Even if you are a lover of coffee, you may find yourself at a time where you need to give it up. There are many reasons why one would have a need to give up coffee--pregnancy, health issues, or just the need to free yourself of the unwanted effects of caffeine. But if you are a person that misses those intimate moments with that warm (or icy) cup of deliciousness, what are the alternatives?

Well, first in line is decaffeinated coffee. This sounds like a no-brainer right? Wrong. Consumer Reports did a study on the amount of caffeine in decaffeinated coffee and the results were eye opening. What they found was that not only is there caffeine in decaffeinated coffee, there were varying amounts from 5 to 32 milligrams. If you are drinking multiple cups, this could add up.

You can check out the Consumer Reports article about caffeine numbers in decaf here:
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/beverages/coffee-tea/is-it-really-decaffeinated-coffee-11-07/overview/decaf-coffee-ov.htm

If you would like to test the amount of caffeine in your cup, you can try Decaf Test Strips.

Decaf Test Strips
https://www.discovertesting.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=3269&catid=7&loc=show&headTitle=Caffeine%20Test%20Strips

I don't know about you, but I would like to enjoy my morning cup with out conducting a science experiment. So if you are just looking for that comforting feeling and willing to try something new, here are two to try.

Rooibos or Red Bush Tea has been made very popular of late by its frequent mention in a new HBO series called the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency with Jill Scott, based on the book series by Alexander McCall Smith. The head detective and her assistant drink, as well as serve to their prospective clients, endless cups of bush tea. The tea has no caffeine and very little tannin, yet contains vitamin C and antioxidants. As described and prepared by Starbucks (below), it sounds delicious to me.

“Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte
Full leaf African rooibos tea(naturally caffeine free), also known as red tea, paired with Tahitian vanilla and cinnamon. Sweetened with classic syrup and topped with steamed milk and velvety foam.”

Looking for caffeine-free alternatives to coffee can be like sifting through a mine-field. Common tea made with orange pekoe (i.e. Lipton and others) or any caffeinated tea, can have between 9 and 50 milligrams of caffeine. Hot chocolate also contain varying amounts of caffeine as well.

Another caffeine-free alternative is Teeccino. Ingredients like herbs, nuts and grains are combined to create a coffee-like experience. Their website boasts:

-Naturally caffeine-free - no processing, no chemical residue
-High in heart-healthy potassium and soluble fiber
-Natural energy boost - from nutrients, not stimulants
-Alkaline - helps reduce acidity and restore alkaline balance
-Rich in inulin, a soluble fiber in chicory root, that helps improve
digestion and elimination plus increases the absorption of calcium and minerals

So if you are looking for coffee substitutes, be sure to do your research and check carefully for the caffeine content.