For the last few months I have not been drinking alcohol or coffee.
I thought it would be the other way round, but I do not miss the alcohol at all (don’t even think about it), but coffee in the morning is still tricky.
I have not had any coffee (tried decaf, awful) for two months, and I am still grappling with alternatives. I don’t have the much spoken about headaches, I just fancy one.
The one thing I like is M&S ‘Strawberry and Raspberry’ fruit tea - very nice.
But I need a few more alternatives to keep my mind off the strong coffee and a banana breakfast fix I lived on for years.
Decaf coffee would be the obvious alternative. It has the same taste (well, perhaps only subtle differences). It is almost but not completely caffeine free, about 97% free from memory.
We grind our own from decaf roasted beans. Then make black americanos in our espresso machine.This should overcome any concerns about tasting awful.
I used to find decaf coffee pretty awful but these days it seems OK. Perhaps caffeine removal techniques have improved.
These days I often use a 50:50 mix of regular coffee and decaf, as I cannot abide weak coffee. I guess I could probably cope with full decaf if I had to.
Do you have specific problems with coffee or caffeine? I do n’t really see why 1 or 2 cups in the morning would be a problem. I tend to drink 4 or 5 coffees and that is a bit much. I tried decaf, but did not like it so much. Recently I start the morning with tea (make sure you use tea without caffeine) and I am drinking not more than 2 coffee.
A few months ago my doctor told me I had very high blood pressure, so I changed everything in my life, and now it’s back to normal.
I am keen to stay healthy and so I want to keep the changes I’ve made and make more, eg I am now doing yoga with Sean Vigue (brilliant), on YouTube, not in person
I might try Rooibos.
All the decaf I’ve tried has been undrinkable, but I will keep on looking…
‘Matcha is well-known for its high concentration of antioxidants (catechins) which help with heart health and reducing inflammation. It also provides a jitter-free caffeine boost’.
My daughter enjoys a Matcha & it does seem to have gained in popularity with coffee avoiders.
Coffee has other compounds and often it is sensitivity to the others that give a person the caffeine shakes after a strong cup of coffee, not the caffeine itself. So it is worth exploring tea.
One coffee makes my heart race and nerves wobble but a pint of the darkest Assam tea will never do this to me.
If you were a coffee lover and used to bold flavours, the tea I would opt for is a CTC prepared Assam. Rich, and will often brew to nearly the same colour as coffee.
Have you tried sugarcane method decaf coffee. I found it to taste as good as regular coffee but without the caffeine hit. I get mine from RAVE coffee online. The website describes the difference between Swiss water and sugarcane decaffeinated. I drink both.
I don’t know what decaf coffee you have tried, but a lot of it uses a chemical process to remove the caffeine. This company provides one example of the alternative process that is certainly healthier and may taste better.
Radiotherapy for cancer damaged my bladder lining both caffeine and bottled citrus juice are irritants.
Radiology cystitis. No real cure.
I have a ground bean filter coffee in the morning and that’s it. Then half a litre of water to wash it through.
Rooibos I buy in bulk. It is not a consistent product. Doubling up the bags helps.
Their chai is an acquired taste. Too much cinnamon for me.
I grow herbs. Lemon Balm,mint,basil,dill all help Rooibos,stinging nettles currently. Liquorice.
I miss my first flush Assam but it’s not worth the discomfort.
