Find a coffee alternative for the same energy kick

Fed up with those 3 pm crashes after spending the morning drinking coffee? The good news is you don’t need to rely on coffee or unhealthy energy drinks to keep you going! Finding a healthy coffee alternative isn’t hard as there are so many options out there.

For many men, that first cup of morning coffee is absolutely necessary in order to function as a human being. But it’s so easy to just drink it every day without really knowing exactly what it’s doing to your body. That’s not to say it is bad for you as such, but rather that it does have both positive and negative effects on your body. Plus you can find healthy coffee alternatives that give the same energy boost.

You can skip ahead to read what you need help with most:

• 5 facts about coffee you should know
• How many calories are in your coffee?
• Should you drink coffee on an empty stomach?
• 7 energy-boosting healthy coffee alternative

5 facts you might not know about your morning coffee

We’re not saying coffee is bad for you as such, but rather that it does have both positive and negative effects on your body and finding a healthy coffee alternative is beneficial.

We all experience sleep deprivation and tiredness. On those days often our first thought is related to where the nearest café is and working out exactly how many minutes will it be until we get our hands on the brown milky goodness of our morning brew.

But if you’re interested in finding out more about how your cup of coffee can impact your body good and bad, read on.

1. Coffee can help wake you up

So that feeling is not all in your head after all! The caffeine in coffee is what helps you to feel more alert after drinking it. So even though our body is saying ‘I need to sleep or rest’ the caffeine acts as a stimulant to help you feel more awake.

It’s important not to overdo it though, as many people suffer from stomach upset, headaches or the shakes if they ingest too much caffeine. This may be where finding a coffee alternative can help.

2. Coffee can be hard to give up

If you’ve ever decided to go cold turkey and give up coffee, you’ll know how hard it can be. Withdrawals include feelings of nausea, crankiness, headaches, tiredness and general irritability.

This is because your body has become used to the stimulant and almost ‘needs’ it to function. Take note of how you feel when you don’t have a coffee – this is a good indicator of whether you might be addicted and need to reduce your intake.

Finding a coffee alternative when you’re wanting to give up or cut down your coffee intake can help your body better process the change.

3. Coffee can strip you of other nutrients

This is not very well known but drinking coffee can actually make it difficult for your body to absorb certain nutrients. For instance, if you normally drink your morning coffee at the same time as eating your breakfast, it can cause trouble with iron absorption.

Iron is so important for women, especially when breastfeeding or pregnant, so it’s a good idea to drink your coffee after your breakfast if you can.

4. Coffee can fight damage to the body

Just like the bad things coffee does to your body there are some good things it can do as well.

Coffee can benefit you in other ways too – for instance, the caffeic acid in coffee is actually an antioxidant that can help fight free radicals in our body that can cause ageing and disease. Hooray!

5. Coffee can be high in calories

If you’re one of those people that drinks their coffee black, you don’t need to read this one. But if you are adding milk, sugar/sweetener, chocolate, cream or even tucking into some sort of coffee-flavoured-frappe-latte-mocha-shake-with-a-twist there is a good chance that it contains more calories than you think.

The good news is that a relatively ‘normal’ coffee from the café such as a flat white, latte or cappuccino will set you back less than 170 calories (under 130 for skim milk).

The fat and sugar content comes from the milk rather than from any added extras. For the lowest calorie option of all, black coffee is the way to go at just 3 calories per cup.

It’s when we take a look at some of the hot drinks made with full-fat milk, syrups, cream and sweeteners from some popular cafes that you can see the calories, fat and sugar content for some of them is much higher than you may have realised.

Check out some tips to help you lower the sugar you put into your morning cup of coffee.

If you’re trying to lose weight or even maintain weight loss, choosing a coffee alternative over your standard flat white might just be a better idea.

All of the calories below are based on the medium-sized coffee available, using full cream milk.

Calories in popular coffees:

Long black 300ml

3 calories
0g fat
0.3g sugar

Cappucino 300ml

165 calories
9.6g fat
12.3g sugar

Flat white 300ml

168 calories
9.6g fat
12g sugar

Latte 300ml

168 calories
9.3g fat
12.6g sugar

Hot chocolate 300ml

282 calories
11.4g fat
31.8g sugar

Popular cafe bought coffees:

Gloria Jeans Very Vanilla Latte 316ml

290 calories
10.6g fat
37.1g sugar (that’s more than 9 tsp).

McCafe Chai Latte Standard Size

300 calories
12.1g fat
35g sugar (almost 9 tsp).

Starbucks Hazelnut Mocha with Whipped Cream 355ml

338 calories
14.9g fat
39g sugar (almost 10 tsp).

Max Brenner Salted Caramel White Hot Chocolate Regular

529 calories
31g fat
51g sugar (almost 13 tsp).

Sources: starbucks.com.au / mcdonalds.com.au / gloriajeanscoffees.com.au / maxbrenner.com / calorieking.com.au

What happens when you drink coffee on an empty stomach?

Most of us need coffee to help us function and give us an instant wake-me-up before the day has even begun.

The good news is, drinking coffee isn’t a bad thing. According to Healthline, drinking coffee first thing doesn’t just make you feel more alert, it can help improve your mood, aid weight loss and it may even help protect against diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancers and Alzheimer’s.

Coffee contains a high level of antioxidants and caffeine also contains a fat-burning supplement which also boosts your metabolic rate by 3-11%.

Drinking coffee on an empty stomach could cause stress and stomach ulcers

What’s more, drinking coffee may also help protect against liver and colorectal cancer, as studies have shown that coffee drinkers have up to 40% lower risk of contracting these diseases.

However, drinking coffee on an empty stomach may actually cause some problems such as stress or causing more acid in your stomach, which can cause heartburn or lead to gastric ulcers developing.

