Coffee Alternatives

smelons
smelons Posts: 450 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I started a new job 5 months ago and almost immediately started relying on coffee to wake me up in the morning and to keep my brain sharp throughout the day. Unfortunately, it gives me the chronic jitters and I feel horrible afterwards, but enjoy drinking it. I also suffer from ectopic heartbeats, which coffee exabercates, so I must give it up, as they're horrible. I actually gave up caffeine completely nearly 4 years ago, so I know it's possible, but I only drank tea back then. Also, I can manage fine without it at the weekend, so I suspect it's more of a habit at the moment, rather than an addiction. I enjoy a green tea in the afternoon, so am not looking to stop my caffeine consumption completely this time.

Anyway, I'm looking for an alternative solution to wake me up in the morning, rather than an alternative drink to coffee/caffeine. I've managed to get to around 10am before drinking a cup, but then I cave in.

Replies

  • soultrain1913
    soultrain1913 Posts: 33 Member
    I have the same issue. Can't wait to read the responses. Thanks for posting this!
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    dandelion or granules made in a French press are a great alternative for me!
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    I've never tried dandelion coffee, but keep meaning to. I do love herbal tea and chicory coffee, so should give it a go. I am looking for ways of waking myself up though, rather than simply a caffeine-free beverage.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I started a new job 5 months ago and almost immediately started relying on coffee to wake me up in the morning and to keep my brain sharp throughout the day. Unfortunately, it gives me the chronic jitters and I feel horrible afterwards, but enjoy drinking it. I also suffer from ectopic heartbeats, which coffee exabercates, so I must give it up, as they're horrible. I actually gave up caffeine completely nearly 4 years ago, so I know it's possible, but I only drank tea back then. Also, I can manage fine without it at the weekend, so I suspect it's more of a habit at the moment, rather than an addiction. I enjoy a green tea in the afternoon, so am not looking to stop my caffeine consumption completely this time.

    Anyway, I'm looking for an alternative solution to wake me up in the morning, rather than an alternative drink to coffee/caffeine. I've managed to get to around 10am before drinking a cup, but then I cave in.

    If you think it might be a habit, instead of an actual NEED, try weaning.

    Years ago my grandfather only drank regular coffee, and didn't sleep well. Grandma told him to switch t decaf, but he swore it had a funky taste. So she was sneaky and started topping off his can of regular coffee with decaf behind his back. After a month or so, he was unknowingly drinking 100% decaf. A week or so later, she informed him he had been drinking decaf :D

    what I would do if I were you is gradually start mixing some decaf in until you are drinking straight decaf ( which is not truly 100% caffeine free). So if a pot of coffee uses 4 scoops of grounds, the first week do 3 scoops of regular, and 1 scoop of decaf in the same filter. The next week do 2 and 2, and so on.
  • estelle74uk
    estelle74uk Posts: 465 Member
    Hey I had to give up coffee because of acid reflux but needed something similar. there is something called Caro which is a coffee substitute, made from malt, barley and seems quite nice. there is one made by Whole Earth too, it has guarana in it, so might help with the wake up bit
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    I started a new job 5 months ago and almost immediately started relying on coffee to wake me up in the morning and to keep my brain sharp throughout the day. Unfortunately, it gives me the chronic jitters and I feel horrible afterwards, but enjoy drinking it. I also suffer from ectopic heartbeats, which coffee exabercates, so I must give it up, as they're horrible. I actually gave up caffeine completely nearly 4 years ago, so I know it's possible, but I only drank tea back then. Also, I can manage fine without it at the weekend, so I suspect it's more of a habit at the moment, rather than an addiction. I enjoy a green tea in the afternoon, so am not looking to stop my caffeine consumption completely this time.

    Anyway, I'm looking for an alternative solution to wake me up in the morning, rather than an alternative drink to coffee/caffeine. I've managed to get to around 10am before drinking a cup, but then I cave in.

    If you think it might be a habit, instead of an actual NEED, try weaning.

    Years ago my grandfather only drank regular coffee, and didn't sleep well. Grandma told him to switch t decaf, but he swore it had a funky taste. So she was sneaky and started topping off his can of regular coffee with decaf behind his back. After a month or so, he was unknowingly drinking 100% decaf. A week or so later, she informed him he had been drinking decaf :D

    what I would do if I were you is gradually start mixing some decaf in until you are drinking straight decaf ( which is not truly 100% caffeine free). So if a pot of coffee uses 4 scoops of grounds, the first week do 3 scoops of regular, and 1 scoop of decaf in the same filter. The next week do 2 and 2, and so on.

