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Kombucha
- If you’re looking to trade in your afternoon coffee for a more refreshing sip, reach for a can of kombucha. The fermented, fizzy beverage contains tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast. Think of it as a more nourishing form of soda with a subtle vinegar taste. The drink is also packed with probiotics to support gut health.
globalnews.ca/the-curator/10192057/best-coffee-alternatives/
Aug 11, 2023 · Instead of quitting that part of your morning routine, think about what to drink instead of coffee. From caffeinated teas to keep your energy up with nutrient-filled beverages, these drinks just might make you toss out your coffee pot for good.
- Overview
- 1. Chicory coffee
- 2. Matcha tea
- 3. Golden milk
- 4. Lemon water
- 5. Yerba mate
- 6. Chai tea
- 7. Rooibos tea
- 8. Apple cider vinegar
- 9. Kombucha
If you’re looking for a coffee alternative, try beverages such as matcha tea, chicory coffee, or rooibos tea. Some alternative options may even contain added health benefits.
Coffee is the go-to morning beverage for many, while others choose not to drink it for a host of reasons.
For some, the high amount of caffeine — 95 mg per serving — can cause nervousness and agitation, also known as “the jitters.” For others, coffee can cause digestive distress and headaches.
Many simply don’t care for the bitter taste or are bored with their usual morning cup of joe.
Like coffee beans, chicory root can be roasted, ground and brewed into a delicious hot beverage. It tastes very similar to coffee but is caffeine-free.
It is also a rich source of inulin. This soluble fiber may aid in digestion and support a healthy gut by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria — particularly Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli (1).
In addition, it can stimulate your liver to produce more bile, which may be beneficial for fat digestion (2).
Chicory root can be found pre-ground and roasted, so it’s easy to prepare. Simply brew it like regular coffee grounds — in a filter coffee maker, French press or espresso machine.
Use 2 tablespoons of grounds for every 6 ounces (180 ml) of water, or adjust this ratio based on your preferences.
You should avoid chicory root if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding since research on its safety under these circumstances is lacking (3).
Matcha is a type of green tea made by steaming, drying and grinding the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant into a fine powder.
In contrast to brewable green tea, you consume the whole leaf. For this reason, you’re getting a much more concentrated source of antioxidants — epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), in particular (4).
Many of the proposed benefits of matcha are attributed to EGCG. Studies suggest regular green tea consumption may reduce your risk of high blood pressure. These studies used green tea extracts, but the catechin content was similar to the amount found in a cup of matcha. (5).
Green tea has also been associated with reduced weight and body fat, as well as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (6, 7).
Matcha has a fresh flavor, which some describe as earthy.
To prepare:
Golden milk is a rich, caffeine-free substitute for coffee.
This warm beverage incorporates invigorating spices such as ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and black pepper. Other common additions include cardamom, vanilla and honey.
Besides giving your drink a beautiful golden color, turmeric may have powerful anti-inflammatory properties due to the potent chemical curcumin (9).
What’s more, black pepper increases your body’s ability to absorb curcumin, as does fat. Therefore, you may want to consider using whole milk versus fat-free for this drink (10).
You can prepare a basic golden milk in about 5 minutes. Here’s how:
1.In a saucepan, combine 1 cup (237 ml) of milk or a non-dairy alternative with 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger and a pinch of black pepper. Optionally, add honey to taste.
Switching up your morning beverage doesn’t have to be complicated. Lemon water is a great way to start your day.
It’s calorie- and caffeine-free and provides an ample dose of vitamin C.
As an antioxidant, vitamin C plays a role in your immune system and protects your skin from sun damage. It’s essential for creating collagen, a protein that provides the basic structure for your skin, tendons and ligaments (11, 12, 13).
Just one glass of lemon water — prepared by adding the juice of half a lemon (1 tablespoon or 15 ml) to 1 cup (237 ml) of cold water — provides 10% of your RDI for vitamin C (14, 15).
You can also add other fruits and herbs for a variety of flavors — cucumbers, mint, watermelon and basil are some popular options.
Summary
Yerba mate is a naturally caffeinated herbal tea made from the dried leaves of the South American holly tree, llex paraguriensis (16).
If you’re looking for a coffee substitute but don’t want to part with your morning caffeine, yerba mate is a good choice.
One cup (237 ml) contains roughly 78 to 80 mg of caffeine, which is similar to the caffeine content in an average cup of coffee (17).
