Coffee Alternatives

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smoked_butterscotch-citrus_green_tea_latte1No there is nothing wrong with me, and yes I still love coffee above all other drinks. However, now and then it’s nice to have something a little different. Also, there are some people who cannot have coffee, or just don’t like it, and I wanted to share some of the solutions I came up with during a time when I could not have coffee.

So here are some great alternatives to coffee:

Tea
This might be and obvious choice, but you can use tea in more ways than just steeping it. I will take the tea leaves and compact them into an espresso machine and make a concentration like espresso. Then I will make tea lattes with steamed milk and honey or agave, they are amazing. Tea is also awesome because there are so many varieties just like coffee. There are options for caffeine seekers, as well as soothing non-caffeinated options.
2013-02-24-7-tasty-teas-to-boost-your-health-typesoregon-chai-dirty-chai-recipeChai TeaAlso awesome, it is a black tea with spices, very good plain or as a latte.
Matcha Tea
Good as well but most people either love it or hate it, it’s very earthy tasting. It is a green tea ground into a powder. matcha

Matcha makes a nice frothy drink, and is extremely good for you as well!

STEAMERS_GREEN_BOTTLESSteamers
Another great option. This is were you take steamed milk ( like what goes in a latte/cappuccino etc.) and you mix it with various flavoring.  Caramel, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, etc. you can experiment and make some pretty tasty drinks.

Another way to mix up the texture and flavors is to use milk alternatives like almond, cashew, and soy, they make for a nice variation.

Hot Cocoa
I 20120202-six-ways-to-spike-your-hot-cocoa-04-thumb-625xauto-217112know it seems like another obvious choice, but again play around with it. Make it from scratch with less sugar, so you can really taste the flavor of the cacao bean. Then add milk (steamed or cream, whatever your preference.) If you tone down the sweetness of your chocolate, you can add other flavors without making the sweetness over-powering. Try nutmeg, cinnamon, raspberry, caramel, etc. I enjoy mine with fresh mint!
61fcbb8640a40a6331fb2dbf1645a84668efa333Hot Apple Cider &/or Mulled Cider
I adore hot mulled cider (cider cooked and spiced with cinnamon sticks, allspice, cloves, orange slices.) Drink alone or for an unconventional twist add milk (almond milk is especially nice) and/or honey or agave (only if you like things super sweet, cider is naturally very sweet.)

 

178619111_XSCarob Powder…
I don’t know much about this so I cannot vouch for it, but I’ve heard it come up a lot as a coffee and chocolate substitute (it is caffeine free.) It is said to be equally sweet and satisfying, and mix well with milk for a tasty drinkd401ff7c5b96a91e16ad8ac784c2fe2e. It is also supposed to be significantly healthier than cocoa powder (not to be confused with cacao.) Noted health benefits are: low in fat, high in fiber, and has calcium. I am listing it here based on what I have heard, but have never tried it myself. If it lives up to it’s claims than you could use it in the same ways I’ve mentioned for tea and hot cocoa.

If as a coffee alternative you are looking more for the energy booster, 
here are some great options: 

Wheatgrass juice (raw/fresh)
wheat-grass-juice-with-lemon-on-tableThis “fresh” juice is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available. It is also full of great nutrients; it contains all minerals known to man, vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, l and K. It is extremely rich in protein, and has 17 amino acids. Very healthy, energizing, and cleansing.
Pomegranate (fruit or juice.)
downloadThis fruit is also pact with vitamins and antioxidants! Increases blood flow, fights bacteria, anti-inflammatory, improves memory, and the list goes on. However, most importantly, it is rich in dietary nitrates (which helps with fatigue.) It is very energizing and invigorating.
Kombucha
kombucha1This is a fermented effervescent tea, that is made from black or green tea, and is slightly sweet. It can be very energizing and revitalizing, however the effects seem to vary, as some people feel a sedative effect.
Via Wikipedia: kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a “symbiotic ‘colony’ of bacteria and yeast.”

Another great option is green smoothies and juices. Here are some great ingredients for an energy packed drink.