    Funnily enough, I went to the shop in my lunch hour and bought a jar of decaf coffee. I'm going to try a cup tomorrow morning to see if I can fool myself into thinking I'm waking myself up. We'll see if it works when I know what's in the cup...

    Your story about your grandparents reminds me that when I was in my early twenties, I started drinking decaffeinated tea after 5pm, as I suffered from insomnia if I consumed caffeine later in the day. It seemed to work, so I happily continued drinking normal tea in the day and decaf in the evening. After a few months, the insomnia started up again and I was so tired in the mornings, even my usual cuppa wouldn't help to wake me up. I suffered for couple of weeks, until one day my mum confessed she'd swapped the tea containers around so I was drinking decaf in the day and caffeinated in the evening! She believed my sensitivity to caffeine was psychological. My boyfriend at the time also admitted to thinking the same thing and had deliberately made me caffeinated tea before bed to test me out. Charming.
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    Hey I had to give up coffee because of acid reflux but needed something similar. there is something called Caro which is a coffee substitute, made from malt, barley and seems quite nice. there is one made by Whole Earth too, it has guarana in it, so might help with the wake up bit

    I've had Caro in the past. It's nice. I also like Barleycup and chicory root.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    I would not be messing with any stimulants of you have ectopic heart rhythms because of them.
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    I would not be messing with any stimulants of you have ectopic heart rhythms because of them.

    A cup of green tea doesn't seem to do me any harm, but I know the coffee makes them worse. I first got them about 10 years ago after drinking strong coffee every morning, so didn't touch it again until recently.
  • melba_321
    melba_321 Posts: 65 Member
    I just drink green tea in the mornings. I didn't think it would work at first, since I loved my coffee and usually had my green tea during the days. For me, it does just fine, and I drink less green tea than I did coffee. I know coffee has more caffeine than green tea, but I am satisfied. I never used sugar/sweetener in my coffee or any teas, so it worked out well in that respect too.

    Some alternatives (fairly gentle, but still may want to discuss with your doctor first)

    B vitamins... if you are low on these, especially B-12

    Siberian Eleuthero root (aka Siberian Ginseng)
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    eat and apple or a banana and drink a big glass of water

    works for me when i'm out of coffee..

    I've heard hot lemon water works well too..
    I just started that today..

    Although "I am addicted to coffee it has been 0 seconds since my last cup, i am actually sipping it right now, out of a big travel mug, that is about to be refilled

    Oh yes! The Vitamin D. I was very very tired all the time, couldn't wake up. Turns out I was deficient. Now I take a pill and I have lots of energy. With or without coffee. I just love my coffee!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I started a new job 5 months ago and almost immediately started relying on coffee to wake me up in the morning and to keep my brain sharp throughout the day. Unfortunately, it gives me the chronic jitters and I feel horrible afterwards, but enjoy drinking it. I also suffer from ectopic heartbeats, which coffee exabercates, so I must give it up, as they're horrible. I actually gave up caffeine completely nearly 4 years ago, so I know it's possible, but I only drank tea back then. Also, I can manage fine without it at the weekend, so I suspect it's more of a habit at the moment, rather than an addiction. I enjoy a green tea in the afternoon, so am not looking to stop my caffeine consumption completely this time.

    Anyway, I'm looking for an alternative solution to wake me up in the morning, rather than an alternative drink to coffee/caffeine. I've managed to get to around 10am before drinking a cup, but then I cave in.

    If you think it might be a habit, instead of an actual NEED, try weaning.

    Years ago my grandfather only drank regular coffee, and didn't sleep well. Grandma told him to switch t decaf, but he swore it had a funky taste. So she was sneaky and started topping off his can of regular coffee with decaf behind his back. After a month or so, he was unknowingly drinking 100% decaf. A week or so later, she informed him he had been drinking decaf :D

    what I would do if I were you is gradually start mixing some decaf in until you are drinking straight decaf ( which is not truly 100% caffeine free). So if a pot of coffee uses 4 scoops of grounds, the first week do 3 scoops of regular, and 1 scoop of decaf in the same filter. The next week do 2 and 2, and so on.

    Funnily enough, I went to the shop in my lunch hour and bought a jar of decaf coffee. I'm going to try a cup tomorrow morning to see if I can fool myself into thinking I'm waking myself up. We'll see if it works when I know what's in the cup...

