Make no mistake, I love coffee. Not just the substance, but the way it smells, especially from freshly grounded beans, mmmm such an interesting layered smell. I love the tradition around coffee, getting together on a terras in Paris for a cafe au lait in the morning. Having your morning coffee at home, after you drove the kids to school and finally everybody is out of the house. Or after your morning workout, as a ‘reward’. That peaceful moment where you sit down for a second with the morning paper. Or even getting a great takeout coffee on the corner, when you go for a walk with your dog or with a friend.

So I like my coffee in the morning, and doing all this with tea is just not the same… for me. Don’t get me wrong, I like tea. I drink it throughout the day. But it has a different place, a different feel. I don’t crave that cup of tea in the morning the way I crave the whole coffee moment.

But more and more I feel my body is not having it anymore. I was never that coffee addict who drinks coffee all day, or I would have never slept in my life. Currently I only drink one or two very mild coffees a day, and only in the morning. And even that seems to disrupt my system. That restless feeling, just a touch out of balance. Also, it makes me want to drink more coffee for some reason. That little addictive thing gets activated.

All in all, a good reason to look into alternatives. This is what I found:

Golden milk / Turmeric Latte: My favorite so far. It still has that latte feel to it, especially with some nicely frothed milk. The ginger and turmeric give it a bit of a kick, and with turmeric and ginger in there, it actually brings something to the table nutrition-wise too. It feels warming and substantial enough to actually be a morning drink rather than just… tea.

Chai Latte: My number two. The spices, the smell, the warm milk, there is enough going on here to give it a bit of that coffee ritual feeling. One thing to keep in mind: traditional chai is usually made with black tea, so it does contain caffeine. Still, generally a lot less than coffee.

Matcha Latte
Not caffeine-free either, so perhaps a questionable addition to my coffee-alternative quest. But matcha does have some things going for it. It’s rich in tea polyphenols, including catechins, and usually contains less caffeine than a cup of coffee. And I do like the whole ritual around it: the whisking, the frothing, the beautiful green color. It feels like its own thing rather than a sad replacement for coffee.

Chicory Coffee
This one I still need to properly try. Roasted chicory root can be brewed into a dark, slightly bitter drink and is naturally caffeine-free. Chicory root also contains inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber, although I’m not sure how much of that actually ends up in your cup. Of all the caffeine-free alternatives, this one sounds like it might come closest to the actual coffee in a cup experience. I’m curious.

Decaf Coffee
The obvious one. I used to drink decaf quite a lot as an alternative, but for some reason it can still make me feel a bit hyper. Decaf isn’t completely caffeine-free, although the amount left is small. So perhaps my body notices even that, or perhaps something else is going on.

I had also heard through the grapevine that the process of removing caffeine isn’t very healthy. Turns out that is a bit too simplistic. There are several ways to decaffeinate coffee, including methods using water or CO₂. So this might be one of those things where I need to stop listening to the grapevine and do a little more research.

Ok and tea I guess: tea is great, its just not coffee..

So, is Paris ready too, you think?

Un lait d’or, s’il vous plaît!