 

favorite-green-smoothie-4
Lemon: Has a lot of the same energizing components as orange but with a flavor that mixes very nicely with green smoothies.
Pomegranate
Spinach: Helps fight the blues, and is loaded with antioxidants and folic-acid. Unfortunately I don’t really like the flavor in my smoothies, so I go with Kale.
Chia Seeds: Energizing due to their awesome ratio of protein, fats and fiber.
Wheatgrass
Chard: This is said to have a positive effect on mood, so, why not!
I also like to add nuts to my smoothies, if you don’t mind the texture. They add lean protein which helps keep your energy up. Almonds (brain food!) are my favorite, but cashews lend a more smooth creamy texture and taste.
One other option is to add Greek yogurt to a smoothie for extra protein and energy. It is also a great digestive aid.
greensmoothie.jpgSimple Energizing Juice:
Granny Smith Apples
Lemon
Kale
Wheatgrass
It is very light, simple, and fresh, but packed with goodness!

Do you have any good energizing or relaxing alternatives to a cup of joe?

78 thoughts on “Coffee Alternatives”

  3. I liked Roastaroma by Celestial Seasonings tea makers. It has roasted barley, roasted chicory, roasted carob, cinnamon, allspice and Chinese star anise in it. I only had one cup of it because I really like chai tea and I don’t have time to brew tea a lot in one day. It’s an acquired taste and I used to buy a powdered coffee substitute that might have been called Kaffree Roma. That’s the name of a product online sold by Amazon only in America, though. Postum was back, it said in another ad. I don’t know anything about it, except I think my parents tried it many moons ago.

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  8. I pray I never find myself in a situation where coffee is sparse, but if so, I will reference this post! Haha, but serioualy, Chai is a great alternative. My go-to is always a cup of earl grey with a splash of milk. Pomegranate is great stuff. And a smoothie is a must IMO, even with coffee!

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  9. I don’t like coffee, I adore coffee, but I’ve given it up until I develop more residual income. I’m also a tea snob and dry much of my own herbal and fruit blends. Even so, you’ve offered some great suggestions I intend to try. Oh can carob is great in a latte. Jus sayin’ Love this post.

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  17. I generally struggle to trust people who don’t drink coffee. (An ex included) but I appreciate alternatives. My perfect day has several cups of tea and at least ‘A’ coffee. Still, coffee snobs prevail……….Melbourne is known for its great coffee!

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    • I am becoming quite the coffee snob lol and it’s weird being around people who don’t like it, most of my family and friends are addicts like me so it’s odd when I come across someone who just doesn’t like it.

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    • Me too! It would make a great post. My wheels are turning. I like my local Stumptown coffee, but I actually have not tried as many as I would like. One day I’d love to try Blue Mountain, but it’s SO expensive and hard to find! From Stumptown I get the “Hair Bender” it is blend that has cherry, toffee, and fudge notes.

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  21. I just adore Matcha Green Tea Frappucinos! I have never tasted plain matcha tea – I don’t think I’d like it.. I’ve tried white tea, rooibos, green tea, etc but in the end, only black tea for me.

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  23. Super informative! Great options. I am obsessed with coffee but I do love my tea – with gobs of honey…so it’s possible I really like honey….
    Plus, tea has been my refuge the last week because I have had a nasty cough and it is the only thing that helps. It is so depressing when coffee becomes my enemy during an ailment. How it will turn against me and make my throat scratchy and irritable. TRAITOR!

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  24. I like some coffee, but usually go with a strong cup of Irish Breakfast black tea just because it’s easier to do right when I want my caffeine fix and black tea has less of a bite to the flavor. But for relaxing… I love Rooibos. Celestial Seasonings (I think that’s who makes it) has a Madagascar Red or something that’s Rooibos with a big helping of vanilla. GREAT with honey and a little cream.

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  27. Well…it sounds dull but I drink a lot of water. There is nothing as refreshing as water…but tea is second. While I like coffee, I always feel that it makes me feel thirsty afterwards which defeats the point somewhat. 😀

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  28. Reblogged this on Will Of Heart and commented:
    “Coffee is a language in itself.” – Jackie Chan

    I am a coffee lover, my day is not complete with out a cup of it. How about you? Do you love coffee?

    I am sure all of us love coffee, but there are times we want an alternative to our love. I am happy I found this blog … (Coffee Alternatives) by http://cafebookbean.com/. This blog post shared a great alternative list which we surely enjoy also just like our favorite coffee.
    So … let us read and try … Enjoy!

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  33. Dandy Blend is my favorite coffee alternative, largely because it kind of reminds me of coffee. It’s decaffeinated, has a slightly bitter nutty taste to it, apparently acts as a blood purifier and generally encourages detox and digestive health.

    Mostly it just tastes good though.

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