Not a fan of coffee? Or perhaps you love your morning cup of Joe and are trying to cut down? What do you do if you want to get that morning boost?
It may seem extreme, but we went to the London Coffee Festival in search of five alternatives that can still help you get the ideal start to your day.
1. Cacao
If you like the stimulating effect of coffee but hate the comedown, cacao is one alternative. A less refined version of cocoa, it features a bunch of antioxidants and minerals, as well as theobromine, which offers a slower release to caffeine,meaning it can help with focus over a longer period. Just be warned, you won’t get that same instant hit.
One ready-to-go version, Boca, is sold in cubes which can be blended with hot water to make a smoothie with a light, chocolatey taste, or a 'healthy espresso'.
2. Turmeric latte
Also known as 'golden milk', turmeric lattes were aplenty among the alternative offerings at this year’s festival, and the Asian spice features plenty of health benefits. Definitely the hipster option.
Make it yourself using almond milk, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper, or take an instant mix from the likes of Wunder Workshop to drop into some hot water right away.
3. Natural decaf
Decaffeinated coffee gets a bad rep, but removing the kick doesn’t necessarily have to mean a load of chemicals in place of any discernible flavour.
More natural methods are available, such as Swiss Water’s chemical-free process, which is used by several reputable roasters including Batdorf & Bronson, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters and Portola.
The extraction uses only time, temperature and water, and certainly had us fooled.
4. Sparkling cold brew
If you still need your caffeine but are looking for something a little lighter, how about a sparkling cold brew?
Crude Drinks’ effort infused with mandarin and grapefruit was light and delightful: it contains about 95% coffee, with 5% concentrated juice, and is perfect to get you moving on a summer’s morning.
5. Matcha tea
Containing caffeine but also other natural stimulants, matcha is a ground-down green tea said to offer stimulation without the coffee ‘jitters’.
It had a spike in interest a few years ago after being favoured by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, but for those seeking a more natural-feeling boost, it’s more than just a fad.
The powder is available online from a variety of sources, and is pretty malleable if you fancy trying it in a latte or smoothies instead.
