Start Your Morning Right: With These Healthy Coffee Alternatives

By Tonye Thomas

“The Benefits of Replacing Your Morning Coffee with These Beverages.”

How many people around the world rely on coffee to power their daily routines? The number must be in the billions! 

And while there are many great things about coffee, mixing things up and drinking various beverages in the morning can positively impact your health and well-being. 

With this in mind, we introduce you to six healthy coffee alternatives that you should try and explain some of the potential health benefits of enjoying each. 

Is Coffee Bad for You? 

Let’s clear something up at the outset – moderate coffee consumption isn’t harmful to you. On the contrary, Harvard Health regards average consumption as between 2-5 cups per day and has found that drinking coffee can even be linked to a range of health benefits when enjoyed responsibly. 

However, coffee isn’t suitable for everyone. It can increase your anxiety levels and heighten the symptoms of depression if you suffer from mental health conditions. What’s more, taken at the wrong time of the day can disturb your sleep and advertently minimize your ability to function throughout the day.

So, with this in mind, it’s a great idea to be aware of some healthful coffee alternatives that you can include in your morning routine, so you’re not entirely reliant on Joe to get you through the day!

Six Coffee Alternatives You Need to Try 

1. Lemon Water  

There are numerous health benefits to drinking lemon water in the morning, whether cold or hot. As you’re probably aware, lemon is high in Vitamin C as well as soluble fiber. Studies indicate that the acidic properties of lemon have many advantages, including: 

• Skin hydration 
• Less risk of developing kidney stones 
• Aids digestion 
• Freshens breath 
• Supports weight loss 

It’s also straightforward to prepare lemon water. First, buy a fresh lemon and slice it up in any way that you choose. You can then drop the lemon into a cup and add hot or cold water. If you’re adding cold water, it’s best to leave your lemon water in the fridge for a few hours before drinking it, so the taste has time to infuse with the water. 

Alternatively, you can squeeze your lemon directly into your water if you don’t want to have slices in your drink. 

2. Green Tea 

Green tea has been a popular and soothing drink for thousands of years, particularly in the far east. It is love for the healthy bioactive compounds found in the tea leaves and the antioxidant properties in abundance.  

Due to the incredible health benefits of this simple drink, it has increased in popularity worldwide and has become an essential ingredient for many health-conscious individuals. Switching your morning coffee for green tea could potentially have the following health benefits: 

• Enhanced brain function 
• Contributes to fat burning 
• Lower risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease
• Reduces brain aging 
• Improves general cognition 

There are so many different types of green tea that you can try, which offers a huge variety depending on your preferred taste. Some of the most popular include Sencha, Hojicha, and Gyokuro, but feel free to do your research and find your personal favorite! 

3. Matcha 

It’s fair to say that matcha is an acquired taste, but its potential health benefits are numerous. Essentially, matcha is a type of green tea, but it deserves a category of its own due to its unique composition. 

The most attractive aspect of matcha is rich in catechins; plant compounds act as natural antioxidants. Including matcha in your diet can have the following positive impacts on your health: 

• Protects your liver 
• Promotes cardiovascular health
• Contributes to weight loss 
• Boosts cognition and brain function

Matcha is extremely easy to prepare and comes in a powder that can then be mixed with water or milk and sweetened to taste. However, one thing to be mindful of about matcha is that it is expensive, so you should perhaps try and buy it in bulk to save yourself the high price it commands in the supermarket.

4. Kombucha 

Kombucha is all the rage in the present day, as people slowly realize the incredible array of health-beneficial components that make it very much a super drink! It is a fermented tea with similar properties and health benefits to regular tea, but with one crucial distinction – it’s rich in beneficial probiotics. 

Here are some of how kombucha may contribute to your healthy lifestyle: 

• Kills harmful bacteria (thanks to its probiotic qualities)
• Reduces heart disease risk
• Manages Type 2 Diabetes 
• Protects against cancer 

You can buy kombucha from the store or your favorite local coffee shop, or you can, of course, make it yourself. But bear in mind that kombucha is fermented, which typically means you need to leave it in the fridge for 2-3 weeks before it’s ready to drink. 

If you’re keen to make your kombucha from home, this recipe is an excellent place to begin.

5. Black Tea 

Black tea is one of the oldest (and most popular) beverages in the world. But, while most people enjoy black tea with milk and sugar today, the best way to enjoy its health benefits is to drink it as it is. 

Just like other types of tea, black tea is rich in antioxidants, which help your body function and protect you from illness and disease. Changing coffee for black tea in the morning can potentially enhance your health in the following ways: 

• Boosts general heart health 
• Lowers LDL cholesterol (the wrong type) 
• Reduces blood pressure and blood sugar levels 
• Decreases the risk of cancer 

There are so many types of black tea that you can try, including Assam, Earl Grey, and Darjeeling. It’s a good idea to mix things up as you can enjoy different flavor profiles from each. 

6. Yerba Mate Tea 

Drinking yerba mate tea is an excellent way to protect your body from free radicals, owing to its richness in antioxidants. This unique tea originated from deep within the South American Atlantic rainforest, made from the caffeinated leaves of a holly tree.

Those who swear by yerba mate compare its caffeinating effects to coffee, which has led many to see it as a healthful alternative to a morning cup of Joe. Some of the specific health benefits of drinking yerba mate tea may include: 

• Boosts energy and enhances mental focus 
• Protects against viruses and infections 
• It helps you lose weight, particularly belly fat 
• Protects you from cancers 

There’s nothing complicated about making yerba mate tea. Still, for best results, you should invest in a tea strainer, so you can allow it to infuse into the water before enjoying it successfully.

Moderation is the Key to a Healthful Morning Routine 

You’ve probably heard the saying that ‘everything is fine in moderation.’ Well, it certainly applies to coffee. And while you don’t need to remove coffee from your diet altogether, it’s a good idea to incorporate some of the other delicious options that we’ve introduced above, so you can experience the myriad health benefits that each of them can provide.