Healthy Alternatives to Coffee

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My Search for a Healthy Stimulant

I've nothing against Coffee I still love it but now I want to drink it just once a day as a treat, and then drink something stimulating but healthy at other times.
So what's it going to be Green Tea or Puer Tea or Yerba Mate or is there no real alternative to Coffee? Read this Lens to find out!

Finding the perfect beverage or pick me up is one of my real passions, but also important because I wake up feeling so lethargic, and waste so much time before I get into the zone!!

Leave your suggestions in the comments form below

Healthy Drinks or Pick-Me-Ups 

Raw Chocolate
Raw Chocolate. Unsweetend. Incredible levels of antioxidants. Must be real chocolate.


Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate (tastes like dirt but you get used to it) South American herbal tonic, drunk as tea.


Bee Pollen
Bee bread is used in naturopathic medicine traditions and as a nutritional supplement, although exposure may trigger allergic or anaphylactic reactions in sensitive people.


Siberian Ginseng
Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng)
Claimed to
increase endurance
improve memory


Bancha Twig Tea
Bancha Twig Tea is a Japanese green tea


Maca Maca
Another real good one is Maca Maca from Peru.
It works on a lot of levels


Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba is mainly used as memory and concentration enhancer, and anti-vertigo agent


Ashwaganda
Ashwaganda, an Indian herb available at any health food store. It is a great tonic without giving you the jitters


CoQ10
CoQ10 - not so much for energy but it REALLY helps with brain function (by a 50 year old)


Pepper Smoothie
What I love to take in the morning is a smoothie made of fresh fruit with a generous amount of cayenne pepper. (takes getting used to)


Barley Coffee Substitute
Caro is made up of soluble solids of roasted barley, malted barley, chicory, and rye. It is most often available in health food shops, but can also be found in most major supermarkets. Add Honey, Milk, Sugar to taste.

I enjoy and look forward to drinking Caro
Healthy Energy Drink
When I need something to really clear away the cobwebs then I turn to my Healthy Energy Drink. This contains extracts of Green Tea, Panax Ginseng,Stevia, a range of Vitamins. The kick comes from GUARANA. The taste of the drink which comes as powder takes a little getting used to
Rooibos Tea
Rooibos is becoming more popular in Western countries particularly among health-conscious consumers, due to its high level of antioxidants such as aspalathin and nothofagin, its lack of caffeine and its low tannin levels compared to fully oxidized black tea or unoxidized green tea leaves.[citation needed] "Green" rooibos (see above) has a higher antioxidant capacity than fully oxidised rooibos (source Wikipedia)

Yerba Tea 

Is claimed to help with weight loss, energy, boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, tone the nervous system, restore youthful hair color, retard aging, combat fatigue, stimulate the mind, control the appetite, reduce the effects of debilitating disease, reduce stress, and eliminate insomnia.

In the search for a natural stimulant without side effects and toxicity, Yerba Maté currently holds the most hope. Yerba Maté is an invigorator of the mind and body, a natural source of nutrition, and a health promoter. Yerba Maté deserves the attention of every person interested in optimum health.

Tea versus Coffee on eBay 

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Learn More About Healthy Drinks 

Activities to Perk you Up 

Exercise
Immediate exercise upon waking. Lots of breath and water and fresh foods.


Showering
I find having a hot shower in the morning followed by a few seconds of cold very invigorating!
Fruit Breakfast
Try a fresh raw fruit breakfast now and again

Tea & Coffee Voting (Plexo) 

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers by Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers by Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page

The most comprehensive guide to matching food and more...0 points

The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss

The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss

Whether it's a delicate green tea from China or a more...0 points

How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop by Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Arduser, Douglas R. Brown

How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop by Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Arduser, Douglas R. Brown

The explosive growth of the coffee shops across th more...0 points

20,000 Secrets of Tea: The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbs by Victoria Zak

20,000 Secrets of Tea: The Most Effective Ways to Benefit from Nature's Healing Herbs by Victoria Zak

Fight Colds and Flu <br /> Lower Cholesterol more...0 points

Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival by Kenneth Davids

Home Coffee Roasting, Revised, Updated Edition: Romance and Revival by Kenneth Davids

In the past decade, coffee roasting has gone from more...0 points

Is Coffee Healthy or Not?

Everyday I read something different, Coffee is good for Altzheimers, bad for something else, good for another. My own gut feeling is too much can't be good. So that's why I'm searching for another drink to balance things out, one that I look forward to as much as I do Coffee!

