Alternatives to Coffee for your Caffeine Fix
Is getting your buzz on a natural part of your daily routine?
For most Americans, the answer is a resounding yes.
Most choose to caffeinate with coffee…
Lots and lots of coffee.
But coffee is hardly the only energy-boosting option out there.
While it works great when you’ve had an all-nighter and as a smooth sip to accompany an alternative poetry reading, coffee packs a very high punch of caffeine.
You may find yourself more jittery than jumpstarted.
Whether you want to cut back on the caffeine because you’re interested in improving your overall well-being, or have been advised to do so by a medical professional, consider some of the following coffee alternatives.
Your body will thank you, and you’ll feel less agitated while still getting your caffeine fix.
Healthy Options
Pregnant moms and people who want to cut back to reduce their dependency on caffeine are often interested in healthier options to the daily java fix.
Maybe you want to supplement one or more of your coffee mugs a day with something that’s healthier for you or are quitting the cold brew cold turkey.
These healthy options give you a bit of caffeinated comfort without the full blast that comes from coffee.
Green teas
Green tea is one of the world’s most powerful beverages.
It offers a small amount of caffeine that’s enough to boost your mood and kickstart your metabolism, which adds to its popularity.
Matcha green tea is a particularly potent blend of ground green tea leaves that have an interesting flavor and the perfect amount of buzz.
Wheatgrass juice
While wheatgrass juice doesn’t contain any caffeine, it sure it a great wake-up beverage.
Whether you chug a glass in the morning or during your afternoon slump, the easily digestible nutrient punch that this beverage has to offer will perk you right up in no time flat.
Caffeine Edibles
Of course, maybe you’re not into drinking your caffeine at all.
Maybe you would prefer something that you can toss into a backpack or bike bag for a quick boost during a hike or for a mid-ride refresher.
Edibles deliver caffeine without the inconvenience of drinking a cup.
Plus, you can still feel that buzz.
Snacks
Whether you’re out and about or crunching numbers in the office, grabbing a caffeine-infused snack will help to improve your focus and fill you up.
From caffeine-laced Cracker Jacks to caffeinated peanut butter, you can get a double whammy energy boost from a caffeinated snack.
Desserts
Of course, where would we be without listing one of the most popular caffeinated edibles: chocolate?
From straight-up chocolate bars to ice cream and cake, desserts containing some type of cocoa derivative are laced with just the right amount of caffeine to make you smile.
Drink Up
While we covered drinks in our previous section on healthy caffeine alternatives, it’s worth mentioning drinkable coffee alternatives aren’t necessarily quite as healthy.
Some caffeine alternatives aren’t considered health food in a technical sense.
After all, drinkable caffeine is the most popular form of delivery.
Energy drinks
Energy drinks became crazy popular in the past few decades, and we’re still riding the wave.
From quick shots that promise hours of energy to extra-large cans fueled by multiple days’ worth of sugar content, the energy drink market is one of the biggest coffee-alternative caffeine machines.
Soda
Along with energy drinks, though much older, soda provides a quick caffeine fix paired with a whole lot of sugar.
Between the caffeine and the sugar, drinkers ride high and then crash pretty hard not too long afterward.
Diet sodas offer an alternative to their sugar-laden counterparts, but nutritionists aren’t convinced of the long-term health benefits of consuming large quantities of artificial sweeteners.
Water with lemon
While it’s certainly not unhealthy, water with lemon isn’t exactly a health food.
It’s just, well, water.
However, drinking infused water can help you to stay more hydrated throughout the day than drinking plain water alone.
People who are well-hydrated tend to have clearer thinking and more steady energy than those who aren’t.
Supplements and Pills
Drinking and eating your caffeine, while enjoyable, can add unnecessary calories to your daily intake.
And if you’re a super picky eater or on a strict diet, using up precious calories for caffeine purposes alone might seem like a colossal waste.
Supplements and pills that promise a caffeine boost are a good alternative to the regular methods.
Caffeine pills
Designed to offer powerful focus through an incredibly high dose of caffeine, these pills are fairly straightforward and can certainly help you power through the occasional all-nighter.
They’re pretty intense, and the crash after a caffeine pill wears off might negate some of the energy you had while it was in effect.
pureLYFT
An all-natural, calorie-free supplement, pureLYFT offers Clean Caffeine that helps you achieve a caffeine boost without tipping the scale or scrounging up a special snack.
Simply add it to your water or smoothie - anything really - and get on with your day.
What’s simpler than that?
Just a bit of pureLYFT in your ordinary bottled water stands in for the unwelcome effects of a full cup (or multiple cups) of coffee.
See which pureLYFT flavor fits your fancy.