Breaking Up With Coffee- Alternatives for the coffee addicted

Let me start by saying this: I am not taking away your coffee so it is safe to keep reading. I am simply here to give you some yummy alternatives to morning drinks because who doesn’t love variety.

I find that a lot people have an emotional attachment to coffee. Heck, I would even say that I have an emotional attachment to coffee. I mean it did get me through undergrad, then continued to aid me through medical school, and it was by my side as I stayed up to the wee hours studying for my board exams. It was essentially my most loyal ally throughout the years.

Coffee consumption has a lot of good benefits but there are also some good arguments against coffee. That is not my battle today. I understand that many people see coffee as “their vice”, the one thing that they indulge in and I very much dislike taking that away from people. After all coffee It is packed with antioxidants and the caffeine can stimulate brain function and increase metabolism. However, taking little breaks from coffee can allow your liver and adrenals to recharge and bounce back and reset your tolerance. I am writing this to give you some tasty alternatives to coffee, whether you are plan on taking a short break or are trying to go cold turkey.

Turmeric latte is where I am going to start. This golden latte is rich and warming. Turmeric has become very popular in the past few years, and for good reason. Curcuma longa (fancy name for turmeric) reduces inflammation, is an antioxidant, and provides the liver with protection. Meaning it can aid in inflammatory driven pain, arthritis, and overall health. I love to swap this in for my coffee when I want to give my liver a break. Your liver processes many things including sugar, alcohol, and coffee so when you have one of those over indulgent weekends you can help your body bounce back with a cup of liquid gold.

Dirty water! You may have seen my post previously on this murky water-based drink that is not so appealing in looks but amazing in benefits. I normally drink dirty water mixed into warm water, however you can substitute the water with a milk alternative and add honey to create a very luscious drink or add it to your coffee if you are not quite ready to quit the beans. The base of dirty water is a mix of reishi and chaga mushrooms. Both of these mushrooms are power-houses in boosting your immune system and preparing you for the day. This is the drink I swap for coffee when I feel a cold coming on. Coffee can cause your mucus to thicken so if you are feeling congested this is an amazing drink to substitute. 

The last drink that I am going to mention here is herbal coffee. I am still in the process of figuring out a cute and cheeky name for this one, so suggestions are welcomed. This is a mix of roasted dandelion root, roasted chicory, cinnamon, and roasted cherub. This is the drink that is for those people that like that deep roasted flavor like coffee. Dandelion is an herb that supports liver function and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Dandelion, chicory, and carob all contain fiber and help support digestion health also. This is the tea I like to substitute during my coffee cleanses and when my gut health is not optimal. If you add in a rich creamer to top off this drink you will be surprised at how much it actually tastes like a decadent coffee drink.

I would also like to close out by saying that these recipes were crafted from trial-and-error on my part. Please increase or decrease anything to your liking because I do not believe that herbal medicine is meant to be a rigid exact science but one that is more fluid and guided by your intuition. If you would like to try these drinks without having to acquire all the ingredients I have made some pre-mixed batches that are available at the clinic. Happy sipping!

Golden Latte  

• 1.5 tablespoons turmeric

• Pinch of black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

• 8-10 ounces milk alternative

• Optional additions

  • Vanilla bean split (or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract)

  • 1 cinnamon stick

• Directions: Simmer all the ingredients together for 5 minutes, strain out the vanilla and cinnamon, place in blender (or use emersion blender) and pulse till the drink is incorporated together.

Dirty water

• 1 teaspoon reishi powder

• 1 teaspoon chaga powder

• 1 teaspoon cacao powder

• ¼- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder (or 1 cinnamon stick)

• 8-10 ounces milk alternative, water or coffee

• Optional

  • Honey for sweetness

• Directions: Simmer all the ingredients together for 5 minutes, strain out the cinnamon, place in blender (or use emersion blender) and pulse till the drink is incorporated together.

Herbal Coffee

• 1 tablespoon roasted dandelion root

• 1 tablespoon roasted chicory root

• ½ tablespoon roasted carob root

• 1 cinnamon stick broken up

• 8-10 ounces of water

• Optional

  • 1-2 tablespoon of milk/milk alternative

• Directions: add all ingredients to your favorite tea pot or French press. Poor gently boiled water over the top and let steep for 5 minutes. After strained you can add milk or milk alternative as creamer.

This is not medical advice. If you would like specific medical advise talk to a licensed naturopathic doctor in your area.