Reducing Caffeine 2019

laurenq1991
laurenq1991 Posts: 384 Member
in Challenges
Is anyone else reducing or eliminating caffeine for health reasons?

I have decided to reduce the amount of caffeine I have. I have lifelong anxiety and sleep problems due to the anxiety, and I think reducing caffeine will help with it. For years my typical routine has been drinking around 32oz of hot or iced unsweetened black tea per day. I didn't drink it for the caffeine boost, but just because I love the taste of tea. I also frequently have dark chocolate (around 72%) and I didn't know until recently that a serving of dark chocolate can have as much caffeine as a can of soda. So that adds up to a lot of caffeine even though I don't usually drink coffee.

On Monday I had only about 16oz of iced tea. On Tuesday I didn't have any tea or chocolate, and I ended up getting a headache. That really annoyed me because it shows that I probably have a dependence on caffeine and I dislike the idea of dependence on any unnecessary substance. Today I was working on my computer at Starbucks so I had the Starbucks Emperor's Cloud and Mist green tea. It has caffeine but it was listed as being 1-15mg, which is much less than the usual tea. I thought it would probably ward off a headache while also not adding too much caffeination. Then I had the Starbucks Mint Majesty herbal tea.

Since I love tea and still want to drink it every day, I also ordered some herbal and CO2-decaffeinated loose-leaf tea from Arbor Teas. I got decaf green, decaf black, honeybush, spearmint, chicory (supposedly a caffeine-free coffee alternative), and chamomile, and hopefully they get here soon.

Since it's Christmas I've also been eating desserts other than dark chocolate, such as lemon biscotti which are great. Even chocolate cookies have only a small amount of caffeine.

Replies

  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    I have been struggling with this too (unsuccessfully, so far)! I don't have much time right now but will try to post more later. We have a lot in common. :)
  • lizziequek
    lizziequek Posts: 1,373 Member
    yes , i used to drink 3 cups of coffee plus dark chocolate & it 's very bad for anxiety . On the advice of someone dear to me ,I have cut down to 1 cup of coffee a day , somedays none even & my anxiety issues are much better than before . Also reducing the amount of dark chocolate I consume .
  • laurenq1991
    laurenq1991 Posts: 384 Member
    edited December 2018
    lizziequek wrote: »
    yes , i used to drink 3 cups of coffee plus dark chocolate & it 's very bad for anxiety . On the advice of someone dear to me ,I have cut down to 1 cup of coffee a day , somedays none even & my anxiety issues are much better than before . Also reducing the amount of dark chocolate I consume .

    That's great that it is having a positive effect! Drinking coffee/tea is such a normal thing to do that people don't always realize it can worsen certain health conditions.
  • laurenq1991
    laurenq1991 Posts: 384 Member
    My tea came in the mail! I'm trying the chicory tea right now. It's supposed to be a coffee replacement and it definitely does taste similar to coffee, although it's less bitter and more earthy. But it is really good. Chicory has a lot of health benefits as well. I also had jasmine green tea earlier at a Thai restaurant. I don't think there is a caffeine-free replacement for jasmine green tea but it is low in caffeine. So far I have been limiting to 16oz of green tea per day, so much less caffeine than the 32oz of black tea I was drinking, and I have had barely any chocolate either. Unfortunately my sleep is not any better so far (giving up caffeine can have paradoxical effects at first, and also I have had a cold for the past three days which affected my sleep) but I hope it does get better over time.
  • Ssssss666666
    Ssssss666666 Posts: 560 Member
    I find decaffeinated coffee fine, would you consider that as an alternative
  • laurenq1991
    laurenq1991 Posts: 384 Member
    edited January 2019
    Ssssss666666 wrote: »
    I find decaffeinated coffee fine, would you consider that as an alternative

    Decaf has some residual caffeine as well as other stimulant compounds (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/11/021119073402.htm). I find I still get anxiety effects from drinking it. The methods to decaffeinate can also leave chemical residues depending on the method used (CO2 decaffeination doesn't leave residues but more expensive and harder to find). Also I think the chicory tea actually tastes way better and doesn't leave a gross coffee aftertaste. The aftertaste was a big reason why I didn't drink coffee much.

    I did drink more caffeinated tea this week mostly due to going out to restaurants but it definitely made my anxiety worse (especially Panera iced tea, that stuff is as strong as coffee and I couldn't sleep at all that night) and I am back to caffeine-free again. Today I had more chicory tea and now I'm having spearmint.
  • an0393na
    an0393na Posts: 840 Member
    Coffee is my fav drink - give it to me hot in winter and cold in summer and I'll be your friend... but haven't had a coffee in 12 days... And counting 😊 barely even miss it already (well maybe Monday mornings lol)

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