Coffee Pros (Benefits) 

Quoted from http://hubpages.com/hub/coffee-pros-cons

* 1. Antioxidants. Coffee is rich in antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins. Antioxidants help prevent oxidation, a process that causes damage to cells and contributes to aging.
* 2. Parkinson's disease. Regular coffee drinking reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease. A number of studies [1],[2] have demonstrated that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are significantly less likely to develop Parkinson's disease.
* 3. Diabetes. Coffee drinking has the potential to protect against the development of type 2 diabetes. A prospective study[3] as part of the US Nurses Health Study found that moderate consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle aged women.
* 4. Liver cirrhosis. Coffee drinking may protect against liver cirrhosis, especially alcoholic cirrhosis.
* 5. Gallstones. There is some evidence [4] that coffee drinking may be protective against gallstone formation in both men and women.
* 6. Kidney stones. Coffee consumption lowers the risk of kidney stones formation. Coffee increases the urine volume, preventing the crystallization of calcium oxalate, the most common component of kidney stones.
* 7. Improved mental performance. Caffeine in coffee is a well-known stimulant. Coffee promotes alertness, attention and wakefulness. The cup of coffee can also increase information processing.
* 8. Alzheimer's disease. Regular coffee drinking may help to protect against Alzheimer's disease. Recent study [5] in mice showed that caffeine equivalent to 5 cups of coffee per day reduced the build up of destructive plaques in the brain.
* 9. Asthma. Caffeine in coffee is related to theophylline, an old asthma medication. Caffeine can open airways and improve asthma symptoms.
* 10. Caffeine safety. In 1958, caffeine was placed on the Food and Drug Administration's list as generally recognized as safe.

Coffee Cons (Disadvantages) 

Quoted from http://hubpages.com/hub/coffee-pros-cons

* 1. Heart disease. This is somewhat controversial. Most prospective cohort studies haven't found that coffee consumption is associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

On one hand, diterpenes cafestol and kahweol present in unfiltered coffee and caffeine each appear to increase risk of coronary heart disease. High quality studies [6] have confirmed the cholesterol-raising effect of diterpenes. Also, coffee consumption is associated with an increase of plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for coronary heart disease.

On the other hand, a lower risk of heart disease among moderate coffee drinkers might be due to antioxidants found in coffee.
* 2. Cholesterol. Heavy consumption of boiled coffee elevates blood total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels [7]. Unfiltered coffee contains two cholesterol-raising compounds cafestol and kahweol.
* 3. Blood vessels. Coffee negatively affects the blood vessel tone and function.
* 4. Heart rhythm disturbances. Coffee can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats (cardiac arrhythmias).
* 5. Blood pressure. Although coffee drinking is not a significant risk factor for hypertension, it produces unfavorable effects on blood pressure [8] and people prone to hypertension may be more susceptible. Recent Italian study found that coffee drinking can slightly increase the risk for development of sustained hypertension in people with elevated blood pressure.
* 6. Osteoporosis. Coffee intake may induce an extra urinary excretion of calcium. Heavy coffee consumption (600 ml or more) can modestly increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women with a low calcium intake [9].
* 7. Heartburn. A cup of coffee can trigger the heartburn.
* 8. Sleep. Most are aware of the stimulatory effects of caffeine. High amounts of caffeine taken before going to sleep can cause difficulty falling asleep, tendency to be awakened more readily by sudden noises, and a decreased quality of sleep. However, some people can drink coffee and fall right asleep.
* 9. Dehydration. The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic and can increase urine excretion. This effect may be easily neutralized by drinking an extra glass of water.
* 10. Dependence. Although "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA, caffeine is still a drug, a mild central nervous system stimulant, and it produces dependence. Caffeine withdrawal is a real syndrome. You may get a few days of headache and irritability if you choose to quit drinking coffee, however, it is relatively easy to break this habit, and most people are not addicted to caffeine

Are you a Tea or Coffee Person 

Say Why !

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New Health Drink Boosters for your Smoothie or Juice 

Energiser Plus
contains Chlorella (Calcium,Magnesium,Boosts Brain function), Maca, Hemp Protein, Wheatgrass, Wild Asco Seaweed, Korean Ginseng, Goji, Artichoke

Detox
Chorella, barleygrass, sprouted flaxseeds, inulin, aloe vera, artichoke,grapeseed, purple corn

Superfood Boosters 

There is a new new trend to add Boosters to Smoothies

  • Barleygrass as much protein as meat, 5x the iron of spinach, 4x the vitamin C as oranges, 11x the calcium
  • Camu Camu 30x more vitamin C than oranges, rich in iron, potassium, beta carotene, vitamins B1,B2,B3
  • Purple Corn High levels of antioxidants
  • Chlorella Contains more calcium and magnesium than milk and has been shown to boost brain function.
  • Goji (Wolfberries) Anti-aging food, richest known source of Carotenoids, 18 amino acids
  • Wheatgrass used to maintain vitality, energy and well being, more protein than meat, egg, dairy and beans

Amazing Fruit Teas 

Until recently I couldn't drink these but recently I've even ordered then in a Coffee Shop, and noticed you feel great after drinking them!
  • Blueberry and Echinacea Tea ; This is my current favorite tasty and warming
  • Ginger, Ginko Bolboa and Ginseng ; A natural way to help invigorate and lift your spirits
  • Blackcurrant, Ginseng & Vanilla : A refreshing drink with a lively taste. The ancient Chinese herb of Ginseng is reputed to act as a natural pick-me-up, whilst vanilla pods and a blackcurrant flavour give this infusion a delightfully fresh flavour. (My New Favorite)

Your Beverage Tip or Comment 

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