5 Tips On How To Quit Drinking Coffee
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Coffee is one of those things that has both pros and cons. You can argue that it contains antioxidants, helps with mood, energy and bowel regularity. On the other hand, you can say that coffee is a stimulant, is addictive, dehydrates the body and is usually acidic. There are exceptions to the rule regarding acidity such as: coffee from Papua in New Guinea has been found to be alkaline, (this still needs to be confirmed with more research) and cold-brewed coffee has less acidity.
For whatever reason you were trying to quit coffee, here are some tips to do so with minimal side effects. And it’s smarter to make this a gradual change, especially if you’ve been drinking coffee as a ritual everyday.
ONE: I switched to Swiss water decaf coffee, which is a cleaner way to have decaf. (Ones that don't use the Swiss water process has chemicals in it). There are different roast levels like regular coffee, I like dark roast. Swiss water decaf coffee costs more but is worth it.
I drink the same amount of coffee, about 4 ounces, half of which is almond milk. So that's 2 ounces of coffee, plus the fact that it's decaf means it's like I'm having 1 ounce of coffee. Decaf still has caffeine so you can get jittery if you drink too much, but it’s a great way to transition.
TWO: Increase your water intake, before you quit coffee. This will offset the headaches that coffee withdrawals can cause.
THREE: Switch To A Replacement Slowly. Depending on the level of caffeine, or whether you want a hot or cold beverage, you have many delicious options to coffee. You can start by doing half coffee and half of one of either Dandy Blend or Teeccino is an herbal tea that tastes similar to coffee. Those who are gluten sensitive will want to avoid this because it contains barley.
FOUR: Switch to a different source of caffeine while you wean off. Matcha powder is made up of ground tea leaves, which you add hot water to. Matcha powder is more potent, so keep in mind the caffeine is stronger. Green tea has caffeine, anti-oxidants and is cancer-fighting. Of course, you can steep and have it hot but for warmer weather, fill a quart pitcher full of water and a couple bags of green tea. Let it steep overnight. As you drink it, refill the pitcher with water. Replace the tea bags every few days.
FIVE: Use a smaller cup. This is a simple trick that lets you fill up your cup and not feel deprived. You’ll get used to the new size and consume less coffee as you wean off. Get one you find beautiful to make your morning ritual more enjoyable. When you find the right size, stick to the same cup so you don’t drink too much and get jittery.
SIX: Supplement with L-theanine and caffeine. The combination of L-theanine and caffeine improves cognitive performance and increases subjective alertness. See the supporting article from the National Center for Biotechnology Information here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21040626
