By the time the school year is wrapping up, I get to the point where I find myself wanting to turn to something other than coffee for energy. I’ve had so much throughout both semesters that I start feeling the need to switch things up and find other tasty ways to power through my schoolwork. Large amounts of coffee can quickly start to dehydrate you, increase your heart rate and cause irritability and fatigue. Whether your body doesn’t agree with coffee or like me, you’re just looking for an easy swap, here are a few effective alternatives to coffee to help get you through the last few weeks of the semester.
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Ginseng
   Ginseng root has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and can now be commonly found in the form of herbal teas, energy drinks or as a dietary supplement because of its surprising health benefits. It’s used as a tonic to help improve thinking, concentration, immune deficiencies, blood pressure, diabetes, kidneys, liver, and diabetes. When that mid-afternoon lull hits you during your studies, Ginseng tea is a great option to help improve your focus without providing the negative side-effects of coffee. This tea won’t make you feel jittery and will help you stay alert and centred.
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Matcha
   Unlike regular green teas, with Matcha, the nutrients don’t stay unused and trapped in the steeped tea leaves. To truly benefit from all the minerals and antioxidants of green tea, you have to consume the whole leaf, which is only possible from matcha’s stone ground tea leaves. Matcha is more effective in giving you a jolt of energy than other green teas since in terms of nutritional content, one cup is equal to 10 cups of regularly brewed tea. Powdered matcha also has 137 times more antioxidants than normal steeped green teas. Matcha tea is perfect for when you feel like you need a jolt of caffeine because it’s rich in L-Theanine, an amino acid that promotes a state of relaxed alertness without the feeling of agitation and excitement. While other green teas also include this rare amino acid, matcha contains five times more than other black and green teas.
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“Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee Latte”
   I came across this product a few years ago at the local Juice shop I was working at in BC, and it seems to have grown in popularity since! It’s a drink mix powder that comes in convenient little packets that dissolve with hot water—you can equally serve it over ice. It still contains 50mg of caffeine—which is about half of what’s in a usual cup—but it also includes superfoods. The powder is made up of organic Chaga and Maitake mushroom, which are said to offer antioxidant properties, polysaccharides, and beta glucans. The packet also includes mucuna, known for helping regulate stress as an adaptogenic herb, and is sweetened with lucuma. It’s a creamy treat perfect for that afternoon pick-me-up, yet it won’t give you the same crash later on as coffee does.
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