Walk down the beverage aisle these days and it feels like every drink promises the same thing: energy. Usually that energy comes wrapped in a neon-colored can and enough sugar to power a small city. So when something different lands on the Run Oregon Test Kitchen counter, it’s worth a closer look.
This time it’s Tama Tea, a sparkling tea built around natural caffeine and a much simpler ingredient list than most of the “energy” drinks competing for attention.
What It Is
Tama Tea is essentially sparkling brewed tea with a caffeine boost. Instead of relying on artificial flavors or heavy sweeteners, the drink combines brewed green tea or yerba mate with fruit and herbs.
Each can delivers either 45 (in the green tea) or 120 (in the yerba mate) mg of caffeine, the latter of which lands roughly in the same range as a strong cup of coffee. The big difference compared to many canned energy drinks is what’s not in it: there’s no added sugar and very few calories, keeping things pretty straightforward.
It’s less “energy drink” and more like a fizzy iced tea that happens to wake you up a bit.
Taste & Texture
Unsurprisingly, the taste profile is something closer to a light, sparkling tea than a traditional energy drink. With no added sugar, the tea leads the flavor profile, while the fruit or herb ingredients provide subtle notes rather than sweetness. It’s pretty accessible and tea drinkers should really appreciate it.
Flavors
Tama offers several variations that mix tea with different fruit or herb pairings. Options in the yerba mate lineup include combinations such as:
- Ginger Maté
- Mint Maté
- Watermelon Maté
- Rosé Maté
For the green tea version, you get:
- Go Go Mango
- Lemo Lavender
- Peach Pear
Where It Fits for Runners
Tama Tea isn’t designed as a performance fuel. But, it could be a really solid option if you aren’t a coffee drinker – or just want something cooler to drink with a little bit of a pick me up – without going full Red Bull mode.
Where it could make sense is around the edges of your training day:
- Before a morning run or workout when you want caffeine but don’t feel like brewing coffee
- Midday pick-me-up when your legs (and brain) start dragging
- After a run when something cold and fizzy sounds better than another bottle of water
Bottom Line
Tama Tea takes a different approach from the usual energy drink formula. Instead of piling on sugar or artificial flavors, it sticks to tea, fruit, herbs, and caffeine.
It could be a nice option for runners who prefer clean, unsweetened drinks with a little caffeine boost rather than the typical sugar-heavy alternatives.