Have you ever had herbal coffee? For people who are extremely sensitive to caffeine, to the point where even decaf is intolerable, or those who have sensitive stomachs and cannot drink the brew without discomfort, there are several faux coffee products on the market. The Miami Herald conducted a brief tasting of four easily available versions of the herbal brew, each of which is intended to look and taste similar to coffee. The emphasis is on the word similar, since they consist of ingredients such as barley, rye, chicory, wheat, beets, figs and chicory. Their reactions:
- Pero - glossy black with a faint, unsatisfying taste that was described as "elusive," even when brewed at double strength
- Cafix - tasted "roastier and more coffee-esque" than Pero, which isn't saying all that much. Its main claim to fame is that it gives you coffee breath.
- Postum - "Grim."
- Teeccino - available at Whole Foods, this drink is brewed (not instant, like the others) and comes in flavors like "Amaretto Almond" and "Hazelnut." Overall, it was the most similar to real coffee and the most worth drinking.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-11-2006 @ 12:20PM
MJ said...
Sounds nasty! If it is anything like herbal tea...just drink the real thing or forget it! Like diet sodas..........Give me the real thing or drink water people!!!
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8-11-2006 @ 12:52PM
T. Allen said...
I have actually tried Teecino. It truly is pretty good stuff. And MJ, sometimes water just doesn't cut it. Nor do I care for herbal tea. When you've been a coffee drinker for years, but for health reasons can no longer have coffee, Teecino is the best alternative. The others are pretty grim.
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8-11-2006 @ 3:33PM
cybele said...
I've become a recent fan of Barley Lattes (unsweetened). I was getting them at a place called Zen Zoo around the corner from Amoeba Music.
http://blogging.la/archives/2005/05/just_around_the_corner.phtml
But then again, I also like Postum and Ovaltine.
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8-11-2006 @ 3:41PM
Brotherhood of the Bean said...
I am curious if this sensitivity that the people are experiencing is more from the acid in coffee than the caffeine. Is so, cold brewing of decaffeinated coffee can reduce acid by as much as 66%.
There is a recipe on my blog for cold brew if interested in learning more. For me, I am going to start away from herbal coffee like the plague. Ciao.
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