/07/2020 19:33

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!)

Original poster
CannibalPanda · 17/07/2020 19:34

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!

OP posts:
daisypond · 17/07/2020 19:35

@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.
Teaandcustardcream · 17/07/2020 19:36

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.

PigletJohn · 17/07/2020 19:38

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)

Aria20 · 17/07/2020 19:39

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

ItsSpittingEverybodyIn · 17/07/2020 19:42

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

Grapesoda7 · 17/07/2020 19:42

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