06.22.09
How to break the coffee habit
posted by Tracy Monson | 3 comments
Every day, new patrons come to our teahouse looking for an alternative to coffee. Perhaps their doctor told them to cut down on their caffeine intake, or perhaps coffee wasn’t “working” like it used to, causing jitters and anxiety, accompanied by lower highs and even lower lows. Often, the search for an alternative is borne out of one’s own addiction realization, and the resultant fear that coffee is needed to lift the fog and function throughout the day.
I’m not against coffee; I’ll drink it, but only if it’s extraordinary. Tea is truly my first love, what my body loves. When I get questions from guests on how to break the coffee habit, I often recommend that they gradually step down from it, replacing only one cup of joe a day with a cup of tea, keeping in mind that black tea has about half the caffeine of coffee. Stopping cold turkey is a recipe for failure, as the body will go into a state of shock, with very real withdrawal symptoms to follow. Then I suggest they continue to replace an additional cup of coffee each week with a cup of tea or an herbal infusion. Stick to herbal/botanical infusions (excluding yerba mate) in the late afternoon for a better night’s sleep, and subsequently, a better morning.
If it’s the aroma of the coffee that has your guest hooked in the morning, suggest he/she try a similarly aromatic, full-bodied tea infusion; classic chai, made the Indian way, is rich and fragrant (for those who need a creamy drink). A peppery-chocolatey Yunnan or a high-quality Keemun are also good choices. Often, the men that come into our teahouse love a Pu-erh or Lapsang Souchong. The important key to success in breaking the addiction is to find a tea that you can truly love for its flavor. No one is going to stick with something if they don’t enjoy it!
The initial jolt of a coffee buzz is hard to replicate, but that jolt comes at the price of a crash. We often recommend matcha to guests seeking a healthier, longer-lasting A.M. buzz, compliments of a cocktail of L-theanine, caffeine, antioxidants, and an array of vitamins and minerals. Because you ingest the entire leaf with matcha, you get multiple times the benefits of infused tea. Since matcha is more like the espresso of teas, you could try adding a bit of soymilk and sweetener of your choice for a delicious treat.
To really step down from the caffeine, try a rooibos in the evening. Rooibos is naturally sweet, has good structure, and makes a calming, satisfying evening brew. It also lends itself quite well to a variety of flavors for those who don’t like its flavor straight up.
I would be grateful to learn of any tips you’ve found to be helpful in response to this very common query!
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I just met a friend of my daughter’s who drinks copious amounts of pu’erh, brewed long & strong, as his substitute for his previous coffee addiction. It’s unfortunate but he really hasn’t bothered to learn how to appreciate the full taste profile of pu’erh. He is just looking for caffeine and strenght of flavor.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
When I made the shift from coke to green tea, I was plagued with a headache for 2 weeks. No, it wasn’t fun but it was a daily reminder of what I had been doing to my body. I grew to love my lemon and green tea and with each cup, I imagined myself growing healthier and healthier as the headache receded in intensity. I was prepared for it so it really served as an indicator of when the hazards of soda would be finally removed from my body. I can’t even drink coke today - it’s far too sweet. When I feel the need for a cold bubbly drink, I can have a kombucha or if that’s not available I select a root beer, which is caffeine free.
I do suspect that coffee is more difficult to withdraw from however, given it’s high amount of caffeine. I much prefer to suggest a squirt of citrus into the green tea, instead of sugar or milk/cream, so that the drink can remain optimally healthy. I”ve had luck getting people to shift to Matcha Genmaicha from coffee as it too has a stronger taste profile and as you point out, more caffeine as well.
June 27th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Hi Tracy,
We are having fun helping people move from coffee to tea. My husband’s favorite is to get them to try Rooibos ’shots’. We brew unblended organic Rooibos into small shots and serve them in the tiny espresso cups. We have never had anyone who didn’t love the flavor. My favorite is having them try Golden Yunnan, or ‘the coffee drinker’s tea’ as I like to call it, as its’ infusion looks familiar to them, dark and rich, and the flavor is so incredibly deep and strong. In fact, a new customer just wrote this pertaining to what you are talking about in a review of our store (an exerpt):
“I’m a coffee drinker, so the owner recommended the coffee drinkers tea (golden yunan), I think. IT WAS DELICIOUS! Never knew tea could be as good as coffee. =) ”
A big man, a ‘make it strong and black’ type coffee drinker, also tried this the other day and said…’wow, this is actually richer than coffee’.