Hot drinks

What are considered hot drinks?
Tea and coffee. “Hot drinks [defined as tea and coffee] are not for the body.” (E.T. Benson, Ensign, May 1983).

To what does “tea” refer?

“I have heard it argued that tea and coffee are not mentioned therein; that is very true; but what were the people in the habit of taking as hot drinks when that revelation was given? Tea and coffee. We were not in the habit of drinking water very hot, but tea and coffee—the beverages in common use” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 182).

Tea as it is was consumed in the days of the early Saints, as it is today, was an infusion of the leaves, buds and internodes of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). Teas derived from this plant include black tea, green tea, oolong tea, congou tea, pekoe tea, orange pekoe tea and souchong tea. They are available under numerous brand and product names.

Are diet supplements that contain green tea against the Word of Wisdom
The Word of Wisdom specifically states hot drinks. It does not specify ingredients that make up those hot drinks. While many prophets since Brigham Young have clarified that hot drinks means tea and coffee, they have not said that the coffee bean or the tea leaves are in violation of the Word of Wisdom (or at least not so far as I can tell). However, that being said, iced tea is also against the Word of Wisdom, so it appears that the temperature of the drink is irrelevant. One interpretation of the hot drinks portion of the Word of Wisdom could specify only the drink form.

Are herbal teas against the Word of Wisdom?
Herbal teas are not infusions of parts of the tea plant. They are infusions of other herbs, fruits and flowers.

Is caffeine the reason tea and coffee restricted?
Not necessarily. The Lord has never said that we are to abstain from tea and coffee because of the caffeine. In fact, He has never said what the physical reason is. We are to abstain from them because it is a commandment and because they “are not for the body” (D&C 89:9).

Is decaffeinated tea or decaffeinated coffee fine to drink?
As above, caffeine has never been revealed as the reason why we are not to partake of tea and coffee. The revelation has only been interpreted as coffee and tea. Period.

Does tea include “iced tea”?
Iced tea is still an infusion of the plant mentioned above, except where the drink is derived from other sources (herbs, fruits and flowers).

Are cola drinks prohibited in the Word of Wisdom?
No. But leaders have encouraged us not to partake of them.

“With reference to cola drinks, the Church has never officially taken a position on this matter, but the leaders of the Church have advised, and we do now specifically advise, against the use of any drink containing harmful habit-forming drugs under circumstances that would result in acquiring the habit. Any beverage that contains ingredients harmful to the body should be avoided” (Priesthood Bulletin, Feb 1972).

Isn’t herbal tea just decaffeinated tea?
No. Herbal tea is not created from the tea plant.

Are all herbal teas then fine to drink without fear of breaking the Word of Wisdom?
No. Some do contain parts of the tea plant. Care should be taken when purchasing herbal teas to read the list of ingredients.

What about other hot drinks?
It has been said that drinking beverages of high temperatures can cause damage to the lining of the mouth, esophagus and stomach. However, “hot drinks” only refers to tea and coffee.

What were the people in the habit of taking as hot drinks when that revelation was given? Tea and coffee. We were not in the habit of drinking water very hot, but tea and coffee—the beverages in common use” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 182).

Is chocolate against the Word of Wisdom?

At no time has cocoa or chocolate been included in the prohibitions of the Word of Wisdom, and at no time has the Church said that cocoa is as harmful as coffee. Those who make these claims do so on their own responsibility, and obviously without knowing the facts of the matter (Elder Mark E. Peterson, Patterns for Living [Bookcraft, 1962], pp. 235-37).

Are tea tree oil products made from the same plant as green tea?
Tea tree oil is derived from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant. Tea is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant.

6 thoughts on “Hot drinks”

  1. This is a great page, especially your citations. However, I can’t help but notice that you didn’t cite what is arguably your most controversial implication: that some herbal teas be acceptable, per the Word of Wisdom. Can you provide a citation for your claim that “tea” refers exclusively to Camellia sinensis–containing drinks? Unless we can establish that, I don’t think we have the right to claim any kind of tea to be acceptable.

    So… any sources? Thanks.

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  3. Why didn’t God erase any ambiguity by simply saying tea and coffee instead of hot drinks? Does anyone really know through an historic record why Joseph Smith wrote the revelation as he did? Why hot drinks instead of a more clearly defined tea and coffee. Surely he knew how much better the understanding would be with the latter word usage. So, one wonders if he did not mean the actual drinking of hot drinks, as opposed to warm drinks, as was the custom in that time or culture to imbibed drinks that were extremely hot and whip the hot liquid, whatever it was, past your tongue and into your esophagus were it was not felt until it hit the stomach and then with a sincerely warming sensation (no central heat in those days). It would seem that Joseph Smith the prophet would know the imminent controversy that would arise through the unclear declaration that hot drinks are not for the bely, unless that is what he meant. Sure latter-day prophets have interpreted the Word of Wisdom since then, but no new revelation has ever been revealed or announced in that regard, and that tea and coffee are good drinks when used in moderation is an irrefutable truth, and God revealed the Word of Wisdom, much like the words that appear at times out of place in his translation of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith merely wrote the revelation down. I do believe God could have said coffee and tea.

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  5. I think I’m with “Jeff” on this one. When any of the follow up revelations were given what was the intention of the message? (I think we can only guess) I’ve always understood it to be the “ultra-rich” highly addictive black teas that were prevelant in the mid 1800′s, full of caffiene. Were the church memebers even drinking “white or green tea then–did they even know about it (still researching this myself)” In its truest sense the Camellia sinensis is an “herb” as well, to be used with wisdom..right? So I’ve understood the message to mean to obstain from any addictive, habitual forming stimulant. Avoiding mixed infusions with tea or even vitamins because it has green tea in it doesn’t seem to follow any wisdom that i can see. There seems to be a lot of different personal opinions from the prophets on this and it is very interesting. The only other General conference reference that I could find was from the 1851, sept meeting where they “called on all the sisters who will leave off the use of tea, coffee” ..to manifest it by raising the right hand. I see some other reference by apostels in the chruch but again they seem to reference their opinion not doctrine.

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  6. When any of the follow up revelations were given what was the intention of the message? (I think we can only guess)

    Guess? Every statement I have read seems pretty clear the intent is to clarify what “hot drinks” means.

    I’ve always understood it to be the “ultra-rich” highly addictive black teas that were prevelant in the mid 1800′s

    That’s entirely possible. Black tea is a traditionally Western drink, and converts of the early church came from primarily Western countries.

    In its truest sense the Camellia sinensis is an “herb” as well, to be used with wisdom..right?

    Sure. So is tobacco. And grapes are fruit. Yet tobacco and fermented grape juice are both prohibited.

    So I’ve understood the message to mean to obstain from any addictive, habitual forming stimulant.

    That is certainly one interpretation that some could infer by generalizations of the Word of Wisdom.

    Avoiding mixed infusions with tea or even vitamins because it has green tea in it doesn’t seem to follow any wisdom that i can see.

    There is a lot in the Word of Wisdom that doesn’t make sense if you view it solely as telling us how to be healthy. It tells us to not drink wine, yet wine is healthy for us. It tells us to eat meet only in times of winter, cold, and famine, yet lots of Mormons eat meat whenever they want and as often as they want. It tells us beer is okay, yet it is prohibited by current church leaders.

    If you view the Word of Wisdom as a law of health, which arguably it has been marketed to the saints as, then parts of it are not going to make sense. If you view it as similar to Jewish Kashrat and Islamic Halal or Haraam, then things become less problematic.

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