Foodie Tips

Coffee Alternatives That Taste Great

There are plenty of different alternatives to coffee, and plenty of reasons to ditch coffee altogether. Not only will coffee alternatives give you what you need, they omit what you don’t need. This means ingredients that give you the energy that is natural and long-lasting as opposed to the energy you get from coffee and other heavily caffeinated beverages, that leaves you jittery and bound to crash soon after. 

Tea 

There are several different kinds of tea out there that can be excellent substitutes for coffee. Whether you need something to energize you, warm you up, or just satisfy your taste buds, there are a ton of teas that can do the job just as well, if not better than coffee.

If you’re looking for energy, you might try chai tea. A standard size cup of chai tea contains about 33 percent the amount as the same size cup of coffee. This means you can get enough energy to wake yourself up, and leave the negative side effects behind. Chai tea typically contains cinnamon, which is a great source of natural energy. Some coffee beverages contain cinnamon and different flavored syrups. Not only are you drinking too much caffeine, but you’re also being loaded down with sugary ingredients that certainly aren’t helping you avoid a brutal mid-day crash. With chai tea, you get to taste so many delicious herbs and spices without any artificial sweeteners involved.

If you want a warm drink during a cold day, or a cold night for that matter, rooibos tea is a great option. It has little to no caffeine in it, and it has a natural sweetness, and no bitterness. Rooibos tea is frequently used to soothe infants who have colic and reduce inflammation in adults. Rooibos is calming, but not so much that you would become drowsy from having a cup. This is one you can enjoy during the day, or at night when you may have normally chosen decaffeinated coffee, which is still much less healthy than tea.

Golden Milk 

Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink made from milk and spices. You can use any kind of milk, whether you prefer plain old cow’s milk or plant-based milk such as almond milk or soy milk. This leaves the option open for people who have dairy sensitivities or prefer a vegan diet. After you choose your milk, the only thing you have to do is use some turmeric, which is where it gets its “golden” color, and then choose which spices you want to add to suit your taste. 

If gaining energy is the goal, you might want to choose spices like cinnamon or ginger, which are both good sources of energy. In the event that you prefer something a little sweeter, you could even add a small amount of raw sugar, brown sugar, or cocoa powder. Remember, sugar can cause you to experience a rapid depletion in energy mid-day, and it isn’t always the healthiest choice. Of course, sugar in moderation doesn’t usually hurt. As long as you are using a reasonable amount, you should still experience way better benefits from golden milk than you would from coffee.

Coffee Alternatives 

There are coffee alternatives you can buy that are made and ready for you to drink, in case you prefer not to experiment with teas and other drinks you aren’t used to making. It also helps when you aren’t sure which spices and herbs are best for your needs. Any brand of alternative you use will likely have a description on the package that will guide you to what you need, and away from what you don’t need. 

These alternatives are the same price, sometimes even cheaper than coffee, and they leave you feeling more natural and more healthy than a cup of coffee ever would. It’s worth the try to finally give your body exactly what helps.