If Daylight Savings hit you hard this weekend, you may be clutching your coffee cup for dear life. But coffee all day every day is no way to live. If you’re looking for some natural ways to get that morning pick-me-up, we have some herbs and spices for you!
Spring Herbs For Awakening
1. Green Tea
Green tea has less caffeine than coffee or black tea, but still has a bit of a kick to get you going. Green tea drinkers experience an increase in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that is responsible for regulating working memory, which controls problem solving and focus.
2. Teecino
If you want that coffee taste with a different makeup of goodness, might I recommend Teecino. It’s a mixture of herbs, grains, nuts, and spices that is ground and roasted much like coffee. Many people say it tastes just like coffee, but without the addictive properties and digestive upset that can accompany it. Teecino offers a prebiotic called inulin that is great for helping your gut health and improving your digestive system.
3. Coconut Water
While it’s more a fruit or nut than an herb, coconut water is great to wake you up in the morning and get your day started on the right foot. Coconut water comes with a punch of potassium (much more than a banana) and comes with barely any sugar. This is a great way to replace the juice that you drink in the morning without all the concentrates or added sugars.
4. Kombucha
Kombucha has become more and more popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. It comes in tons of different flavors, so if you’re picky about what you drink, then this might be a good choice for you. If you’re trying to wean yourself off of the addictive elements of soda and coffee, then kombucha can definitely help you with that–it’s bubbly and can be anywhere from savory to slightly sweet, and comes in a huge variety of flavors. It’s low in calories and sugar, but will help give you that buzz that you get from other caffeinated beverages! It’s also great for probiotic health.
5. Maca
Maca is a plant native to the high Andes and has been harvested and used by peoples in the Andean Mountains for centuries. It is highly beneficial for reducing fatigue, enhancing energy, and boosting and endurance. Maca contains 55 phytochemicals that are known to have vitality-enhancing effects in the body; plus it’s incredibly mineral-dense and nutritious. The effects of Maca come from the root’s unique nutritional profile, which contains optimum levels of nutrients for by the body’s endocrine system.
6. Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is a drink that’s becoming popular in Western cultures in recent years. It can be made into teas, or slightly fizzy drinks like Kombucha. So when you drink Yerba Mate, you’re going to get a bit of the buzz you get from coffee, but with the addition of tons of antioxidants and other good nutrients. Yerba mate also comes with something called theobromine, which helps give you a boost of relaxation and improves the blood flow around your body.
7. Rhodiola/Roseroot
Rhodiola rosea (Golden Root, Roseroot, Aaron’s Rod) has been shown to be effective for improving mood and alleviating depression. Used for centuries in Asia and Scandinavia, Rhodiola is still relatively new to the Western market, but its popularity is growing, in large part because of what how versatile — and relatively inexpensive–this little root is. You can buy supplements of this plant from any health food or grocery store.
Get a head start on that spring cleaning with the help of these miracle plants!
