As Starbucks and Dunkin’ fill up with pumpkin spice girlies getting their fix of the seasonal menu this fall, it might be time to switch horses mid-pumpkin-spice-latte race. That’s because your daily gourmet coffee order may be packed with more sugar than you might think and lacking other health benefits that you may want to incorporate into your daily routine.
Whether you’re someone who wants a change or a non-coffee drinker, here are my top alternative beverage choices, both with and without caffeine:
- Matcha
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While matcha is made of the same plant as green tea and is essentially powdered tea leaves, it made its way to the top of my list because mixing it, instead of steeping it in hot water, makes it contain higher concentrations of antioxidant compounds than regular green tea.
Matcha also compares well to gourmet coffee concoctions, like lattes and Frappuccinos, making it an interesting green beverage and my ultimate coffee stand-in.
- Green tea
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Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which can help keep your body healthy for longer. Many people go as far as drinking three to five cups of green tea a day.
Teas are easy to make at home, and the flavors can vary based on what you add to it. You can change the steeping time to change the taste and drink it hot or cold.
I personally like to steep my green tea longer to make it stronger and add honey to it for a sweet taste. You can also opt for green tea with or without caffeine, if you need a gentle boost to your morning.
- Smoothies
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Smoothies are some of my go-to breakfast items as a busy student who doesn’t like coffee because they’re so easy to have as an entire breakfast when I’m on the go.
The wide variety of smoothies available on the market, combined with how easy it is to make your own from fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, allows you to incorporate important vitamins into your diet.
While the ingredients of the smoothie impact its health benefits, you can also add supplements like protein powder, spirulina, or other powdered vitamins and minerals to take your smoothie to a whole new level.
My favorite breakfast smoothies contain enough leafy greens to get me through my day without having to sit down and eat a salad.
- Kombucha
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While I don’t particularly enjoy the taste of kombucha, this drink is fascinating from a scientific perspective, and its many health benefits have been researched.
The fermentation that occurs in the production of kombucha and the addition of bacteria, yeast, and sugar make it a great source of probiotics. Additionally, kombucha contains acetic acid, which can kill off harmful bacteria in your body.
In my opinion, kombucha is a great beverage for anyone looking for a refreshing, bubbly drink. It also contains about a third of the caffeine in your cold brew and is naturally carbonated by the yeasts and bacteria used to ferment it, giving it an interesting taste and feel.
- Fruit Juice
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Breakfast is a great chance to stock up on vitamins and antioxidants to power you through the day. The vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and vitamin A found in fruit juices can fortify your immune system for this fall semester.
The immense variety of options and flavors is also a huge benefit to drinking fruit juices as an alternative to coffee. My personal favorites are pomegranate juice, cranberry juice, and apple juice.
The only drawback that puts fruit juice in fifth place for me is that the processed variety you buy in stores is often ripe with excess sugars. This can be combatted by juicing fruit in the comfort of your home with a blender or juicer, which can be time-consuming, but the added benefits make it a great choice for a morning beverage.
If you’re not a huge coffee drinker like me, maybe these drinks are worth a shot!
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