Our culture runs on coffee.

Literally.

 It’s what keeps us humans going throughout our busy days of commutes, meetings, errands, and just all that life stuff.

Isn’t the coffee buzz great? I feel unstoppable, my mood is cheery, and productivity soars! And that scrumptious aroma and rich flavor? TO DIE FOR.

Sadly coffee, while amazing, comes with some cons. The caffeine in coffee stimulates our adrenal glands. This means every time we drink a cup, we’re putting our body in a fight-or-flight response.

Dang, so that’s where all the energy comes from, I’m preparing to run away from a saber tooth tiger.

Legit.

But no, actually this is bad. Your body isn’t releasing adrenaline in preparation for a true stressor (like Mr. Saber Tooth), but in response to coffee.

Overtime, your adrenal glands start to burn out from overuse, known as adrenal fatigue.

Yikes.

I mean, how many cups of coffee have we consumed in our lives, most of us on the daily?

I’m not saying anyone needs to eliminate coffee from their diet completely, but may I suggest swapping out the ‘ol cup of joe every now and then for some healthy alternatives?

I’m making it easy for you, next time you want to reach for the magic beans, try one of these:

1. Matcha

Can’t. Get. Enough.

A japaneese tea with 10 times the nutrient and antioxidant power of green tea, this drink is so beneficial for your body. Plus it has fiber and chlorophyll! Chlorophyll prevents anemia and strengthens our organs.

You’ve probably seen an IG story of mine with a view of my desk and a cup of foresty matcha quietly steaming to the side of my laptop. I make it almost daily.

How does one make this rather earthy tea taste delicious? Blend any milk alternative (like almond or coconut milk) and an organic sweeter of your choice (honey, stevia, maple syrup) for a frothy matcha latte that’s sweet to the taste 🙂

The pop of green in your mug is just so Insta-worthy too.

 

2. Teecino Tea

OK, this brand of tea makes a few brews that LEGIT taste like coffee. You may have seen me bragging on them on IG stories.

It’s a dark tea with an amazing aroma. I drink their dandelion caramel nut blend and just squirm with joy at my desk over each cup (can you see me squirming with joy? Is that a weird visual?).

The best part? You can drink it allll day every day as it’s caffeine free!

3. Water diffused with fruit.

Drinking enough water is crucial in keeping us humans alert and productive. Feeling sluggish? You may very well just be dehydrated.

Infuse your water with fruit for added flavor (water is a little boring on its own in my personal opinion).

They sell water bottles with built in diffusers, just insert your fruit of choice! OR add a slice of lemon. Lemon has amazing benefits for digestion and energy levels.

I drink hot lemon water every morning 🙂

 

4. Cacao Smoothie

Get the rich, slightly bitter taste of coffee in a smoothie! Add a few scoops of this superfood to your regular smoothie. Just make sure you don’t have any really overpowering ingredients that might mask the cacao flavor.

I like to do this concoction:

1/2 cup Coconut Yogurt (or regular yogurt)

2/3 cup Coconut Milk (or almond milk)

Hand-full of Spinach

Two tablespoons of Cacao

Organic Stevia (essential in turning the bitter cacao into bliss)

2-3 large Ice cubes

Blend to perfection!

 

5. Chai Tea

This tea’s rich, smooth, creamy flavor resembles that of coffee, but packs HALF the caffeine. Enjoy a little energy boost without going cray.

Mix with milk and honey for a decadent treat. Starbucks sells these and they are perhaps the closest alternative to coffee as far as taste, texture, and energy boost.

OK, which of these 5 coffee alternatives are you digging? Have your own? Please share below in the comments!

I love giving you guys tips! Talk soon.

XO