The Loaded Tea Shop: sugar-free loaded tea packets, flavours and how to mix them

The Loaded Tea Shop is a small Mississippi brand that sells loaded tea as powder in single-serve stick packets, so you can make the bright, ice-filled drinks from nutrition clubs at home. Each caffeinated packet holds 200 mg of caffeine from green tea, plus B vitamins and vitamins K2 and D3, with zero sugar and zero carbs, and the brand says one packet makes two 16 oz drinks. There are more than 40 flavours, most with a caffeine-free twin, and a single packet costs around $4.

This guide covers what loaded tea actually is, what the shop puts in its packets, how the caffeine compares with coffee, which flavours to start with, how to mix one properly and who should skip it. Everything below comes from the brand's own product pages and published information, checked in October 2026. We have not run lab tests, and we say so where a claim is the brand's rather than ours.

What is loaded tea?

Loaded tea is a caffeinated, brightly coloured, usually sugar-free drink served over a lot of ice in a big cup. Despite the name it behaves more like an energy drink than a cup of tea: the "tea" is often a concentrate or green tea extract, and the energy comes mostly from added caffeine.

The drink grew up in "nutrition clubs", small shops in the American South and Midwest that are often run by independent Herbalife distributors. A typical club recipe mixes a tea concentrate, an energy tablet, an aloe drink and sugar-free flavour syrups. News reports have put a standard club loaded tea at around 160 mg of caffeine, with some larger cups going much higher. Recipes vary from shop to shop, which is part of the appeal and part of the problem: it can be hard to know exactly what is in your cup.

Packet brands like The Loaded Tea Shop take that drink out of the club. You get one premeasured stick, a printed label and the same result every time, for less than most shops charge for a cup.

Who is behind The Loaded Tea Shop

The company was founded by Alicia, its president and CEO, and her husband Mark. In its own story, the pair got into loaded tea as Herbalife distributors in 2019, then left that model to build their own product. Alicia developed the formula in her home kitchen while looking after her children and her husband, who was recovering from major surgery. They tested several competing products before settling on what the brand describes as "a zero carb, zero calorie Loaded Tea formula that actually tasted amazing."

A few things the brand states about itself:

• Its packets are made in Mississippi and are third-party tested.
• It has grown without investors or debt.
• Orders ship within one to two business days, with free shipping on orders over $20.
• There is a 30-day money-back guarantee.
• It sells wholesale to shops and nutrition clubs and runs an ambassador programme.

The shop's stated mission is "to make wellness and energy fun and addictively delicious." That sums up the brand voice well: loud names, candy flavours, collectible packaging and a sense of humour, with a page titled "Who the heck are you people?" where most brands would put "About us".

What is in a packet

The shop lists the same core formula on its caffeinated packets:

The full ingredient panel for each flavour is published as an image on the shop's ingredients page, so read it for the sweetener, the exact vitamin amounts and any allergens. If you avoid particular sweeteners, or you are counting collagen or protein, the label is the place to check rather than any summary, including this one.

How much caffeine is in a loaded tea?

This is the number that matters most. A full packet holds 200 mg of caffeine. Mixed the way the brand suggests, as two 16 oz drinks, each drink has about 100 mg.

For context, EFSA and the FDA put the safe daily amount for most healthy adults at up to 400 mg, and EFSA suggests no more than 200 mg in one go. A full packet in one big cup sits right at that single-dose line. Two full packets a day, plus a coffee, takes you past the daily limit. Our guide to how much caffeine is too much has the full table and the advice on pregnancy and teenagers.

Because the caffeine comes as a measured amount in a sealed packet, you can actually do this maths, which is not true of most club drinks. That is the strongest practical argument for the packet format.

Is there a caffeine-free version?

Yes. Almost every flavour comes in a caffeine-free version at the same price, including the Loaded Legends. These are useful in the afternoon and evening, when caffeine is more likely to cost you sleep, and for anyone who simply likes the taste.

The flavours: where to start

The range runs to more than 40 flavours, and the names are half the fun. They fall into a few families.

