For many, coffee not only helps you get out of bed, but is a ritual in itself. Taking a moment for yourself while you mentally prepare to take on another day. The caffeine enters your bloodstream and gives you a jolt of energy (until the inevitable crash). This moment might be the calmest your day will be. While coffee gets the job done, you might want to decrease or eliminate coffee for several different reasons.
Just as almost everyone has a different coffee order and can be very specific with that said order, play around with these coffee alternative ideas until you find a way that you enjoy. You may have to do some trial and error, as the taste or consistency with these coffee alternatives might not be what you’re used to.
Try different creamers, test different brands, and try them hot or iced to find your perfect coffee alternative order. If you’re a black coffee drinker, you might notice differences in taste. If you typically spice up your coffee with sweeteners, milks, or spices like cinnamon, the difference will be less noticeable.
Why Give Up Coffee?
Better Sleep-
Consuming coffee throughout the day or near bedtime can potentially make it harder for you to fall and stay asleep. Your brain has adenosine receptors that bind together and cause you to feel drowsy. Caffeine blocks these receptors, causing you to feel alert, similar to how blue light from your phone blocks melatonin production. By reducing or eliminating caffeine, you’ll allow your adenosine receptors to put you to bed sooner.
Dependence-
Not everyone loves the idea of being dependent on a substance to function. While coffee and caffeine sources are widely accepted in the world, and are not as harmful as others, they are still classified as a psychoactive stimulant. You may not want to rely on caffeine to get through your morning. Maybe you’d like to take a break just to know you can survive without it. Cutting back on caffeine may leave you with withdrawal symptoms like headaches for a few days while your body adjusts.
Anxiety-
You might notice an uptick in your anxiety levels when coffee or high levels of caffeine are consumed. Racing heartbeat, jitters, and negative thinking spirals can occur after caffeine is ingested. For some, the taste and alertness that caffeine can bring aren’t worth the unwanted side effects.
Skin Health-
Coffee is a diuretic, which leads to more frequent urination, which dehydrates you. If you already have dry skin or skin conditions like eczema or rosacea, it can potentially worsen your symptoms.
Coffee Alternatives-
1. Golden Milk-
Golden milk, aka (turmeric milk or haldi milk), is to an Indian household what chicken soup is to an American household. However, the recipes you see have been slightly altered and Westernized. It’s full of good-for-you antioxidant and anti-inflammatory spices like ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric. It’s inexpensive to make and feels like drinking a warm hug. Drink this ayurvedic blend anytime you feel a sickness coming on or when you want a comforting mug of tasty and healthy goodness.
Golden Milk Recipe
- 1 cup milk or nondairy milk
- ½ ground or fresh ginger
- ½ ground or fresh turmeric
- ¼ tsp of cinnamon
- 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Whisk together and let simmer for 10 minutes
2. Decaf Coffee-
One of the favourite coffee alternatives when switching over from regular coffee is decaf. Short for decaffeinated, the beans have most of their caffeine removed before the roasting process. Decaf will still have around 2-15mg of caffeine per cup, but that is way less than its alternative. If you drink several coffees per day and are trying to ease into a decaffeinated life, switch one of your cups from regular to decaf to get your body and mind adjusted.
3. Matcha-
Matcha is made of shade-grown Japanese green tea leaves. This production method gives matcha a deep green colour and umami flavour. Matcha contains l-theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation while increasing focus levels. A standard cup of matcha might have around 70mg of caffeine, while the average cup of coffee has around 100-140mg of caffeine.
While matcha still contains caffeine, it’s released into your bloodstream more slowly so that you don’t feel the dreaded caffeine crash and have more sustained energy throughout the day without the typical jitters and anxiety.
4. Chicory Coffee-
If you enjoy coffee more for the taste as opposed to the caffeine boost, then chicory coffee may be the perfect sub for you. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a flower native to Europe. Its roots are dried out and ground into a fine powder. It has a similar nuttiness and richness to coffee, even though it’s 100% caffeine-free. It even contains prebiotic fiber, which can positively benefit gut health.
If you’re not super dependent on caffeine, chicory would be easy to jazz up to make your favourite lattes or fancy coffee drinks. You can also mix it with regular coffee if you’d like to lessen your caffeine intake. Chicory is not recommended for pregnant women.
5. Masala Chai-
Masala chai or chai tea is a form of black tea fragrant with healthy spices like ginger, cardamom, black pepper, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon. It can be made with hot water and or milk and with or without a sweetener like honey. Chai is common in India and has less caffeine than coffee, around 30-70mg per cup. It’s perfect if you’re looking to enjoy a spiced, warm, and comforting beverage. Chai tea lattes are increasingly popular, so swap your regular brew for one the next time you visit your local coffee shop.
6. Cacao-
Ceremonial grade cacao might not replace your daily morning cup, but it can be a nice addition to incorporate occasionally. Cacao has only 10-25mg of caffeine, yet it has theobromine, which produces a soothing and stimulating effect. Read our post here about how to host your own ceremonial cacao ceremony to open and heal your heart.
7. Mushroom Coffee-
If you haven’t yet heard of or tried mushroom coffee, you might be thinking… “huh?” Don’t worry, it’s less weird than it sounds. Functional mushrooms like chaga, reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, and turkey tail are the most common and beloved adaptogens known to boost mood, reduce stress, and improve cognitive ability.
These mushrooms are dried and turned into mushroom powder, which is then added to instant coffee. Mushroom coffee will still have caffeine around 45-90mg per cup, but this way you can reduce your caffeine intake without giving it up completely. This can become one of your fav coffee alternatives if you have extra cash and are willing to test out different brands to find one you like and see if you notice any positive improvements.
8. Yerba Mate-
Yerba Mate, or simply known as mate, is a South American tea made from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant. It can be prepared as a hot or cold version. This drink is rich in antioxidants, and gives you a boost of energy and a potential mood boost without the harsh crash effect typical of coffee.
It’s believed that drinking yerba mate in large amounts over a long period of time can increase the risk of certain types of cancers, so drink in moderation. While the caffeine amount can be similar to coffee, depending on how it’s prepared, it will be released more slowly, giving a smoother, stimulating effect.
9. Dandelion Tea-
Another completely caffeine-free beverage is dandelion tea. Your favourite weed you used to pick as a child comes to make its full circle moment in your adult life. Here, the roots of dandelions are roasted and dried out into a powdery consistency. Add hot water and whatever other additions you enjoy, and boom. This beverage also has a similar taste and roastiness to traditional coffee. Dandelion roots also contain prebiotic fiber inulin, which is helpful for your digestive system. Dandelion tea is a great alternative to coffee if you’re not super reliant on caffeine.
Final Thoughts-
If you’re a coffee consumer and experience anxiety, jitters, heavy crashes during the day, poor sleep, or dehydrated skin, you may want to consider some other alternatives. If you still need a caffeine boost that can give you a smoother, stimulating effect, reach for Yerba Mate, matcha, masala chai, or mushroom coffee.
Do you like the ritual of having a cup of coffee more than anything? Hosting your own cacao ceremony might be just what you’re looking for. When you’re ready to go completely caffeine-free free chicory coffee and dandelion tea can bring you a similar taste to coffee without any stimulating effects. Golden milk is another caffeine-free beverage that is comforting and full of health benefits.
Whether you’re looking to reduce or cut off your caffeine intake completely, these are the tried and true best options. Try these 9 coffee alternatives for yourself to see what the buzz is all about.
