Mornings are hard, especially when you keep pushing that snooze button. Many of us need that warm cup of coffee to wake up and get moving. What do you do when you want a refreshing jolt of caffeine, but can’t stand the taste of coffee or need a healthier alternative?
Try these 19 energizing morning drinks to get your morning started right without an overdose on caffeine!
1. Schizandra Tea
You most likely have never heard of this unique tea, but the Schizandra berries are native to Eastern Asia and will help cure your java addiction. It detoxifies the liver and promotes a sense of well-being and balances blood sugar, which is a fantastic way to start any day. One of the many great morning drinks on this list.
2. Ginseng Tea
One of the classic morning drinks. A cup of ginseng tea is a great way to boost energy and brain activity in the morning. It is a great tea to provide stimulation for the brain, which is what we need after we wake up. Ginseng is known to increase focus and help with fatigue, which is perfect for the morning or that 2:00 pm slump.
3. Pomegranate Juice
This has a sweet and tangy flavor that can perk you up. Combine it in a blender with spirulina, soy milk, bananas, and berries and now you have an uber-energy drink that will make you feel like a superhero. This juice has a sweet and tangy taste that will wake you up naturally. Plus, pomegranates are packed with antioxidants, which adds a healthy bonus.
4. Warm Water with Lemon
Drinking this beverage in the morning will rehydrate and alkalinize your body. For your body to be alkaline, it means the pH of your body is in a more neutral, alkaline state rather than acidic, as this can boost your energy, help you sleep better, slow down aging, protect against cancer, and keep your mind sharp.
5. Berry Protein Smoothie
A protein smoothie is a great and nutritional way to wake your body up in the morning. Substitute milk with almond, soy, or coconut milk, add good quality protein powder, and some antioxidant-rich berries like blueberries, pomegranate seeds, or raspberries, and you will have one delicious, healthy and energizing morning drink. To help your body be more alkaline, add some chia seeds to the smoothie as well.
Still not wanting to leave out your caffeine? Go here: 7 Delicious Healthy Iced Coffee Recipes To Eliminate Those Morning Runs
6. Whole Fruit Juice
Here’s another blender concoction where you add leafy veggies like spinach and kale along with apples, blueberries, strawberries, etc. and start blending. One cup of this is so packed with vitamins and minerals, it will boost your energy levels and metabolism. According to thedailymeal.com, this drink will also help you to detoxify your body and provide your skin with a healthy glow.
7. Coconut Water
This is nature’s own perfect drink. It’s low in fat and sugar but rich in electrolytes, minerals, and potassium thus it will increase energy without boosting your calorie intake. The taste of coconut water isn’t for everyone, so as an alternative, blend coconut water with fruits such as bananas and strawberries for more of a smoothie.
8. Reishi Mushroom Tea
This is one of the morning drinks that is packed with benefits! Some of this tea’s benefits come from water-soluble polysaccharides known as beta-glucans. These molecules are thought to:
- Stimulate the immune system to fight infection and foreign cells
- Inhibit tumor growth
- Lower blood pressure
- Stabilize blood sugar
9. Matcha Green Tea
This is a great alternative to coffee. This is one of the morning drinks that does contain caffeine. It has caffeine to give you a gentle jolt to wake up, but the caffeine content is nowhere as high as that of coffee, so you won’t experience a midday crash and fatigue your adrenals over time. One cup of this wonderful tea can keep you going for most of the day.
10. Licorice Tea
Licorice tea is used for many potential health problems. It stimulates your adrenal glands, soothes your digestive system from indigestion, lowers the amount of acid in your stomach, eases symptoms of ulcers and reduces symptoms of external allergies, hay fever and asthma. However, none of the benefits of licorice tea is sufficiently supported by research, says the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
11. Homemade Chai
This Indian tea is rich in antioxidants and contains a plethora of spices including cardamom, cinnamon, pepper, and ginger that is sure to awaken all your senses in the morning. The smooth creamy flavor actually makes you feel like you are sipping a cup of coffee, but without all the extra caffeine.
12. Protein Shake with Banana and Berries
Who doesn’t enjoy yummy morning drinks filled with protein? It is a terrific way to load up with energy and nutrition. Use almond, soy, or coconut milk and your choice of a good quality protein powder. Throw in some bananas and berries which add heaps of extra minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that are sure to fill you up and get you going for the grueling day ahead.
13. Aloe Water
This is very refreshing and has tons of benefits ranging from detoxification and alkalinization of the body, to being high in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. This drink has immune boosting qualities that will help you resist illness. Drinking a glass of this in the morning will reinvigorate you.
Looking for some healthy non-alcoholic cocktails for your next party? Go here: 17 Fabulous Non-Alcoholic Cocktails for the Social Non-Drinker
14. Hot Chocolate
I know what you’re thinking, “hot chocolate isn’t one of the morning drinks you have in the morning.” Trust me, you will definitely get some caffeine to provide energy, but you will also reap the health benefits of the antioxidants found in cacao. Make an irresistible cup of hot cocoa with raw or organic cacao powder. Ditch the dairy milk and use coconut, almond, or soy milk.
15. Quinoa Milk
This protein-rich natural energy drink may soon make its way into the stores…be prepared almond and soy and coconut milk…it’s the next big health thing! Quinoa (pronounced keen-WAH), is a gluten-free, alkaline-forming, high-protein grain that has tremendous health benefits. One of my favorite morning drinks to get me going.
16. Vegetable Juice
If your morning caffeine just isn’t doing the trick, think about switching your cup of coffee for a glass of green juice. Hear me out. The nutrients found in vegetables - specifically leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach - are proven to promote energy levels. Vegetables that are especially high in iron aid in delivering oxygen to your cells and fighting fatigue head-on.
17. Yerba Mate
For a cleaner caffeine buzz without those coffee-associated jitters, consider a cup of yerba mate. This South American tea-like beverage contains an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins, and amino acids. The unique chemical makeup of this morning drinks active compounds (all 196 of them!) provides a boost of sustained energy without the negative side effects.
18. Goji Berry Juice
This small super-food packs a big punch. With vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and eight essential amino acids, goji berries are one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. Start your day with a glass of goji berry juice for a dose of vitamins with a side of serious energy.
Studies have shown that drinking goji berry juice results in:
- increased energy levels
- improved athletic performance
- better mental focus
- decreased stress and fatigue
19. Bone Broth
While it seems that bone broth is the answer to everything these days, it can certainly help tame those hangover woes. This morning drinks nutrient-dense broth is packed with all of the electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals that your post-party body needs. The electrolytes found in bone broth (magnesium, potassium, and calcium) are great at replacing the sodium and potassium that is lost from drinking alcohol.
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