simplicity

Since I was thirteen years old, I’ve been drinking coffee. Every morning when I wake up, I look forward to drinking coffee–that’s how much I love it. In fact, it’s one of my two top favorite foods (wine, of course, being the other, hehe). The taste, the smell—a dark roast with cream and a tiny bit of maple syrup, my new sugar substitute—I worship coffee! But a month ago, I decided to give up caffeine. That’s right. No coffee. Not even decaf. I was worried: What will I do now? How will I survive?

According to some scientific studies (that seem to change every day), caffeine is not great for your body. (Of course, there are contradictory studies that say caffeine is good for you. Who to trust? My answer: your gut and how caffeine affects or doesn’t affect your body.) Yes, all things in moderation. And, trust me, I’ll be drinking real coffee again one day after I feel I’ve got a better handle on my caffeine addiction and the way its affected my body. Because if you have no health issues, and don’t feel addicted, a daily mug (one mug only) is probably fine for you. But for some, caffeine is the culprit behind many health issues and might be the best thing to cut from a daily diet.

Regardless, caffeine can cause some unpleasant issues, like:

– Can cause or worsen anxiety

– Can cause insomnia

– Impacts hormone levels (if you’re trying to balance your hormones, cut caffeine. Imbalanced hormones can lead to things like acne, weight gain, thyroid issues, etc.)

– Can deplete nutrients and cause dehydration

– Is addictive

– Can raise blood sugar, cause irregular heartbeat

– Can contribute to heartburn, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome

– And many more!

The scary thing—or maybe the annoying thing—is that caffeine is in more than just coffee. Soda pop, white tea, green tea, black tea, chocolate, and decaf coffee (crazy right?). Caffeine is everywhere!

Cutting out caffeine meant I had to be mindful of all the places it lurked, but it didn’t mean giving up a rich, creamy, hot drink every day, right? There had to be caffeine-free coffee substitute. And I was going to find it!

So, I searched all over the Internet and found 5 different coffee substitutes to try and share with you! I rated these drinks on a “Tastes Like Coffee Meter” scale of 1-10: 1 being “does not taste like coffee AT ALL” and 10 being “identical to coffee.”

Even if you’re not ready to give up caffeine, I’m sure you often find yourself wanting to drink something warm, rich, and comforting like a cup of coffee later in the day or before bedtime, when coffee isn’t a good choice.  Even hot cocoa’s sugar and caffeine can disrupt your sleep schedule. Instead of coffee or hot cocoa at night, maybe you’ll find one of these drinks does the trick!

*Disclaimer: If you’re pregnant or have certain health issues, best to check with a doctor to see if these ingredients are okay to ingest.*

Teeccino:

ABOUT:

Teeccino’s nuts, herbs, roots, and fruits used to make this herbal “coffee” have many health benefits such as a natural energy boost, balances blood sugar, creates healthy bacteria (probiotics), delivers potassium and magnesium which are essential to balances hormones, and more.

Basically, you can drink Teeccino all day long and it will be beneficial to your health and sleep. Can you say that about caffeine?

HOW TO MAKE:

One packet brewed 6 cups, and I was able to dump the packet into a coffee filter and brew it in my coffee maker. Simple!

I purchased the 10 Flavors Sampler.

TASTE:

– Mayan Chai: a bit spicy, cinnamon, and not at all bitter or sugary. This tastes like a mix between chai and coffee. I added almond milk to it and really enjoyed this. TLCM: 7

– Hazelnut: This was good, but a little sweet. Tasted like a hazelnut flavored coffee. I’m not that into flavored coffee, so I probably wouldn’t purchase this again. TLCM: 5

– Java: Tastes more neutral, more coffee like. Still, not as close to coffee tasting as Mayan Chai. TLCM: 6

– French Roast: This was good, but a little bitter for me. TLCM: 7

– I also tried the other sample flavors like Vanilla Nut, Orange, Almond Amoretto, Mocha, Chocolate Mint. They were all a bit sweet and bitter tasting for me.

Winner: Mayan Chai.

Rasa Koffee

ABOUT:

Similar to Teeccino, Rasa Koffee’s herbs, nuts, and roots are beneficial for your health. There’s zero caffeine, zero sugar, zero gluten, and zero coffee in Rasa “coffee.” Their coffee comes in ground and whole “beans”. Their koffee is made with adaptogenic herbs, like ashwagandha, which soothes the nervous system, creating a sense of calm, and reishi, a mushroom that supports the immune system.

HOW TO MAKE:

The first pack made 4 cups and I dumped it into a coffee filter and ran it through my coffee machine. Simple. But when I read that the koffee is more flavorful when brewed in a French Press, which I don’t own, I decided to brew it in a pot by pouring boiling hot water from my tea kettle over it, and letting it steep. I then strained it through a strainer and into a larger carafe. Of course, that’s not as sophisticated and functional as a French Press, so I still wound up with little bits of the coffee in my drink. I think I’ll invest in a French Press.

I tried two 1oz sample packs of this coffee.

TASTE

– Ground Rasa Koffee: This tasted very different from Teeccino. It tasted very woody, not bitter, not sweet. Not gonna lie, I sort of felt like I was drinking wood chips, but in a good way (if you can imagine that). Overall, I liked the taste of this beverage, but it did not taste like coffee at all. I really like the benefits of ashwagandha and reishi, and I did like the way it tasted, but it tastes nothing like coffee.

