The 8 Best Teas for Runners Who Don’t Drink Coffee (Or Just Want to Mix It Up)

Caffeine is a known performance enhancer thanks to its ability to increase blood flow and give you an energy boost. See: Soccer players jumped higher and sprinted faster after drinking a sugar-free Red Bull, according to a PLoS One study. Skip the energy drink in favor of this tea from Republic of Tea’s high-caf line. It has more than double the caffeine (110mg per serving) as regular black tea, so beware if you’re not used to a buzz.

Looking for a little less of a jolt but still want a hit of caffeine? Try a classic Earl Grey tea, like this one from Harney & Sons. There’s a reason Queen Elizabeth drinks a similar cuppa every morning: Earl Grey is a black tea, which means it offers about 40mg of caffeine per cup. That’s less than coffee (about 100mg per cup) but more than most other varieties of tea (green tea has about 30mg). 

Tea-loving runners will really appreciate this hydration mix, which replenishes your electrolytes and energy stores, plus offers a hit of caffeine (16mg per serving) courtesy of matcha. Drink some before your workout or bring it with you during a long run.

This blend from Miss Tea has valerian, lavender, and chamomile, making it a relaxation-promoting triple threat. Sip it to zen out the day before a race, and be sure to linger on the lavender scent if you have a headache: Lavender therapy helped reduce migraines in a Journal of Herbal Medicine study.

Curcumin, a component of turmeric, has anti-inflammatory properties, which helps explain why the ingredient eased tendon inflammation in a Journal of Biological Chemistry study. (The study was done in a lab setting, so you’ll still want to see a PT if you’re dealing with an injury.)

There’s a reason your mom always gave you ginger ale for an upset stomach: Ginger has been used to treat stomach aches and nausea for centuries. This organic ginger tea, which also has a hit of pepper and Stevia for flavor, is worlds better than the fizzy stuff you had as a kid. Sip some when your run is cut short by GI issues. 

Matcha is basically a super strong green tea, meaning you get all the antioxidant benefits of green tea, and then some. Those benefits include less muscle damage after exercise and a reduced risk of catching the cold and flu—perks that should come in handy during a tough training cycle (and, you know, in regular life). Use this matcha powder to make a latte or add it to a smoothie.

You know that skimping on sleep can compromise your training (and your overall health), but that doesn’t make it any easier to up your Z’s if you’re tossing and turning at night. That’s where this chamomile tea comes in. Drink it daily as regular chamomile consumption might help you log higher quality shut-eye, according to a Complementary Therapies in Medicine study.