Several years ago I was told that my adrenal system was pretty out of whack and I should consider giving up coffee due to the caffeine. My immediate reaction was ‘no way’ because I LOVE coffee. But in an effort to improve my overall health, I decided that I should really try giving up my morning (and mid-morning and afternoon) coffee addiction.
Besides just really loving coffee, I enjoy getting up early before anyone else in the house and sitting with a warm cup of coffee, and putting my whole life together before things kick into high gear. Then I figured out I could still have that time in the morning, but just with an alternative drink. It took about 2 weeks to really rid my body of the excess caffeine, but then I started to feel really great. I had more energy, didn’t crash in the afternoon, and started sleeping through the night.
I do miss coffee, but keep this amazing espresso scented candle (affiliate) burning so I can still smell it. Ha.
If you are also considering giving up or lightening your coffee habit, try replacing your morning cup with one of these warm drink recipes. Who knows, you may find you like them even more than coffee.
Top Image: Caffeine-Free Cinnamon Tea Latte at Food by Mars and Golden Milk Latte from Little Sugar Snaps
Cinnamon Tea Latte
This Caffeine-Free Cinnamon Tea Latte I discovered at Food by Mars is my go-to morning drink in the fall and winter. It just feels and smells like the holidays to me. It warms you from the inside out and only requires only 5 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. Personally, I think the coconut milk is what makes this drink so delicious, but you could sub cashew, almond or even oat milk if you prefer.
If you don’t already own a milk frother, you may consider picking one up. It makes a huge difference when making some of these drinks. Not only does it keep from scalding on the stove, it evenly heats the milk so that you don’t get hot spots like you do with the microwave. This Instant Pot Milk Frother from our Amazon affiliate is on sale for just under $40 right now.
Golden Milk
Kate recently shared several recipes for Golden Milk like this one for a Golden Milk Latte from Little Sugar Snaps. Not only is this drink naturally caffeine free, the Tumeric in it has proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. And we can all use a little bit more help in both of those areas.
Matcha Latte
The first few days that I gave up coffee, I eased into the caffeine withdrawal by drinking matcha. Matcha does have caffeine in it, but considerably less than coffee and is loaded with health benefits. This recipe for an Easy Matcha Latte from Oh How Civilized requires only 4 ingredients. If you don’t have one, you should consider a matcha bowl and whisk (affiliate) so that you can get all of the clumps out of the tea. Matcha can get pretty spending at some grocery stores, so consider looking for it online from sites like Amazon, or at your local Asian market where it tends to be a bit more reasonably priced.
Related: The most dreamy Matcha machine
Roasted Chicory Root
If you are not from or have never been to New Orleans, you may never have heard of chicory root coffee. This root is a relative of the dandelion and is naturally caffeine and gluten-free. While it smells very much like coffee when it is roasted and brewed, it doesn’t taste at all like coffee. It has a very unique taste. If you are curious, check out this recipe for Roasted Chicory Root Coffee Alternative Recipe from Natural Fit Foodie. She provides a bit of history about chicory root and simple recipe so you can try it for yourself without a trip to New Orleans.
Rooibos Latte
I replaced my afternoon cup of coffee with a cup of Rooibos tea and it is now one of my favorite tea choices. It is a naturally sweet-tasting tea, which makes it perfect for the afternoon in my opinion. This naturally caffeine-free, antioxidant-rich tea comes from a shrub that grows in Africa, and is sometimes called African Tea. Interestingly the red tea color comes from the fermented leaves, and it if you can find the unfermented tea leaves, your cup of tea will be green. The Dizzy Cook provides a ton of great tips for how long to steep your tea and how to make the perfect Rooibos Latte.
London Fog Tea Latte
Kristen’s favorite coffee alternative is the London Fog Tea Latte and I agree that it is a practically perfect drink hot or cold. Personally I love this recipe from Gimme Some Oven that incorporates culinary-grade dried lavender for that subtle floral hint that makes this drink so lovely. It’s what I imagine having tea with the Queen and Paddington Bear would taste like. If lavender isn’t your think, you can absolutely skip it. If you are trying to avoid caffeine, this drink can be made with decaf tea. Just make sure you use a good quality earl grey tea, like Harney & Son’s Fine Teas (affiliate).
