Five Coffee Substitutes
From an energy science nutritional view coffee is not a healthy drink It provokes all three energy patterns, Vata(energy of movement), Pitta(energy of transformation), Kapha(energy of stability)
Due to stimulant effect it provides too much mobility and hence provokes Vata and Pitta and the pungent post digestive effect provokes Pitta The sweetness(heavy, oily, static) usually associated with the drink provokes Kapha
I know this is a debilitating thought for those of us who need our cup of Joe in the morning to get started And so what the heck go ahead and have it
But for those interested in alternatives I thought I would provide some insight into what else is available in the marketplace
These types of substitutes for the "real thing" have a very close taste resemblance to a Starbuck's visit particularly if you happen to have a milk steamer and not adverse to milk as a drink unto itself
Grain coffee are made from an assortment of roots and vegetables(asparagus, beetroot, carrot, sweet potato, rye, etc0
Ayurveda, the energy science medical discipline from the yoga tradition uses a grain blend supported with herbs that are in part antioxidants ashwagandha and shatavari
Chicory
A friend and his wife who I met through medical training were from Louisiana and brought me back to this memory of the taste for this vegetable related to endive and radicchio Chicory is quite common in the deep South and has some great health benefits
Chicory can serve as an ingredient of the above grain coffees and many times is mixed with the "real deal"(coffee)
It can serve as a support for bacterial flora in the gut providing oligosaccharides and inulin which nourish the bowel flora as a prebiotic fibers
From an energy science view it provides the bitter taste which is detoxifying Due to this effect it helps with Kapha and Pitta conditions such as reducing swelling, improving arthritis, and lowering cholesterol
Steamed Milk
If socialization at your local Starbuck's or coffee provider is what you may be looking for, one could get simply steamed milk Using a nonsugar flavor can be a way around "getting the fix"
This is kinda of like a methadone program but will fulfill many different needs that can get met without the caffeine
Strong Kapha energy patterns would have to watch this however since milk carries the sweet taste and will produce weight gain
Tea
As a suprise black tea can have more caffeine than that regular cup of coffee in the morning Again from an energy science nutritional view it's not the caffeine that people affects people but the qualities as discussed above
So warmth of the drink along with the flavor particularly of a herbal blend can be quite nourishing to the physiology
Hot Water - What? Yuck
And yes hot water sipped in the morning hours can be quite beneficial as the mindbody wakes up The mindbody physiology is cool in the am as it wakes from slumber and it's a Kapha time of the day(heavy, cold, static, oily, dense, slow, cloudy)
So perhaps warm or hot water can be a nice pick me up without jolting the system with caffeine
Ciao for now To health as a Skill Love DrBill
Photo courtesy of thepretenda