So it seems the best way to start your day is with coffee AND food.

So now that you are an informed coffee drinker, you can have a think about whether you need to cut down your coffee or change the way that you drink it.

Finding a healthy coffee alternative can help you cut down on your coffee intake or can help you get that energy boost in the morning when you maybe can’t also have a bite to eat.

7 energy-boosting healthy coffee alternatives to enjoy in the morning

Not only will you gain more energy, but you’ll also boost your brainpower, support your heart health, improve your metabolism and fight fatigue. Sounds like a winning combination!

1. Healthy Man Super Greens

Our Healthy Man Super Greens is a vitamin supplement designed for busy men to boost energy and support immunity, no need to wait for the kettle to boil, pop some in some cold water and your off! All of this goodness makes it a healthy coffee alternative that is perfect for all weather.

Specifically designed for busy men, The Healthy Man Super Greens Powder vitamin supplement is here to help boost your energy and support your immune system. Specifically designed to boost energy, Australian made Super Greens is designed to provide a range of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

These include spirulina, flaxseed, pea protein, organic barley grass, chlorella, chia, goji berry, kale, spinach, mushroom powder and dandelion to name but a few.

2. Green Tea

Now before you dismiss green tea as being something that ‘other people’ drink, consider this. If you replace your 2nd cup of coffee with green tea it can help boost your metabolism, give you more energy and help with weight loss.

If you want to enjoy these benefits, as well as reduce the side effects of excess caffeine intake (such as headaches, nausea, irritability, diarrhea and sleep problems) try adding green tea to your healthy eating plan.

Whether hot, cold or with honey or lemon, brewed green tea is packed full of health benefits. It is a high concentration of powerful antioxidants that neutralises free radicals in the body.

It has the added bonus of not adding much to your calorie count and can increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

3. Water

Dehydration can leave you feeling drained and tired. We often forget about our water intake starting the day with a tall glass of water will help shake off that fatigue and kick start your day.

Choosing water as a healthy coffee alternative not only will help you boost your energy but will help your overall health.

There are some great things to add to water to boost energy levels, assist with weight loss as well as increase your daily water intakes such as lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and fruit infusions.

Here’s how much water you should be aiming for each day and how to get there.

4. The Healthy Man Meal Replacement Shake

The Healthy Man Meal Replacement is a product that is a great coffee alternative as it has everything a bloke needs to boost your energy, for better overall health and weight loss!

The Healthy Man Meal Replacement has more, around 40% to 50% of the RDI for many vitamins and minerals.

Available in both Chocolate and Vanilla Flavour, it’s ideal for men who want to boost their energy and improve overall health and vitality. Plus it tastes amazing and blokes are loving it!

5. Tea

If you can’t get by without a hot drink in the morning, tea is a great coffee alternative!

Black and white teas also contain caffeine like coffee, but it’s a cleaner-burning, longer-lasting fuel for your morning buzz which won’t leave you crashing soon after.

Tea also contains antioxidants, they may help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, can aid in weight loss and have many other health benefits. They contain less caffeine than coffee but it’s still there if you need it to help wake you up but tea is a healthy coffee alternative.

6. Lemon water

Water with squeezed lemon is one of the most tested energy boosters around. Water filters out toxins where coffee is a stimulant and a diuretic that depletes your body’s water supplies.

Scientists have found that even a sniff of lemon will give you a burst of energy and increasing your water intake, especially if you don’t drink enough, will help with your energy. So you have two healthy coffee alternatives in one with lemon water.

7. Broccoli coffee

Try this coffee alternative beverage loaded with B vitamins that will replace your flat white.

CSIRO – the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation – are saying broccoli should be the NEW ‘it’ coffee and we’re welcoming it with open arms.

CSIRO researchers believe a powdered form of brassica (aka broccoli) should be making its way into our flat whites AND replace cheeky, sugar-laden snacks.

After all, broccoli is a nutrient-rich vegetable, loaded with plenty of fibre, vitamins A, B1 and B6, potassium, zinc and magnesium.

“Two tablespoons of broccoli powder is equivalent to one serve of vegetables,” CSIRO food scientist Maryann Augustin revealed.

“We made snacks with this and gave it to kids — they loved it, and their parents did too.”

So, what are your thoughts? Are you loving the idea of BROCCOLI COFFEE?

Have you tried the Healthy Man Meal Replacement?

It’s the perfect low-calorie meal replacement for busy blokes wanting to boost weight loss and improve overall health. It’s full of whey and soy protein which means it’ll leave you feeling full and satisfied and keep you going till your next meal.

If you want to shift some kilo’s, look no further than The Healthy Man’s Meal Replacement!

The Healthy Man Meal Replacement Shake is available in Chocolate and Vanilla and will:-

• Enhance fat-burning ability
• Increase stamina
• Improve gut health
• Increase energy, vitality and overall health
• Reduce beer belly
• Increase muscle strength

Get your tub of the Healthy Man Meal Replacement here

Get your hands on The Healthy Man Super Greens Powder TODAY!

The Healthy Man Super Greens packs a massive nutritional punch containing over 37 real food and quality superfood ingredients including:

• Spirulina
• Flaxseed
• Pea Protein
• Organic Barley Grass
• Chlorella
• Chia
• Goji Berry
• Kale
• Spinach
• Mushroom  Powder
• And much more

With all these amazing ingredients coming together in a simple powder form The Health Man Super Greens Powder will help you boost your immune system with a huge dose of Vitamin C and give you a shot of iron to boost your energy. Proudly Australian owned supplement that is vegan-friendly and GMO-free.

The perfect addition to your Healthy Man Meal Replacement or just mix it with water cause it tastes that good.

Grab your own packet of Healthy Man Super Greens Powder and get the goodness into your diet today!