The best part of waking up is coffee in my cup…no really. Since nothing in excess is good for you, I've challenged myself to wean myself off of coffee, down to 1 cup a day (or every other day). However, during this time, I did some research and found that there are lots of delicious substitutes that are still yummy morning beverages.
1) Ayurvedic Roast: This is a warm drink of grains and herbs. So if you're allergic to barley or rye, stay away from this. However, the root – Ashwagandha, is an anti-oxidant that is great for your immune system. Plus, as an added bonus, a cup of this has a rich and familiar coffee flavor.
2) Teccino: This is a herbal coffee flavored drink. It is a tea, disguised as a coffee. It contains roasted carob, barley, chicory, almonds, and coffee flavor. It comes in many flavors but I like the Maya French Roast which is unsweetened and tastes very similar to a medium brew.
3) Bambu: Is a coffee-like drink that is made out of chicory, figs, wheat, and malted barley. It tastes a bit like Ovaltine but more bitter… like coffee.
4) Green tea: Ok, this is not really a coffee substitute in that it is an entirely different drink, but it is full of antioxidants and is a mild diuretic (not unlike coffee). It also naturally has caffeine so it can do the trick when you need a pick-me-up.
5) Dandy Blend: I've never tried this one yet, but it is a caffeine free drink made of dandelion, chicory, beets and grains of barley and rye. The drink claims to have a full deep coffee taste.
