“Sayonara shakes!”
I imagine that’s what my body proclaimed when I finally quit coffee. Yes, quit coffee. It was earlier this year that I had an ephiphany of sorts: coffee was bringing me down. More specifically, the caffeine in it.
The lattes, machiatos and iced coffees all elevated my hummingbird heart rate to overdrive. It was a frightengly fast pace that always resulted in heightened anxiety, shakiness and ultimately, an unavoidable caffeine crash. My experience as a coffee drinker can be summarized as insanity, or “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” For at least a decade, I was brewing denial and let’s be honest — it tasted good.
Part of the fun of drinking coffee is the routines associated with it: Making a cup of joe with breakfast, meeting with friends at the café to catch up, putting on a pot of brain juice in preparation for a long day or night of working, a mid-day brew run to boost morale. We’ve all been there and done that.
I knew that giving up this comforting habit was going to be hard. I would need some kind of substitute. Drinking decaf was not an option I was willing to entertain, even as part of weaning off, but it wasn’t long before I stumbled upon Teeccino. This “herbal coffee” has no caffeine and plenty of flavors that are made to taste like regular coffee. The catch is that it includes healthy ingredients, many of which people do not get in their daily diets.
It can be served hot or cold. I like it at both temperatures, with a splash of almond milk or cream, and when my sweet tooth has a say, I’ll add some coconut sugar. So good.
I’ve taste tested the Vanilla Nut and Java flavors. Both are great, but I prefer the latter, which is 75 percent organic, “medium roast,” and includes roasted carob, barley, chicory, almonds, dates, natural coffee flavor and figs.
According to the Teeccino website, the health benefits of this drink:
- Antioxidants from carob, dates, figs, barley and almonds
- Naturally caffeine free – no processing or chemical residues
- Non-acidic – helps restore alkaline balance
- Natural energy boost – from nutrients, not stimulants
- Contains heart-healthy potassium
- 1g of soluble fiber per serving
- Prebiotic – inulin from chicory root supports beneficial microflora that improve digestion, regularity and intestinal health
- Brewed Teeccino is gluten free as verified by independent laboratory tests
The herbal coffee is available in boxes of individual tee-bags or 11 oz. bags. It can be prepared in traditional coffee makers and one tablespoon makes 10 fl. oz. I purchase Teeccino from my local health food store or Sprouts, where it is sold for $9.99-$10.99. One bag seems to last me a couple months and I drink a lot.
Now, I still occasionally have a cup of coffee when I’m out with friends or having a treat-yo-self moment, but gone are the days of consuming 16 to 24 ounces. (Yikes!) If you are looking to cut down on your coffee or caffeine intake, or eliminate it entirely, I highly suggest this product.
Flavors available: French Roast, Chocolate, Chai, Java, Orange, Vanilla Nut, Hazelnut, Mocha, Almond Amaretto, Chocolate Mint (June’s flavor of the month – 15 percent off), French Vanilla, Southern Pecan, Caramel Nut, Chocolate Raspberry, Pumpkin Spice, Dandelion Dark Roast, Dandelion Mocha, Dandelion Vanilla Nut, Dandelion Caramel Nut and Maya Chocolate. They also have samplers so you can test out several kinds before finding your favorite.
Are you a coffee drinker? Would you consider trying out Teeccino as an alternative?
*This post is sponsored only by my taste buds.