Tastes Like Coffee Meter: 1

Beyond Coffee

ABOUT:

Made from roasted barley, rye, and chicory, this coffee substitute was created in Maine and made from local ingredients. Beyond Coffee can be purchased online.  Chicory has many health benefits, but might not be best for someone who has allergies to chicory or who is pregnant (all pregnant women should check with healthcare professionals before consuming anything–anything, seriously–everything is suspect it seems).

HOW TO MAKE:

This time, I put a tablespoon of the “coffee” in a loose tea infuser, letting it steep for about 10 minutes.

TASTE:

Nutty, chocolate-y, smooth, not bitter or sweet. Tastes the most like coffee, but like a diluted coffee, even more than Mayan Chai.

Tastes Like Coffee Meter: 6

Tattva’s Herbs – Maya Nut Coffee

ABOUT:

Tattva’s Herbs Capomo (Maya Nut) Coffee  has two ingredients: capomo (Maya Nut) and cinnamon. It’s 100% organic, non-GMO, caffeine free, gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, cruelty-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. Whew. Oh, AND it’s TOTALLY SAFE for pregnant women. DING!DING!DING! We finally found our winner! 

Found in the tropical rainforests of Mexico, Central America, and South America, the Mayan Nut (which also goes by the name Capomo, Ramon, Breadnut, etc.) is not really a nut–it’s a drupe, which is a fruit with a pulpy middle, like a fig or date (figs, dates, mayan nuts–nature’s healthy sweets!). Another health-packing superfood, they are caffeine-free and high in potassium, fiber, calcium, iron, antioxidants, zinc, protein, and vitamins A, B, C, and E.  

According to Maya Nut Institute:

Maya Nut has been used by native people and traditional healers to treat a wide variety of ailments including colitis, arthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, infertility and lactation problems. Some of the scientific research that has been done on Maya Nut supports some of these claims, most notably about colitis and asthma because chemical studies of the roasted, ground seed have found that Maya Nut is extremely high in anti-inflammatory compounds that would effectively treat these conditions. The ratio of calcium to magnesium in Maya Nut is optimal for calcium absorption, which supports the local people’s claims that it is good for arthritis and osteoporosis.

HOW TO MAKE:

Similar to the other brews, you can brew it in your coffee maker, French press, or steep it like a tea in a tea infuser or on the stove, straining it afterward.

TASTE:

Okay, this is it. This is the one. Maya nut coffee tastes exactly like coffee. It’s a smooth, warm, smoky taste with notes of chocolate and hints of cinnamon. I can even drink it black (usually with coffee I have to add cream) because it’s totally smooth–not bitter or sweet or tart–rich and smooth. Delicious, nutritious, and completely safe.

Coffee Meter: It’s a 10 on the tastes-like-coffee meter.

Ayurvedic Roast

ABOUT:

Ayurvedic Roast Coffee  is a 100% organic, non-GMO, caffeine free, vegan coffee substitute made from barley, rye, chicory, Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Brahmi, and French Vanilla flavor. Its health benefits include (taken from website):

Ashwagandha: Known as the the “ginseng of India”, this incredible herb promotes strength and stability in the physiology, and is also an anti-oxidant. It builds immunity and strength, and calms the mind and body.

Shatavari: Possessing many of the benefits of Ashwagandha, it counterbalances its somewhat heating quality with it cooling effect, and augments their mutually beneficial effects on the body.

Brahmi: Commonly used in Ayurveda to lessen mental strain and worry*, it also helps increase intelligence and clarity*. In combination with the other 2 herbs, it has a soothing effect on the mind, while maintaining alertness

 

HOW TO MAKE:

Just like the other brands, Ayurvedic Roast can be made through your coffee machine, French press, or by steeping it in boiling hot water and straining it.

TASTE:

It smells and tastes similar to “Beyond Coffee” because of the chicory, barley, and rye. It’s woody and smooth, with a slight smoky taste, but not as strong as the Mayan Nut smoky taste. I can definitely taste the rye, like you can sometimes in beer. Although it has Ashwagandha it in, it doesn’t taste similar to Rasa Koffee. It tastes a lot like Beyond Coffee, but with the added benefits of the Ayurvedic herbs.

Tastes Like Coffee Meter: 6

TAKE AWAY:

I’ll be purchasing Mayan Nut coffee because a) it actually tastes like coffee, b) there are many health benefits, c) it’s sustainable made and supports its local economy and people, d) it’s totally safe for pregnancy (good for my future goals), and e) there’s only one main ingredient. I like simplicity!

I will still drink Rasa Koffee because of its added health benefits, like the adaptogenic herbs. Why Rasa when Ayurvedic has Ashwagandha too? Well, Rasa has reishi, dandelion root, and other herbs that do even more good than the three Ayurvedic Roast offers.

However, if I’m not pregnant or trying to get pregnant and want a coffee that is affordable, I’ll probably buy Teeccino’s Mayan Chai 11oz bag, which is $9.99. The downside to all of the other coffees is that they’re all priced between $15-$20 per 8-12 oz bag! Yikes. The dollars we spend to take care of our health are worth it, in my opinion. Although, it would be nicer if everyone could afford these healthy brews.

There you have it! Whether you have to cut out caffeine for health reasons, or just want a new drink with health benefits, I suggest checking out these products and order a sample pack for yourself.