Alternatives to Decaffeinated Coffee
Coffee with caffeine wakes you up in the morning, but it may pose health risks such as insomnia and fast heartbeats. Many people drink decaffeinated coffee to reduce caffeine intake. However, according to a 2006 study by the University of Florida, decaf coffee still contains a considerable amount of caffeine, from 3 to 15.8 milligrams. The best way to completely remove caffeine from your diet is to find alternatives that do not contain any caffeine. Does this Spark an idea?
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Tea
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Tea is a common alternative to decaffeinated coffee. Red Rooibos tea from South Africa is naturally caffeine-free. It's made from the Aspalathus Linearis shrub, which grows in the mountains of Cape of Good Hope. Herbal teas such as mint, may alleviate stomach upsets and calm heart palpitations. Like coffee, drinking mint may increase alertness. Other tea alternatives to decaffeinated coffee are ginger and licorice tea.
Cocoa
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Hot cocoa from powder is an alternative to decaffeinated coffee, though it does contain minimal amounts of caffeine. Cocoa beans are processed and fermented to create cocoa powder, which contains an average 0.214 percent of caffeine. Carob powder has no caffeine and has a similar chocolate taste. Harvested from carob pods, it is used as a substitute for chocolate in baking. As a hot drink, it may aid in digestion and contains vitamins such as A, B and D.
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Herbal Coffee
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Herbal coffees are made from blends of herbs, nuts and grains. Roasted and ground like coffee, they have flavor similar to coffee without the caffeine. Herbal coffees include Teeccino Tea Coffee and Dandy Blend. Teeccino has potassium and inulin, which may lower cholesterol, while Dandy Blend is made by roasting dandelion, chicory, beets, barley and rye. Both claim to taste like coffee without any caffeine. Herbal coffees also cost less than regular coffee.
Other Hot Drinks
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Coffee drinkers typically seek alternatives in the form of a hot drink. The heat may be soothing, and another alternative to decaffeinated coffee is hot apple cider. Made from apple juice, hot cider includes the addition of spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Pear juice may also be heated like hot apple cider. Ginseng in hot water is also caffeine-free, and it has natural stimulant properties. It may increase memory and endurance, but it has side effects such as inducing sleep and intensifying the effects of other drugs such as digoxin.
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References
- MayoClinic.com; Caffeine: How much is too much?; March 2011
- Science Daily; Decaffeinated Coffee Is Not Caffeine-Free, Experts Say; Oct. 2006
- Rooibos Red Tea: Rooibos Bonuses and Benefits
- Botanical: Properties of Mint
- Food-Info: Does Cocoa Contain Caffeine?
- Coffee Alternatives; Carob Powder Coffee Alternative; April 2010
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