Coffee Substitutions.

Ah, coffee, the morning beverage of choice for so many, and dubbed liquid crack jokingly by some CCNM students. (It is a drug). I actually don't drink coffee (except for decaf on very rare occasions), but I know many of my future clients will likely consume too much coffee. I don't intend to use this post to get into the nitty-gritty details of why caffeine is harmful for the body (but trust me, I will discuss that sometime in the next four--I mean three!--years). In short, caffeine is a drug, is highly addictive, and being addicted to anything isn't all that healthy. Now, everything in moderation, and if you are enjoying one mere coffee a day, you shouldn't worry too much. This post is personally interesting because although I don't need caffeine to get me through the day, I do love the aroma and flavor of a cup of joe, which is why I am excited about the following products!

If someone is looking to cut back on coffee, it is honestly quite silly to recommend that he or she switch his or her morning coffee to a cup of green tea. Have you tried green tea? It tastes NOTHING like coffee, and is such likely not a good substitute for the initial coffee reduction. Baby steps, my friends; we need to find a way to gradually eliminate/reduce the coffee. Two popular food bloggers offer their advice on slowly breaking their own coffee dependences. You can read about them here and here.

What about for people who like the dark, bitter flavor of coffee? What if it is the ritual of pouring the cup, stirring in the cream, and garnishing with a teaspoon of sugar that they crave? Well, for these people I have some exciting substitutions:Pero, Bambu, Caf-lib, and Teeccino ...are all coffee-like brew-at-home beverages that look and taste like coffee, but aren't! Even decaf coffee has some caffeine lurking in it, and is quite acidic. These products, however, aren't made from coffee beans, but from herbs, grains, and seeds! Some of their ingredients include roasted chicory, rye, barley, almonds, and carob (to name a few). The only one I've tried is Teeccino (which I loved), but I have classmates who use Caf-lib and I've read good things about Pero.

So, for those who want to reduce their coffee consumption, I would suggest starting by mixing half your regular caffeinated coffee with one of these substitutions, then, as the withdrawal symptoms lessen, switch entirely to a coffee substitute. Also, for those who like the idea of having a cup of coffee with dessert, they can without interrupting sleep. Sure tea is great, but it just doesn't offer the same oomph as the same as the deep and dark aroma as coffee... but now, with products like this, coffee lovers can have their drink and enjoy it too!