The Loaded Legends. Seven limited, numbered flavours with the added 5 g of collagen and protein: Rocket Pop (#1), Strawberry Lemonade (#2), Cotton Candy (#3), Southern Strawberry Kiss (#4), Chillin' Cherry (#5), Green Apple Slime (#6) and Sour Blue Razz (#7). The shop calls Southern Strawberry Kiss "Jessica Simpson's flavor", and every Rocket Pop order helps feed a veteran through the charity Soldiers' Angels.

Candy shop. Built to taste like sweets you remember: Fruit Ribbon (fruit rollup), Orchard Candy (Fun Dip), Gummie Bear, Candy Crush, Lollipop and Cotton Candy.

Tropical. Bahama Mama (cherry limeade and pineapple), Miami Vice (piña colada and strawberry), Hawaiian Tropics, Coco Watermelon, Paradise Mango and Hello Sunshine (peach and pineapple).

Fresher and lighter. For anyone who finds candy flavours too much: Flower Power (citrus hibiscus and pear), Pear Fusion (green apple and pear), Sassy Sissy (strawberry with cucumber lime) and Watermelon Sugar.

Warm spice. A small autumn corner: Coley Roley (apple and cinnamon) and Cinna Burst (cinnamon with a cherry finish).

If you are new to loaded tea, a sensible path is one candy flavour, one tropical and one of the lighter fruit blends, so you learn which direction you like before buying a bundle. Be aware that most of the range is sweet by design. The shop's own review summary notes that some customers find certain flavours too sweet or slightly chalky, so the lighter blends are worth trying if you usually drink unsweetened tea.

How to mix a loaded tea at home

The packet does most of the work, but a few details make the drink taste like the shop version.

1. Fill a large cup, about 24 to 32 oz, right to the top with ice. Crushed or nugget ice is best.
2. Add half a packet for one 16 oz drink, or a whole packet if you are making two drinks or a large pitcher.
3. Pour in about 16 oz of cold water per half packet.
4. Stir or shake hard for 20 to 30 seconds, until there is no powder at the bottom.
5. Taste and adjust. Add water if it is too sweet; add a little more powder if it is too weak.
6. Finish with a squeeze of lime or a few pieces of fruit if you like.

A shaker bottle or a tumbler with a lid mixes the powder fastest. Our pick of the best water bottles includes options that work well for this.

Make it your own

• Sparkling: mix the powder in a little still water first, then top up with sparkling water so it does not foam over.
• Layered: make two flavours in separate glasses and pour the second slowly over the back of a spoon for the striped look from the clubs.
• Iced tea base: use cold-brewed green or hibiscus tea instead of water for a more tea-like drink. This adds a little caffeine with green tea, none with hibiscus.
• Slush: blend the mixed drink with extra ice.

Prices and bundles

Because one packet makes two 16 oz drinks, a bundle works out at roughly $1.50 a drink. That is much cheaper than a nutrition club cup or a café iced drink, and in the same range as a can of energy drink. Prices change and the shop runs regular discount codes, so check the current price before you order.

The Loaded Bucket Bundle is clearly the gift option: alongside 24 packets it includes a Flavor Passport for stamping each flavour you try, a welcome booklet and a sticker. The shop also sells collectible plushies of its "Cuppies" mascots, which tells you who the brand is talking to: people who treat their daily drink as a small pleasure and a bit of a collection.

Our picks to start with

Best first flavour: Rocket Pop

Around $4 a packet

The brand's flagship and the flavour most people try first. If you like it, the Legends bundle below is the cheapest way to try the rest of the series.

What we like

• Cherry, blue raspberry and limeade, a familiar popsicle taste
• 5 g collagen and protein
• Comes caffeine-free too
• Orders help feed veterans through Soldiers' Angels

Keep in mind

• A limited Loaded Legend, so it may not stay in stock
• Candy-sweet

Check price at The Loaded Tea Shop

Best value: 20 Legendary Favorites Bundle

Around $60 for 20 packets

Chillin' Cherry, Southern Strawberry Kiss, Cotton Candy, Sour Blue Razz and Green Apple Slime in one box. It suits someone who already knows they like loaded tea.

