Best Pick Me Up Drinks For Non Coffee Drinkers
Everyone needs an energy boost occasionally, maybe you’ve had a particularly rough day, or perhaps you didn’t get enough sleep the previous night. Coffee is a popular drink when it comes to a pick me up, but that doesn’t mean that everyone enjoys the flavor of coffee or that coffee will satisfy your palate. Here is a list of some of the best pick me up drinks for non-coffee drinkers.
1. Chai
Chai is traditionally an Indian black tea beverage blended with a variety of spices. Chai can be served in a variety of ways, either as cold or warm tea, a latte or even a Frappuccino.
Chai has a distinct flavor with its mix of spices but is nowhere near as bitter or hard hitting as coffee can be. Traditional recipes with Chai call for fresh ginger and cinnamon, both of which are great ingredients for boosting your body with a nice wake up signal.
2. Yerba Mate
If you are the type of person who needs the caffeine provided in coffee to function but don’t like the drink itself, then a Yerba Mate may be the perfect drink for you. A Yerba Mate is a naturally caffeinated tea harvested from a native South American Holly tree. One cup of Yerba Mate contains roughly the same amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee (Roughly 78 mg).
Not only do you get the same caffeine kick, but Yerba Mate is filled with rich antioxidants, and several vitamins and minerals. Some studies even suggest that Yerba contains higher antioxidants than green tea. Yerba may be an acquired taste for some however, as it is often described as having a somewhat smoky or bitter flavor but if you’re looking for a coffee caffeine substitute this drink is about as close as you will get.
3. Green Tea
Green tea contains caffeine contrary to popular belief that it is a caffeine free tea. Green tea however doesn’t give you the jitters like coffee can because it contains L-theanine, an amino acid which offers relaxing effect and alters the stimulating effects of caffeine which allows you to focus.
Not only is green tea a great energy booster, green tea is considered one of the healthiest drinks around. Some of the health benefits include improved brain function, increases fat burning by boosting the metabolic rate, and the protective properties of antioxidants help prevent cell damage and contribute to lowering risk of cancer. This simple green drink is a loaded pick me up drink in more ways than one!
4. Matcha Latte
Like it’s sister green tea, matcha comes from the same plant but the difference is that matcha tea is obtained from ground up green tea leaves into a powder and green tea are leaves in a bag. Matcha has a thick rich buttery flavor versus the gentle essence of the leaves in green tea. As you can imagine, since both green tea and matcha are derived from the same plant, matcha has the same energy enhancing properties and all the health benefits.
Traditionally ground and exported from Japan, matcha is packed with fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins to make this green pick me up worth trying. If pure matcha is too intense for you, you may enjoy a lightly sweetened creamy match latte. Iced or hot, a glass of this energy boosting drink will increase your concentration and mood to get you through the day.
5. Golden Milk Latte
Also known as turmeric milk, golden milk is originally an Indian drink which is gaining in popularity and the golden latte is trending. It is traditionally made with warmed milk, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger.
A compound in turmeric called, curcumin counters fatigue and improves energy, which makes golden milk a natural caffeine free pick me up drink. Not all drinks taste as appealing as they are “trending”, but this golden yellow hued drink is surprisingly palatable, and turmeric comes with it’s own health benefits ranging from anti-inflammatory properties to the usual protective components of antioxidants.
6. Mint Tea
Mint is widely used as an ingredient to stimulate the mind and wake up the brain, so it is only logical that mint tea would fall under this category as well. Because mint is a powerful herb with a kick, some might prefer to brew their mint teas for a shorter time for a lighter taste. For those who want more variety, mint tea can often be flavored with fruit or berries, as the herb pairs up well with almost all fruits.
Unlike coffee, mint does not rely on caffeine to give the drinker an energy boost, but it has natural properties, so you don’t have to worry about any jitters or caffeine crashes after drinking it.
7. Black Tea
Black tea contains caffeine unlike the caffeine free herbal teas, but it also contains the amino acid, L-theanine which helps your brain to improve focus and alertness. While this tea has caffeine in it, it doesn’t cause any jitteriness that coffee often induces and we can thank the amino acid, L-theanine it’s relaxing properties.
If you’re looking for an alternative caffeinated drink to perk you up in the morning plus provide you with tremendous protective health benefits of antioxidants, black tea can become go to beverage. You can drink it hot or iced, with or without milk, and sweetened with or without honey. Experiment to your palate’s content.
8. Water
Yes, water. While water usually does not contain sugar or caffeine, it still is one of the best drinks to go to. That headache or exhausted feeling may not just be from a hard day of work but from dehydration. Staying hydrated does wonders for your energy level, so it is important that you drink enough water every day.
Bringing a refillable water bottle with you ensures that you won’t have to worry about buying bottles or looking for a water fountain, and they also help save plastic so you would be doing the environment a favor as well.