    Your story about your grandparents reminds me that when I was in my early twenties, I started drinking decaffeinated tea after 5pm, as I suffered from insomnia if I consumed caffeine later in the day. It seemed to work, so I happily continued drinking normal tea in the day and decaf in the evening. After a few months, the insomnia started up again and I was so tired in the mornings, even my usual cuppa wouldn't help to wake me up. I suffered for couple of weeks, until one day my mum confessed she'd swapped the tea containers around so I was drinking decaf in the day and caffeinated in the evening! She believed my sensitivity to caffeine was psychological. My boyfriend at the time also admitted to thinking the same thing and had deliberately made me caffeinated tea before bed to test me out. Charming.

    It was hilarious. It had been to the point where they had 2 separate coffee makers on opposite sides of the kitchen! According to my mom, after a week or two of 100% decaf, grandma asked grandpa " you've been sleeping better the last few weeks, haven't you?" and when he said yes, she replied " that's how long you've been drinking decaf".

    I hate when people don't believe that you know your body, and they insist on tricking you.
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
    if you brew your own, why don't you just brew 2/3 decaf grounds + 1/3 regular grounds? (or whatever equation you want.)

    if you enjoy drinking coffee and the jitters and heart condition is the problem, i would suggest that decaf would be answer. why give it up for something you're not going to enjoy as much?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I have the same issue. Can't wait to read the responses. Thanks for posting this!

    mate`
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    eat and apple or a banana and drink a big glass of water

    works for me when i'm out of coffee..

    I've heard hot lemon water works well too..
    I just started that today..

    Although "I am addicted to coffee it has been 0 seconds since my last cup, i am actually sipping it right now, out of a big travel mug, that is about to be refilled

    Oh yes! The Vitamin D. I was very very tired all the time, couldn't wake up. Turns out I was deficient. Now I take a pill and I have lots of energy. With or without coffee. I just love my coffee!

    I keep meaning to make hot lemon water in the morning. I never seem to get round to it though. I've even bought fresh lemons to do so.

    I know someone else who swears by vitamin D for energy. I think I need to find a good multivitamin.
  • brownheart
    brownheart Posts: 3
    It's your adrenal system. Check this post out. http://www.sotoprimal.com/post/42271765501/how-i-unintentionally-quit-drinking-coffee
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    I just drink green tea in the mornings. I didn't think it would work at first, since I loved my coffee and usually had my green tea during the days. For me, it does just fine, and I drink less green tea than I did coffee. I know coffee has more caffeine than green tea, but I am satisfied. I never used sugar/sweetener in my coffee or any teas, so it worked out well in that respect too.

    Some alternatives (fairly gentle, but still may want to discuss with your doctor first)

    B vitamins... if you are low on these, especially B-12

    Siberian Eleuthero root (aka Siberian Ginseng)

    For some reason after giving up caffeine, I can't drink tea in the morning. It makes me feel really sick. I can only drink it in the afternoons.

    I've been considering B vitamins for a while now. I suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome and they apparently help.
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    if you brew your own, why don't you just brew 2/3 decaf grounds + 1/3 regular grounds? (or whatever equation you want.)

    if you enjoy drinking coffee and the jitters and heart condition is the problem, i would suggest that decaf would be answer. why give it up for something you're not going to enjoy as much?

    It's weird, I like coffee, but not that much. I've just started really enjoying the taste of a black coffee in the mornings. It's nothing special, just instant coffee that's free at work. Previously, and currently at the weekends only, I start my day with a strong peppermint tea, which I love. I tend to get more sleep at the weekends though, so I suppose I'm not needing to be woken up by the caffeine.
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    mate`

    I've tried maté, but it makes me queasy in the mornings, just like tea does. Not sure why.
  • smelons
    smelons Posts: 450 Member
    It's your adrenal system. Check this post out. http://www.sotoprimal.com/post/42271765501/how-i-unintentionally-quit-drinking-coffee

    As I suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, I don't doubt that my adrenals are exhausted. I originally gave up caffeine to give them a rest. so it's especially important that I give up the coffee this time. The jitters last all day and I'm certain it's all linked to my adrenals. I have had them tested at the hospital, but they said my levels were fine.
  • Briana_RN
    Briana_RN Posts: 12 Member
    My first suggestion would be a big glass of ice water with fresh lemon slices. Drink the whole thing before you even eat breakfast and it will wake you up without any jitters. Another option is green tea. You could do that hot or iced with lemon and or just plain.

    Personally I have my coffee almost every morning. For me it's not a need to wake up but just the pure fact that I absolutely LOVE the taste of coffee.

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