Failsafe Teas

For those who are tea or coffee drinkers when starting on the the Failsafe diet, it is one thing that is dearly missed and replacements have been hard to find. Tea and coffee are listed as high salicylates and herbal teas as very high salicylates. Decaf coffee has been the only saving grace up until now, hopefully one of the options below will save your sanity!

Elise shared on the Failsafe Facebook groups some teas that she has tried using suitable failsafe ingredients. Unfortunately it was discovered that those particular teas became moderate salicylates when roasted, buckwheat and barley.

So, I am exploring a few different types of teas that all use suitable failsafe ingredients. I have included the ones down the bottom that are moderate salicylates for those that can tolerate it.

The health benefits that are listed along with each tea, makes it definitely worth incorporating into your diet regularly. To sweeten any of the teas (if you need to), use sugar,  rice malt syrup, brown sugar, maple syrup or golden syrup which are all failsafe ingredients. Most of these recipes can be consumed either as a hot drink or as a refreshing cold tea.

The teas I have found so far are:

Black Soybean Tea
Saffron Tea
Brown Sugar Milk (Boba or Bubble Tea)
Sobacha Tea | Buckwheat Tea (moderate salicylates)
Bori-Cha | Korean Barley Tea (moderate salicylates)
Genmaicha| White or Brown Rice Tea (moderate salicylates)
Saffron Pear Iced Tea

 

Black Soybean Tea

I made this tea myself and really like it. Roasted chickpeas are suitable for failsafe, so I am assuming that black soybeans are too (but please don’t quote me! Doing your own test to figure out whether you get reactions or not is advisable). I can not find any info in the new RPAH Friendly Food book to clarify.

A Japanese black soybean tea or kuromame tea has great health benefits. Anti aging, Disease Prevention, Weight Loss, Caffeine-Free and Hormone Regulator. You can make your own, not endorsing to buy this tea on this link, but read more about it’s benefits here:  [read more].

Method:

♦  Place 100g black soybeans into a pan and dry roast until the skins start to split. Don’t roast for too long or they will end up burnt, changing the flavour of the tea.
♦  Boil kettle.
♦  Place roasted soybeans into teapot and pour boiling water over to seep for a few minutes.
♦  Serve as either a hot or cold drink.

Here is another method to make black soybean tea, although a bit more fiddly.

 

Saffron Tea

“The spice is very costly; it features a deep orange colour along with a metallic honey taste with grassy or even hay-like notes. It really is utilized to provide taste as well as colour to numerous dishes, pastries, cakes, as well as liqueurs. Additionally, it is usually utilized as a dye”.

Recipe Link: Overcome Depression & Survive – Saffron Tea

There are numerous health benefits of consuming Saffron tea:

• Menstruation relief
• Depression
• Anti-Cancer Properties
• Heart Diseases
• Stomach pains
• High Blood Pressure
• Aphrodisiac
• Eyesight Protection
• Colds and Respiratory Diseases

Read more:  Health Benefits of Saffron Tea   and also here:  Saffron Tea And Its Benefits

 

Brown Sugar Milk (Boba or Bubble Tea)

“There are many flavourings for boba or bubble tea, but brown sugar milk is an all-time favourite. Originating in Taiwan, boba is a refreshing sweet tea beverage with dairy and chewy tapioca pearls. Curiously, the brown sugar milk comes with a twist—there’s no actual tea in it, so it’s suitable for kids or people who can’t have caffeinated beverages”.

Recipe Link: The Spruce Eats –  Brown Sugar Milk (Boba or Bubble Tea)

You can also make your own Homemade Boba ‘Tapioca Pearls’    * note that the mention of using sweet butterfly pea flower and lavender coconut milk as variations in the recipe are not suitable for the failsafe diet.

 

Sobacha Tea | Buckwheat Tea (moderate salicylates)

 

“I drank sobacha tonight, which is tea brewed from roasted buckwheat kernels and it fills the gaping tea hole in my life!! To me, it tastes nutty, roasted, a bit like genmaichai, the green tea with rice puffs in it but without any of the bitterness of green tea. I mean yes, I like a good cafe style decaf but I really really missed tea, and I mean really missed it.

And all you do is stir the groats over a medium flame for a few minutes till they brown, don’t let them burn. Steep about 2 tbsp in a teapot, for 2 cups I think, also you can eat them once you’ve used them for tea in the next morning in your porridge.
I’m so happy I could cry.”

 

Health benefits:

• Helps in managing diabetes (reduce the concentration of glucose in the body)
• Helps in the immune system (high in various antioxidants and vitamins)
• Aids in digestion (antioxidant improves digestive function, eliminate bloating and constipation)
• Improves heart health (lower levels of blood pressure and cholesterol count)
• Prevents kidney problems (antioxidants slow the progression of the condition)
• Reduce the risk of cancer (help defend against cellular mutation and the spread of cancer)
• Promotes weight loss (low in calories, stimulate metabolism, eliminate water weight)

Recipe Link Just One Cookbook: Buckwheat Tea (Sobacha) そば茶

 

 

Bori-Cha | Korean Barley Tea (moderate salicylates)

Barley tea has its origin from East-Asia and is famous in Japan, China and Korea. It is a simple tea concoction made with toasted barley and water. It is called ‘Bori-cha’ in Korea, ‘Damai-cha’ in China and ‘Mugi-cha’ in Japan. This Korean Barley Tea can be served either warm or cold based on your liking. Bori-Cha can be drunk as is or with some milk.

Barley has many health benefits. It contains antioxidants that helps fight inflammation. It is caffeine free and helps in digestion and over all Gastrointestinal health. The flavour of the Bori-cha was quite nutty with a slight bitter undertone.

Recipe link and to read more: My Cooking Journey  (leave out lemon garnish for failsafe)

Another Recipe: The Spruce Eats – Korean Barley Tea (Bori Cha)

12 Proven Health Benefits of Barley Tea

 

 

Genmaicha or Rice Tea (moderate salicylates)

“Genmaicha (called hyeonmi cha in Korean) is a variation of Japanese green tea that incorporates toasted brown rice into the steeping process. The tea’s flavour is strong and distinctly nutty, and is just as delicious cold as it is hot.”

Recipe Link: Wikki How – Brown Rice Tea

Recipe Link:  Global Table Adventure – Burnt (white) Rice Tea | Ranovola

 

Saffron Pear Iced Tea

“This Saffron & Pear Tea is spicy, sweet and invigorating. It does have an intense saffron flavor, so only make it if you like saffron! Want to make this into a flavorful cocktail? Add a shot of vodka!”

Recipe Link: One Green Planet – Saffron Pear Iced Tea [Vegan]