My Favorite Coffee Alternatives in Preparation for Ramadan

I love coffee…the taste, the smell…the everything. Usually I have a Turkish, medium, or an almond milk flat white. I could have coffee after coffee…and not have anything else all day.

Although many experts say a moderate amount of coffee can be good for your health…there are just as many that say it’s not and should be avoided. Experts aside, I’ve learnt over the years to judge for myself by how my body feels…and anything over 2 cups of coffee is too much for me. I get heart palpitations and don’t feel so great. So I make other drinks that I enjoy (almost) as much as coffee, that are either caffeine free or are lower in caffeine.

Coffee’s bitter taste is what we essentially crave…people generally crave all tastes – sweet, salt, bitter and sour. The best alternatives to coffee will also have a bitter taste. And as coffee pairs well with something sweet and a sweetener added to it, so will the alternatives suggested below.

Therefore in preparation for Ramadan, and if you would like to reduce your consumption of coffee overall, here are some drinks I make from time to time. So each of the drinks below I mention what type of coffee drink it would be a good replacement for, and what time of day I recommend you enjoy it.

Starting with the simplest one…which is to switch to decaf or part decaf. Just try to find an organic brand that uses the water-process method to remove the caffeine. I use part decaf, part herbal coffee and part cacao powder in my Turkish coffee alternative. Since decaf still has some caffeine, it’s best avoided in the evening.

There are several options for herbal coffee and seems like Teeccino is the most popular, although I haven’t tried it. I usually use Natureland’s Instant Barely Coffee or this one from Whole Earth which is a mixture of barley and chicory. I wouldn’t use this in a latte honestly but I enjoy  it in my faux Turkish coffee and in an iced or frosted drink as in the suggestions below. Since it has no caffeine at all, it can be enjoyed any time of day.

Since pure chocolate is bitter, it can be a great substitute for coffee.  This dairy-free hot chocolate recipe is so simple to make and so tasty, perfect for morning, afternoon or night, and the perfect substitute for a coffee latte. Although chocolate does have some caffeine, it’s relatively low. An average cup of coffee has close to 100mg of caffeine, while 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder you need to make the hot chocolate has only 24mg. If you are very sensitive to caffeine than stick to having this delicious drink in the morning or early afternoon. Another plus is the numerous health benefits of chocolate…minus the dairy and sugar of course. In this recipe we use dairy-free milk, and a small amount of coconut sugar to sweeten.

I find that using a coffee substitute such as herbal coffee or even a coffee extract is best when served cold…the colder the better. The difference in taste isn’t as noticeable. To make this coffee all you need is a few simple ingredients, and then change it up to your liking. Make some of your favorite herbal coffee and let it cool down or stick it in the fridge overnight. Then when you’re in the mood pour it over a glass filled with ice, add a splash (or more) of vanilla almond milk or even coconut condensed milk, some maple syrup to sweeten if needed and enjoy on a warm summer’s day.

Moving away from the coffee taste, we have matcha, a concentrated green tea powder high in antioxidants.  Although matcha does have caffeine, it doesn’t result in the jitteriness that coffee usually leads to. It’s very rare that I enjoy a warm matcha, I find it tastes like henna YUK. However an iced or frosted matcha is something else….it’s soooo tasty! I love the combination of matcha with almond milk but you can certainly use the milk you prefer. Maple syrup also works well as a sweetener, but I’m sure agave or honey will also taste good. As for the vanilla and matcha, the better the quality, the tastier your drink will be. This is how I make it…

1 cup almond milk or milk of choice

1/2 cup ice cubes

1 teaspoon matcha powder

2-3 teaspoons maple syrup (or honey)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and see if you would like to add more sweetener or matcha.

I kept this one until last for a couple of reasons…firstly many Middle Eastern counties don’t have mushroom powders available at the moment and you will need to order it online. And second it’s quite expensive. However it is very healthy and helps to give you energy and boost your immunity. Similar to chocolate and coffee, mushrooms have a bitter taste, however it combines well with chocolate, matcha and even turmeric. I buy the 10 Mushroom Blend by Four Sigmatic and prepare it in the way explained below to make a superfood hot chocolate. Four Sigmatic have several options to choose from. If you’re interested you can order a sampler pack and then see what you like best. You can also choose the mushroom type that is best for your health concerns or needs. Although all mushrooms are very good for immunity, others have other benefits. For example, cordeyceps are excellent for energy, while tremella is amazing for skin. I love their Mushroom Cacao Mix that contains reishi which helps you relax.

1 1/2 teaspoons mushroom powder of choice

1-2 teaspoons cacao powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut creamer

1/2 teaspoon maca powder

1/2 teaspoon lacuma powder

sweetener of choice (dates, maple syrup or coconut sugar)

3/4 cup hot water

Add the powders to the blender with hot water and blend until frothy. If you don’t want to use the coconut creamer, you can add some warm milk instead of the water or to replace part of the water depending how creamy you would like it to be.

If you’d like to learn more about medical mushrooms and their health benefits I recommend you read Healing Mushrooms by Four Sigmatic founder Tero Isokauppila.

And finally if you’re also a tea drinker but trying to avoid the caffeine, the best alternative is roiboos which is said to have more antioxidants than green tea. Try making a karak chai and you will forget all about a caffeine rich traditional karaak. You can use the chai syrup to make hot or cold drinks…you can even use it to flavor oatmeal or a smoothie.

What are your favorite alternatives to coffee? Let me know in the comments below and Ramadan Mubarak everyone.