Yerba mate is also loaded with beneficial plant compounds that act as antioxidants. In fact, some studies suggest it may have similar amounts of antioxidants as green tea (17).
Additionally, it contains several minerals and vitamins, including riboflavin, thiamine, phosphorus, iron, calcium and vitamins C and B6 (17).
It has an acquired taste, which can be described as bitter or smokey. In the traditional method, yerba mate is prepared in a yerba mate gourd and consumed through a metal straw, adding water as you drink it.
Chai tea is a type of black tea blended with strong herbs and spices.
Though it contains less caffeine (48 mg) than coffee, studies suggest that black tea may still improve mental alertness (20, 21, 22).
Black and green teas are both made from the Camellia sinensis plant, but black tea undergoes a fermentation process, which changes its chemical makeup. Both types seem to have powerful antioxidant properties (23).
Although more research is needed, some observational studies have linked drinking black tea in moderation (under 4 cups per day) with a lower risk of heart disease (24, 25, 26).
Besides its potential health benefits, chai tea has a robust flavor and comforting smell.
There are many recipes, but here is one simple way to prepare 2 cups from scratch:
Rooibos or red tea is a caffeine-free beverage that originated in South Africa.
Unlike coffee and other teas, rooibos is low in tannin antioxidants, which can be beneficial but also interfere with the absorption of iron (27, 28).
Despite a low tannin content, rooibos provides a substantial amount of other antioxidants (28).
Studies are extremely limited. One animal study suggests that rooibos may help protect against heart disease, while a test tube study found potential for reducing cancer risk (29, 30).
One human study from 2011 showed that consuming 6 cups of rooibos tea a day for 6 weeks resulted in an improved lipid profile (31).
Rooibos has a longer steep time than most teas and over-steeping does not result in a bitter taste. Instead, rooibos has a slightly sweet, fruity flavor.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is made by fermenting crushed apples using yeast and bacteria.
This process produces a compound called acetic acid, which may have beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels, according to some studies.
For example, in one 2019 trial of patients with type 2 diabetes, participants were randomly assigned to placebo or apple cider vinegar consumption (20 mL/day, which is equal to 1.35 tablespoons) for 8 weeks.
Those who took ACV had significantly lower fasting blood sugar levels and increased insulin sensitivity (32).
Although there is not yet much evidence, ACV may also increase feelings of fullness after meals and assist with modest weight loss (33, 34).
A basic AVC beverage combines 1–2 tablespoons of raw or unfiltered apple cider vinegar, 1 cup (237 ml) of cold water and optionally 1–2 tablespoons of honey or another preferred sweetener.
Kombucha is made by fermenting black tea with bacteria, yeast and sugar.
The fermentation process creates a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast, commonly referred to as a SCOBY.
After fermentation, kombucha contains probiotics, acetic acid and antioxidants — all of which may have health benefits (36, 37).
Animal and test-tube studies suggest that kombucha may boost your immune system, improve cholesterol levels and blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. However, the purported health benefits in humans are largely anecdotal (39, 40).
Overall, kombucha is not considered harmful for healthy people. What potential risks have been noted are related to the effects of its acidity on either digestion or metal containers it’s stored in. Individuals with pre-existing health conditions should avoid kombucha (41).
Summary
Nov 10, 2024 · Beam also offers Super Latte, a coffee alternative that delivers sustained energy with just one-third the caffeine content of traditional coffee, helping you to avoid the dreaded caffeine crash. Super Latte combines adaptogens, nootropics, and functional mushrooms to provide focused energy without the typical coffee jitters, reflecting the ...
Jan 9, 2024 · Kombucha. Kombucha is a fermented drink made from tea (sometimes black tea) that may offer benefits to your gut health. In particular, if the kombucha you’re drinking has caffeine, the content ...
Jan 1, 2024 · With a similar flavour profile to coffee (think nutty with a slightly bitter taste), chicory root is a worthy substitute for your typical morning brew. The plant is naturally caffeine free,...
Aug 19, 2020 · same caffeine boost as coffee. Depending on the quality and type, it’s possible! Black tea has about 25 to 110 mg of caffeine per serving compared to brewed coffee’s 102 to 200 mg.
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Jul 9, 2022 · Trying to cut back on coffee? Try these healthy coffee alternatives as recommended by nutrition experts, from natural teas to mushroom coffee, kombucha and more.
