Healthy Confessionals: How I Broke Up with Coffee
In an effort to be healthier and more mindful of what I put in my body, I’ve given up lots of things over the years. I’ve switched out sugar for healthier alternatives, like honey and coconut sugar, exchanged milk for nut and oat milks, and mostly cut out meat, except for the occasional burger (I LOVE burgers). I even once gave up alcohol for four months, before re-incorporating it in only small amounts. But by far the hardest thing I’ve ever given up is coffee.
For years, coffee was my crutch. I couldn’t leave the house without a cup in hand, or at least the knowledge that I would have one as soon as I got to the office. Then one day, my office got a fancy new Nespresso machine and everything went nuts. We quickly started having 2-3 cups a day. Just arrived to the office? Time for coffee. Midday slump? Let’s go make a latte. Just got out of a 3-hour long meeting? Give me a cup STAT.
I had always been somewhat sensitive to caffeine, easily getting jittery if I had too much too fast, but now I was on another level. I felt anxious all the time and could tell I was way too dependent on my dear cup of Joe.
I had tried to quit coffee once before but only got through three days before I got one of the worst migraines of my life. Caffeine dependence is no joke! So this time around, I decided cold turkey was not the way to go. I also learned that caffeine isn’t bad for you in small amounts. It can boost your metabolism and help regulate blood sugar levels, so rather than trying to cut out caffeine all together, I instead turned to tea.
I love green tea, so I decided to replace my coffee ritual with matcha lattes. Since matcha is made from crushed tea leaves, it has more caffeine than a typical bagged tea, but still has less than half the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. Matcha also releases the caffeine in your body gradually, meaning the energy boost you get is sustained over the course of 6-8 hours so you don’t experience the crash you get from coffee. Seems like a win-win to me!
via Make-A-Gif
Matcha has eliminated the jitters and anxiety I used to feel, keeps me more focused throughout the day, and has even improved my sleep. It was a scary move to make, but switching to matcha was surprisingly easy! I never experienced headaches or other caffeine withdrawal symptoms and after just a couple of weeks, I didn’t even like the thought or taste of coffee.
If you get jittery or anxious when you drink coffee, I encourage you to try and cut down on your caffeine intake, whether it’s to go from 2 cups to 1 per day, switching to tea, or cutting it out all-together. It’s no easy task, but after a couple of weeks, you’ll get used to it and (hopefully) reap the benefits!
Cover image via Healthline