Quitting Coffee Ain’t So Bad…If You Have These Three Caffeinated-Heroes

Updated 1/20/19:

Since quitting caffeine almost entirely due to discovering the complications daily consumption was causing my sensitive adrenal glands, I rarely imbibe in the beverages mentioned in the post below. I do enjoy a mild matcha coconut milk latte on occasion though!

These drinks do have some merit though for breaking a coffee habit! I found it much easier to wean off of coffee when I had these AIP-friendly brewables on hand. Made life less cranky to have a variety of choices to sip on in an attempt to keep the coffee-detox migraine at bay!

Original post:

“Oh, I couldn’t quit my coffee.”

“Quit coffee? That’s crazy.”

“I can’t function without coffee. Nope.”

These are generally the types of responses I get when I explain my dietary exclusions while on Autoimmune Protocol and I get to the No-Coffee-Clause.  And, understandably so, because that’s how I felt when I read I’d have to give my cup of Joe the heave-ho. (That rhymed, huhhuhhuhhuhhuh…)

*ahem*

So, in spirit of keeping your caffeine levels at “Functional-Human” or above during your AIP adventure, I have here a list of three of our household favorites for putting some pep in our steps:

I have listed affiliate links to the products I use in my home and also recommend to my clients.  If you make a purchase through the suggested links, The Unskilled Cavewoman will receive compensation (at no extra cost to you) to help support the free content of this fabulous website.

#1 – Yerba Mate

Hailing from leaves of the South American holly tree, yerba mate is full of antioxidants, vitamins,  amino acids and minerals.  Its claim to fame is that it has the euphoric effects of chocolate, the health benefits of tea, and the caffeine kick of coffee.

Two areas of caution with this energizing brew are 1) the type of yerba mate you consume and 2) the frequency you consume it.

Traditional yerba mate is considered “smoked,” and that smokiness can aid in mimicking the coffee-flavor you long for.

Unfortunately, if we consume anything that is smoked/barbecued/charred, we are consuming carcinogens.  And carcinogens are bad, m’kay? They can cause all sorts of health issues, and when you are trying to heal I feel it is best to consume smoked products as an occasional treat.

That being said, Guayaki Tea has an unsmoked version called San Mateo (also known as “fresh” or “green” yerba mate) that has a nice bold flavor to it. The taste reminds me of a blend of green and black teas.  It doesn’t have the charred or roasted flavor of coffee beans by any means, but it does have a pleasant bitterness to it that will get your eyes opened up in the morning!

I recommend consuming yerba mate only once per day.  The caffeine kick in this brewed-delight feels very similar to coffee, and too much kick wreaks havoc on our usually already-overworked adrenals.

This would be a good candidate for your morning get-up-and-go cup!

#2 – Darjeeling Tea

Black darjeeling tea is a medium-bodied Indian brew with a ***fabulous*** level of caffeine.  Once brewed, it appears lighter than a traditional Chinese green tea, but the energy kick is much stronger.

I like to enjoy this tea in the middle of the day, after lunch, to keep my bouncy-ness going! Here is one for a great price (I buy mine in BULK because…we drink tea in bulk):

#3 – Irish Breakfast Tea

“Top ‘o’ the mornin’ to ya!”

Ok.  I went to culinary school in south Ireland, where the Irish are the most-Irish folks you could ever meet…and they don’t really say that.  But, ye be a good lass, pardon me nuttiness, and read on about some lovely feckin’ tea, why don’t cha?!

I loooooove the way this tea tastes with a teaspoon of honey and homemade coconut cream.  With those two nom-noms added, Irish black tea is the closest in flavor and texture to a latte out of these three recommended brews.

Get your Irish on here:

I sure hope that these recommendations help you kick your coffee habit.  You CAN do it!! Yes…you can. And you will feel amazingly…no, OUTSTANDINGLY better with a tea/herb habit.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post on the best kitchen tools for brewing your loose leaf teas, and a recipe for a coffee substitute that has the kick of coffee AND the TASTE of coffee!!