My "Not Coffee" Coffee

There’s no question, I was addicted to coffee. I loved the buzz, the energy, the flavor, the ritual, and the people I got to share the experience with. I felt “off” anytime I didn’t have at least one. Then, unexpectedly, something happened (right around when I turned 40) that made me feel like breaking up with coffee. Up to that point, I had been able to tolerate about 2 cups of coffee a day with no trouble sleeping at night, or feeling jittery after consuming a regular cup (approximately 200-250 mg of caffeine).

For most people, the more candles you add to your birthday cake, the more likely you are to start reacting to foods or products in ways you never had before. Sometimes it’s inexplicable, and other times it’s simply due to an accumulation of something and hitting a threshold. 

I knew my “that’s enough coffee” threshold had been reached because I suddenly couldn't sleep at night, and I had jitters, sometimes even mild nausea after drinking it. The absolute worst symptom I noticed was dark circles began forming under my eyes! Here I am thinking coffee would help me look more awake, yet there I was experiencing the exact opposite. 

I came to terms with the fact that coffee can age you. To be clear, it's not necessarily the coffee as a whole so much as it is the amount of the drug known as caffeine that your system has to process on a daily basis. High amounts of caffeine constrict blood vessels (to the brain, to different organs, specifically the skin). High amounts of caffeine can inhibit your ability to rest and regenerate because it actually blocks your body's "tired” button, preventing you from resting when you really should. To speak honestly of what caffeine does, it does not actually help you to wake up or “give you energy", it helps you to not feel tired; it is a drug masking your tiredness, and the more you consume the more likely that it is putting your body in a state of silent stress called called adrenal fatigue! Read more about adrenal fatigue here. Sorry in advance if you get pulled into a rabbit hole reading about this…I'd bet many of you will find that life makes a lot more sense after understanding this stuff. 

If you’re someone who feels like there are no negatives to coffee in your life, that’s awesome, enjoy it, I hope it’s true. I decided to minimize it in my life but can’t pretend I don’t still crave my "cup of coffee" in the mornings; the smell, the ritual, the warmth, etc. I just needed to find something with a little less caffeine. I've tried many alternatives but below are the 4 that stand out, and I recommend them to anyone interested in upping their “coffee” game while reducing their caffeine intake: 

Kroma Beauty Matcha Latte - use code BEAUTYSHAMANS for 15% off first orders!

I wasn't super into matcha until I tried this one. It has added spices like turmeric and ginger that give it a warm and spicy kick. They also add maca, mushrooms and collagen peptides (great for boosting collagen and keeping skin clear). This has about 72 mg of caffeine per serving. It tastes earthy, spicy, creamy and slightly sweet. I add frothed raw milk to it. 

Pique Life's Nandaka - use this link for up to 20% off first orders plus a free gift. 

This is as close to that bitter, dark, coffee feeling I could find and I am completely in love. This product out of all of them feels and tastes the most like coffee to me. It’s made with fermented teas which give it about 80 mg of caffeine per serving. But the real magic is in their ceremonial cacao and mushroom blend. Like the Matcha, it gives a boost of energy without jitters, the entire "buzz" feels completely different from a coffee buzz too. With this stuff, you feel happy (and for an extended period of time)! 

The Maca Team's "Morning Motivator" 

Maca is an adaptogenic herb. It doesn't contain caffeine so if you're super sensitive (or on a mission to eliminate caffeine altogether), then this is the best product for you. It tastes nutty, dark, bitter, and most definitely gives the warm and cozy coffee vibe. 

Purroast De-caf - use code SHAMAN15 for 15% off first orders! 

If you absolutely cannot live without the iconic flavor of coffee then this is the only brand I would recommend. Purroast roasts their beans at low temps and with a unique process which prevents high acidity levels while preserving high amounts beauty-boosting antioxidants.