Substitute for Coffee

There is a multitude of reasons someone axes coffee off the daily chopping block. For one, it’s expensive.

Have you calculated just how much you spend on a coffee a week?

We don’t know you like that- so we won’t tell you. But we can guarantee you’ll be surprised by the number.

Two, you get a jittery caffeine high that hits right when you’re scrolling through Instagram.

It’s a scattered haze of IG stories and different polls, pictures of people you don’t know doing yoga in Bali, and other ways people are glamorizing a stay-at-home order.

You want to do something like that! You keep scrolling, promising only five more minutes. You hop off, log online to start your day, and that caffeine drive has fizzled into an agitated haze.

As the day goes on you pour another cup to push you from project to project, to rocket finish a deadline, or just to feel something. And as you lie in bed, sleepless from the backlog of caffeine, you think- this is it.

I’m cutting out coffee. But least we forget that a cup of joe brings a cozy feeling of comfort as you crawl from your warm bed into a cold room?

Is there any way to substitute coffee for real this time?

The trick is to find a way to match coffee’s comforting warmth, it’s specific viscosity, and/or replicate it’s signature flavor (so either like, the taste of coffee or cream and sugar with a side of coffee- no judgment.)

Here’s the Tea(s.)

Here’s the Tea

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Tea is the first step here. If it’s a hot beverage you miss then the tea is an excellent replacement.

If you’re a pour-over person (again, no judgment) tea can replicate a similar style ritual. Creating a perfect cup of tea can be just as precise and pretentious as measuring out your freshly grained beans.

Keep in mind that transitioning away from caffeine can be hard on some folks. Our bodies become reliant on the stuff, so it’s a good thing that it can be sourced from other alternatives.

The average cup of coffee, 8 ounces, has about 95 to 165 milligrams of caffeine per serving. It takes about three cups of green tea to accomplish the same consumption.

Okay, so adjust our perspective- it takes three cups to reach the same level of buzz but that means you get even more hot beverage all day without the crash.

And realistically, your body will adjust to the decrease in caffeine. Green tea, for example, is rich in antioxidants that flush out your system, hydrate the body, and increase the vitality of the mind.  Without the afternoon crash that causes you to reach for another cup of joe.

If green tea on its own is a bit too much like drinking water and you’re looking to up the spectacle of the morning cuppa ritual- invest in some high-quality matcha tea.

If you’ve never had matcha before it may take some time to adjust to the taste. It’s very earthy and grassy in nature but, like kombucha, this stuff will grow on ya.

Matcha, with the right tools, perfectly replaces your daily latte. It’s frothy and thick, reaching coffee-like viscosity, and you can sweeten it with various sweeteners- honey, agave, vanilla, or even maple syrup (eh?)

Getting creative with your milk-additive can change the texture and flavor. You can source about 40 milligrams of clean, long-lasting caffeine from a single cup.

It takes a little time, effort, and a lot of heart to leave coffee behind. What was once a daily comfort can be replaced and, at the end of the day, you’ll be grateful for it. It just takes one small step to create a ripple of change in your daily life. Start with coffee.

About The Author:

Mike is a health editor with a degree in Journalism and Social Communications, currently writing for several USA & UK publications. He is specialized in articles around health tips, workout plans, and other nutrition-related topics. His main aim is to help health charities to raise awareness on campaigns about misunderstood or commonly misdiagnosed conditions.

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