What we like

• Five Loaded Legend flavours, four of each
• Works out around $3 a packet, about $1.50 a drink
• Every packet has 5 g collagen and protein

Keep in mind

• 20 packets of 200 mg caffeine is a lot to keep in the cupboard if you share a home with teenagers
• All candy-style flavours

Check price at The Loaded Tea Shop

Best for evenings: 20 Legendary Caffeine-Free Bundle

Around $60 for 20 packets

A good pick if you drink loaded tea mostly for the taste, or want something for the afternoon after your morning coffee.

What we like

• The same five Legend flavours without caffeine
• Zero sugar and zero carbs
• A sweet treat that will not affect your sleep

Keep in mind

• No energy boost, if that is what you are after
• Still very sweet

Check price at The Loaded Tea Shop

Best gift: The Loaded Bucket Bundle

Around $72 for 24 packets

The most fun way to try the range, and an easy present for anyone who already has a loaded tea habit.

What we like

• 24 mystery flavours, including every Loaded Legend
• A bucket with a lid and straw to mix in
• Flavor Passport and welcome booklet included

Keep in mind

• Mystery flavours mean you cannot pick
• Limited stock

Check price at The Loaded Tea Shop

Is loaded tea healthy?

It depends on what you are comparing it with. Against a large regular soda, a sweet coffee-shop frappé or a sugary energy drink, a zero-sugar loaded tea is an easy swap: our guide to sugar in drinks shows how much those can hold. And because it is mostly water poured over ice, it does count towards your daily fluids, which our guide to how much water you need covers.

But a loaded tea is a caffeinated soft drink, not a health drink. Keep these points in mind:

• Caffeine is the main effect. The energy comes from caffeine. Vitamins and collagen are extras, and most people eating a varied diet already get enough B vitamins.
• Watch the total across the day. One full packet, a coffee and a cola can add up to more than 400 mg quickly.
• Claims about weight loss and metabolism are not proven. Nutrition clubs have often sold loaded tea as a weight-loss aid. The Loaded Tea Shop markets its drinks on taste, energy and fun, and that is the fair way to see them.
• Sweet tastes keep sweet cravings going for some people, even without sugar. If you are trying to drink less sweet stuff overall, mix the packet with more water or alternate with plain iced green tea.

If you want energy without much caffeine at all, our guide to beating the afternoon slump covers light, sleep and food first.

Questions people ask

Is The Loaded Tea Shop the same as Herbalife loaded tea?

No. The founders began as Herbalife distributors but now make their own product. Herbalife-based club drinks are mixed in the shop from several products; The Loaded Tea Shop sells a single premixed powder in a packet.

How many loaded teas can I have a day?

With the caffeinated packets, one full packet (200 mg) is half of the 400 mg daily limit EFSA and the FDA give for most healthy adults. Mixed as two drinks, that is two 16 oz loaded teas. Count any coffee, tea or energy drinks you have on the same day, and use the caffeine-free versions after that.

Does loaded tea have sugar?

The Loaded Tea Shop's packets have zero sugar and zero carbs, according to the brand. They are sweetened, so check the ingredient panel on the shop's ingredients page if you want to know which sweetener a flavour uses.

Is loaded tea safe for teenagers?

Caffeinated loaded tea is not a good choice for children or young teenagers. EFSA suggests about 3 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight a day for under-18s, so 200 mg is more than a full day's amount for many of them. The caffeine-free packets are the better option.

Where is The Loaded Tea Shop based?

The packets are made in Mississippi, according to the brand, and orders ship from the US. The shop sells online through its own website and supplies shops and nutrition clubs through its wholesale programme.

Can I drink loaded tea hot?

The drinks are designed to be served cold over ice, and the candy flavours are best that way. The two cinnamon flavours, Coley Roley and Cinna Burst, are the ones most likely to work warm, but the brand does not give directions for hot drinks.

The bottom line

The Loaded Tea Shop does one thing well: it takes the loaded tea from nutrition clubs, makes it consistent and easy to measure, and wraps it in a brand that is genuinely fun. You know exactly how much caffeine is in each packet, there is no sugar, and at around $1.50 a drink in a bundle it costs a fraction of a club cup. Start with a few single flavours, split each packet into two drinks, and keep the caffeine-free versions for after lunch.

Browse all The Loaded Tea Shop flavours

Photograph: AI-generated image

Filed under loaded tea, energy drinks, caffeine, sugar-free drinks, the loaded tea shop.