Alternatives to coffee – caffeine replacement ideas
Are you one of those who get pumped and kickstart your day with a cup of coffee? Welcome to the club, then. But if you’re not a fan of that hug in a mug, there are alternatives to coffee to perk up your morning routine.
We get it if you don’t want the occasional jitters, the afternoon rebound fatigue when caffeine levels drop down, and the slight palpitations. Caffeine alternatives are just sitting around the corner.
According to studies, 63% of American adults depend on caffeine for the instant buzz and effective wake-me-up. Not everyone loves coffee. If a cup of espresso or French roast in hand isn’t your typical day starter, there are caffeine replacements that promise to give you that same energy boost coffee does.
For every coffee lover, every drip on that coffee machine is a precious sight. Non-coffee lovers can get that same feeling with the alternatives to coffee.
What is a good substitute for coffee?
For some, they’re quite accustomed to drinking coffee in the morning. If you’re one to pass and rather skip that bitter taste, there are plenty of coffee alternatives – chocolate milk, juice shots, teas, and kombucha, all with health benefits to get you through the day. Here’s what’s on the top of our list for a good coffee substitute.
1. Matcha Tea
We’re sure you’ve seen a great deal of everything matcha, from teas to sweet delicacies. Matcha is a type of green tea that comes from a Camelia Sinensis plant. Unlike the usual English cup of tea where you brew or dip your tea bag on water, Matcha tea skips the stereotyping.
Matcha comes in powder form of dried and grinder leaves. It’s also chock full of amino acids that help in your brain’s cognitive skills.
You can never go wrong with this caffeine replacement as you get good heart benefits with every sip. It can also lower your blood sugar levels and helps prevent type 2 diabetes.
Get this. It’s also associated with weight loss and reduced body fat. Enjoy this on your cup with milk, hot or cold. Or you can opt to mix it with sparkling water, cocktails, or simply a straight shot.
2. Chicory coffee
Like coffee’s bitterness, chicory tastes the same sans caffeine. Rich with Inulin, it only differs from its source. While coffee comes from grounded beans, this one comes from grounded roots.
This can also be roasted and brewed the same as coffee. Recreate your mornings by using Chicory on your coffee maker, espresso machine, or French press.
Aside from its curing properties for enlarged livers, gout, and jaundice, Chicory root has a long history too. Egypt Sumerians have long used this for centuries as medicine. Just beware of those with birch pollen allergies or ragweed, as Chicory comes from dandelion root. This can trigger your allergies.
3. Yerba Mate
Whether you’re a regular coffee person and searching for alternatives to coffee, or you want a regular morning drink but don’t want caffeine, Yerba mate is a good substitute. It’s a herbal tea derived from the leaves of a South American holly tree.
Full-packed with antioxidants, it also contains vitamins and minerals like riboflavin, thiamine, phosphorus, iron, calcium, and vitamins C and E.
This coffee substitute is special in terms that its traditional method of preparation is one-of-a-kind. There’s a specialty gourd cup and metal straw with a flat opening. Then water is added while drinking it.
If you want that instant buzz before heading out in the morning, this has high caffeine content. Drinkers attest to this not causing any afternoon caffeine crash.
4. Kombucha
While others post this on their Instas, and you’ve seen posts from influencers, well, Kombucha hype is real. If you think this is just a new beverage you’d like to get a sip on, you got it wrong. This drink goes way back to 220 BC in China. It’s made of fermented black tea with bacteria, a yeast called Scoby, and sugar.
Scoby is probiotic and aids in regular digestion. Alongside Kombucha’s anti-inflammatory properties, it has folic acid, phytochemicals, and vitamin B proven to maintain a healthy liver and kidney. It can also help improve your memory and blood cell maintenance. Please take note that it has a lower dose of caffeine compared to coffee.
5. Golden Milk
Chugging down a glass of milk takes you back to your childhood. But as adults, you need an extra kick to start your day. This drink incorporates the use of turmeric, black pepper, and cinnamon.
Add honey for a more refreshing experience. Just make sure to use fat-free milk as black pepper can increase the body’s ability to absorb fat.
The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric are beneficial to your health. This healthy beverage with the right amount of kick is best served when warm.
6. Rooibos Tea
While a caffeine pour-over after rolling out of bed sounds enticing, Rooibos tea can do as well without the caffeine part. Unlike the usual tea and coffee, this has a quite low tannin antioxidant level that can alter your body’s iron absorption. Indulge in its morning boost while enjoying the health benefits of reducing cancer risk and protection from heart disease.
Rooibos tea originated from South Africa and is made by fermenting the leaves of a flowering shrub, Aspalathus linearis. Let your palates revel in a different flavor as this doesn’t have the same old bitterness of coffee. But instead, it has a tangy, slightly wet flavor. You can ditch your cup of coffee for a change.
7. Chai Tea
This black tea caffeine replacement is a great way to start your day. The presence of strong herbs and spices will kick your senses up in the morning or mid-day. With less caffeine, Chai Tea was proven by studies to keep your mind alert.
Black and green tea come from the same family tree and share the same antioxidant properties. The only difference is that the black tea goes through a fermentation process. A cup of this every day is also good for the heart as it can lower our risk of heart disease. It’s a good substitute, too, as the robust smell steaming from your mug will instantly give you that boost to get you through the day.
What can I drink to wake up instead of coffee?
Every waking day is a fight between you and your bed. As soon as you roll out of bed, you’re thinking of what to consume to perk you up instantly. If you’re worried about the gastro-intestinal or urinary effects of consuming caffeine long-term, there’s a hefty number of products out in the market you can choose from. Aside from the coffee alternatives you’ve read a few paragraphs ago, here are some other drinks that can boost your morning energy a notch higher.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Your eyes are still clear, and you’re reading this right. Unbelievable as it may seem, but ACV or Apple Cider Vinegar can give you a bit of a kick. They’re made of crushed apples that undergo fermentation with the use of yeast and bacteria.
While it sounds amusing to have vinegar for breakfast, it’s similar to consuming an apple, though this is just stronger due to the fermenting process. Thus, assuring to wake you up from dreamland. Consider the health benefits, too, as Acv aids in maintaining good blood sugar levels and blood pressure caused by the presence of acetic acid.
You might want to add it in diluted water first before drinking, as high levels of acetic acid might hurt your throat and can affect your teeth’ sensitivity.
Probiotic Drinks or Shots
Your source of probiotics usually comes from most of the food you eat like yogurt, Gouda cheese, fermented soybeans like Miso, sour pickles, kimchi, and sourdough bread.
But these days, food and drink producers make your life easier as they have produced probiotic drinks combined with other ingredients to help you get energized during the day. Some even produced shots that can amp up your energy level. Aside from the caffeine-like kick it can give you, they’re also beneficial to your digestive and immunity.
Dandelion Coffee
A lot like Matcha that can replace your normal cup of coffee. The coffee-like blend of Dandelion coffee will have you ditching coffee for good. Surprisingly, this type of tea is made from dandelion root, and some blends include roasted barley rye, sugar beet, and chicory root.
To coffee lovers who like their coffee on a lighter note, this one’s perfect as it’s less bitter and less acidic too. Please take note of its health benefits, too, as it also contains probiotics and antioxidants.
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Key Takeaway
Your morning sleepiness is a naturally occurring phenomenon in your everyday life. So whether your day starter is your normal cup of joe or you’d like to break the chain and go for the alternatives to coffee, the effect will pretty much be the same. You can’t just give up coffee, but you can try to alternate it with caffeine replacements.
