I am personally not a creature of habit in the sense that I love to try new things, and I do get burnt out very easily. I am always looking to try new recipes, new workouts, and visit new places, but there is one aspect of my life that is a constant that I will NEVER turn my back on. That is my beloved morning cup of coffee. Call me a caffeine addict but truly I look forward to the ritual aspect of it, not so much the energy of caffeine rush. I go to bed excited for my cup of coffee in the morning and that thought alone makes me happy.
Although caffeine gets a bad rap for its afternoon crash and being harsh on your adrenals which can increase anxiety, there are ways to decrease the jitteriness and the negative affects you might feel from caffeine. Let it be known that I am not downing a full pot of coffee in the morning, or consuming 200mg of caffeine in a chemical energy drink. But if YOU are and you feel as though you want to decrease your caffeine consumption, keep reading and stay open to incorporating new habits that will increase energy without the afternoon crash.
A really really simple way to avoid an afternoon crash or the initial feeling of jitteriness in the morning is to skip the sugary syrups and sweeteners. I know I know, a caramel macchiato is delicious but that’s because it is more like dessert than an energy boost. What you most likely feel after drinking a sugar-loaded latte is a sugar rush and not energy from the caffeine. A sugar rush basically guarantees that afternoon slump that you feel after lunchtime, nor does it do any good for your mood, energy, and anxiousness. It might be a scary thought to let go of your sweet morning drink, especially when you look forward to it, but I PROMISE there are ways to fulfill that craving without refined sugars and additives.
Coconut sugar, honey, agave, or even maple syrup will most definitely sweeten up for morning coffee NATURALLY. Although these alternatives are still sugar, they are not refined which means you are getting them in their most natural form. Refined sugars are heavily processed because the sources are stripped down of all their nutrients until they become nothing but pure sugar. Not to mention the standard syrups you will find at drive-thru’s and other coffee shops are made of high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, sweeteners, and colors. If you can eliminate most of the additives and just stick to natural sweeteners, your body will thank you.
Along with avoiding ultra processed sugars first thing in the morning, you can elevate your morning cup of joe with some supplements and protein. As I mentioned before, caffeine already affects your adrenals which can cause heightened stress or anxiety. So when you are drinking coffee or consume any sort of caffeine on an empty stomach, you are more likely to feel jittery and the best way to avoid that is to pair your coffee with some protein. I know it is hard to eat first thing in the morning because oftentimes you aren’t hungry, I get it because I know the first and only thing I have on my mind after waking up is my cup of coffee. But I have found that adding a scoop of pure collagen peptides or a scoop of a superfood creamer packed with mushrooms and coconut oil powder for brain function, provides the perfect amount of protein and healthy fats to complement the caffeine. The collagen peptides are nice because they are unflavored and dissolve right into a cup of coffee, so if you cherish the bitterness you won’t have to worry about the flavor changing from the collagen. For a superfood creamer, Laird is typically the brand that I reach for because they add a tiny bit of sweetness plus the coconut milk powder for more flavor, so when I am in the mood for a sweeter cup of coffee that is my go to!
There are a million coffee alternatives out there, a million caffeine cleanses, and a million opinions on what caffeine you should consume, when, why, how it will affect you, the list is endless. The few I listed are things that I have found helpful to me when I become aware of the negative effects of caffeine. Since working at the Fit Bar Superfood Cafe for many many years, I have been introduced to a variety of health and wellness insights, along with supplements that I have worked into my daily stack. Lucky for you, we offer natural and refined sugar free coffee additions along with house made syrups, and supplements. If you are looking to make better nutrition choices, feel free to reach out to us via social media, OR stop by one of our cafes to chat with our crew about nutrient dense coffee drinks that will avoid the afternoon crash.
