Thoughts on coffee-drinking

[Susanne A.]

There are as many opinions as there are people. Once I read that coffee is bad in general, the other time I discover that is is actually really beneficial. I drink lots of coffee, and I tried to switch to other caffeine providers such as cascara or yerba matte but it just doesn't do it for me. Does anyone has any suggestions as to an effective substitute for coffee? Or does anyone have any good article or knowledge about the effects of drinking that much coffee. Btw I know that magnesium supplementation while drinking lots of coffee is a must! I was hoping for some more tips

 

[Kellyr]

I'm really sensitive to caffeine so I don't consume it very much. If I want chocolate, or something with caffeine in it, I have to have it well before noon or it'll stay in my system and keep me up at night. The only time I go with something high-octane is on rare mornings at work where I had insomnia the night before and am dead tired. I'll take half a 200mg tablet of a pure caffeine pill. I don't do that often because I feel it makes me pretty jittery. Energetic, yes... but jittery, too. The tannins in coffee upset my stomach, so I don't drink coffee at all.

My weekly routine is having a cup of matcha green tea latte (with coconut milk) on Friday and Saturday morning. (equal to about 1/2 tsp matcha green tea per cup). In the winter I'll occasionally have Good Earth Sweet and Spicy black tea in the mornings mostly to warm me up. In any case, where caffeine goes, I'd rather have green tea over black since it at least contains more health benefits.

So, long-winded description aside - caffeine pills are a substitute. But if you like the ritual of drinking something hot, maybe creamy or sweet, too, if you add creamers and sweeteners, then pills likely won't cut it.

This article from Nutritionfacts.org may help lead you to further information about coffee consumption and caffeine:

Who Should Avoid Coffee?

 

[Veganite]

I do love a warm beverage in the morning.

I'd love to give more input on coffee, but I only drink tea, myself. I'm a former coffee drinker. When I went vegan I could not find a substitute milk alternative that I liked. I tried them all, and just couldn't get past the change, so I made a decision to give it up, entirely. I'm not saying that's for everyone, but it works for me.

I would suggest green tea, myself. It doesn't have quite the caffeine jolt, but it does have a bit, and it has health benefits as well.

Giving up coffee was not that hard for me, actually. It's probably because I wasn't giving up caffeine altogether. If you do, you can get headaches for a couple days while you withdraw from your addiction.


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[Lou]

I don't have any health issues or concerns with coffee.

I do have environmental and social/economic concerns.

At my worst, I drank at least 20 ounces of coffee a day. Now I limit myself to 12 oz of coffee in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon iced tea, 8 - 12 oz.

I don't think I am addicted to coffee. Except for as Kellyr said, "the ritual".

Now that you got me thinking about it, I am going to re-think coffee consumption. I probably could skip it entirely.

As far as my environmental and social/economic concerns go, I mitigate some of them with buying shade grown, organic, free trade coffee beans.

 

[Susanne A.]

I don't have any health issues or concerns with coffee.

I do have environmental and social/economic concerns.

At my worst, I drank at least 20 ounces of coffee a day. Now I limit myself to 12 oz of coffee in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon iced tea, 8 - 12 oz.

I don't think I am addicted to coffee. Except for as Kellyr said, "the ritual".

Now that you got me thinking about it, I am going to re-think coffee consumption. I probably could skip it entirely.

As far as my environmental and social/economic concerns go, I mitigate some of them with buying shade grown, organic, free trade coffee beans.

Thanks for the reply. I try to buy organic coffee as often as I can (and as budget allows it). For me it is also more of a habit and the action of making coffee itself rather than its taste.

 

[Susanne A.]

I do love a warm beverage in the morning.

I'd love to give more input on coffee, but I only drink tea, myself. I'm a former coffee drinker. When I went vegan I could not find a substitute milk alternative that I liked. I tried them all, and just couldn't get past the change, so I made a decision to give it up, entirely. I'm not saying that's for everyone, but it works for me.

I would suggest green tea, myself. It doesn't have quite the caffeine jolt, but it does have a bit, and it has health benefits as well.

Giving up coffee was not that hard for me, actually. It's probably because I wasn't giving up caffeine altogether. If you do, you can get headaches for a couple days while you withdraw from your addiction.


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I'm glad to hear that quitting coffee wasn't difficult for you but it is a pity you didn't like any of the plant-based milk options. I'm not the biggest fan either so I usually take just plain, black coffee (coconut milk is my most preferred one if I decide to have a little milk). I also drink a lot of green tea! (Probably too much if that's even possible ) Jasmin Tea has to be my favorite

 

[Susanne A.]

I'm really sensitive to caffeine so I don't consume it very much. If I want chocolate, or something with caffeine in it, I have to have it well before noon or it'll stay in my system and keep me up at night. The only time I go with something high-octane is on rare mornings at work where I had insomnia the night before and am dead tired. I'll take half a 200mg tablet of a pure caffeine pill. I don't do that often because I feel it makes me pretty jittery. Energetic, yes... but jittery, too. The tannins in coffee upset my stomach, so I don't drink coffee at all.

My weekly routine is having a cup of matcha green tea latte (with coconut milk) on Friday and Saturday morning. (equal to about 1/2 tsp matcha green tea per cup). In the winter I'll occasionally have Good Earth Sweet and Spicy black tea in the mornings mostly to warm me up. In any case, where caffeine goes, I'd rather have green tea over black since it at least contains more health benefits.

So, long-winded description aside - caffeine pills are a substitute. But if you like the ritual of drinking something hot, maybe creamy or sweet, too, if you add creamers and sweeteners, then pills likely won't cut it.

This article from Nutritionfacts.org may help lead you to further information about coffee consumption and caffeine:

Who Should Avoid Coffee?

Wow! Thanks for the article, it was really useful. Matcha + coconut milk is a match made in heaven

 

[Veganite]

Jasmin Tea has to be my favorite

I love Jasmin tea!

 

[Lou]

I love Jasmin tea!

I've never had that. I will try it.
I have a whole bunch of teas that I switch around on an irregular basis. Maybe Good Earth Sweet & Spicy is my favorite.

 

[Nekodaiden]

There are as many opinions as there are people. Once I read that coffee is bad in general, the other time I discover that is is actually really beneficial. I drink lots of coffee, and I tried to switch to other caffeine providers such as cascara or yerba matte but it just doesn't do it for me. Does anyone has any suggestions as to an effective substitute for coffee? Or does anyone have any good article or knowledge about the effects of drinking that much coffee. Btw I know that magnesium supplementation while drinking lots of coffee is a must! I was hoping for some more tips

I can see where magnesium intake would be suggested for people who drink lots of coffee, as it's fairly acidic. I have slowed my coffee intake to around 3 cups a day now, primarily because too much can stress the adrenal glands and it does decrease Vitamin B6 levels. Coffee in general has some anti-oxidants but it's fairly low on vitamins and minerals.

As for caffeine consumption, I do not know of any *viable* alternatives if you want the caffeine and the anti-oxidants coffee contains (I'd never suggest sodas, ugh), but what I do currently is sprout barley (or if I don't have any sprouted, just roast it raw), then dry it, pulverize it and add it to my coffee. The taste is similar and it adds some nutrition in the way of vitamins and minerals that the coffee is pretty low on.