Contents
The history and origin of coffee are not fully known, but it is assumed that the first mentions of this black drink come from the XNUMXth century and the areas of modern Ethiopia. Coffee was not supposed to arrive in Poland until several hundred years later, i.e. around the XNUMXth century.
According to the latest statistics, it is estimated that the average inhabitant of our planet consumes more than a kilogram of coffee a year. The real record holders, however, are the Finns, who consume an average of 12 kilograms of drink a year – by contrast, in Poland, we consume less than 2,5 kilograms of coffee per capita per year.
Well, since we have the most important statistics behind us, let’s move on to the aforementioned discussion. What do we really value coffee for? Among its most important properties, three are most often mentioned: it gives us energy, we like its taste or we drink it due to some health benefits. In fact, each of these three points can be questioned, but today we are going to focus on something else.
Can you replace coffee?
Here it is worth asking the second question right away – why should we do this? There are several reasons for this, but most of them come down to health contraindications. With classic coffee, high doses of caffeine can cause excessive work of the muscles and heart, which in turn very often leads to disorders of the nervous system. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should pay particular attention to the amount of drink consumed.
Coffee can also cause indigestion, stomach pain, burning sensation in the esophagus, intestinal cramps, nausea and even pressure around the liver and gallbladder. Naturally, there is also quite a large group of people who simply do not like its taste or are temporarily bored with coffee and the “ritual” of consuming it. What to do when we cannot or do not want to drink coffee?
The most popular substitutes for health contraindications are those without caffeine. These include decaffeinated coffee, grain coffee and, for example, ginger root. In the case of the first one, a huge advantage for coffee lovers will be the almost identical taste and aroma, while the second and third options have a number of health-promoting properties.
How much caffeine does coffee have?
Depending on the method of preparation and its volume, coffee contains the following doses of caffeine:
- espresso – 65 mg of caffeine in 25-35 ml of coffee,
- brewed coffee – up to 140 mg of caffeine in 250 ml of coffee,
- overflow coffee – up to 240 mg of caffeine in 250 ml of coffee,
- instant coffee – up to 80 mg of caffeine in 220 ml of coffee.
When looking for alternatives that have caffeine and have stimulant properties similar to a black drink, it is definitely worth starting with tea. As with coffee, the dose of caffeine will depend on the length of brewing and the quality and type of leaves. For example, white tea can have over 70 mg of caffeine for a standard cup of infusion, while a cup of Earl Gray contains 40 mg.
From tea, it’s just a step away from Yerba, which is becoming more and more popular on the Polish market. Jagoda wrote much more about Yerba itself and its legendary properties here: https://.pl/yerbamate. Not everyone will like the intense and specific taste of Yerba Mate, but in terms of caffeine content, it ranks only slightly under the coffee.
Other healthy substitutes for coffee are, for example, matcha, guarana, cocoa and green coffee. The latter was very popular a few years ago, when its positive effect on weight loss was examined. It differs from the classic little blackberry in that its grains have not been subjected to the process of smoking, which means that it loses its aroma, but has more antioxidants.
Unhealthy alternatives
There are also not entirely healthy alternatives available on the market, as well as heavily processed foods or foods with a very high sugar content. These include, but are not limited to, caffeinated candies, gums, and energy bars.
It is energy drinks that are one of the most popular coffee substitutes. They are characterized by a very high level of sugar and high caloric value of 40-50 kcal per 100 ml. In addition, a standard can contains 80 to 120 mg of caffeine.
Coffee on a diet – you can or can’t?
We usually drink coffee for the so-called start-up, due to its stimulating properties. The principle of caffeine is based on the expansion of peripheral blood vessels, which oxygenates the body. Thanks to this, it is easier for us to focus, collect our thoughts or deal with the feeling of sleepiness. More importantly, caffeine is not addictive, so in the case of coffee we can talk about a habit or habit to drink rather than addiction to it.
At the same time, it is worth bearing in mind the aforementioned health contraindications, with very large amounts of coffee drunk, there may also be, for example, leaching of calcium from the bones or caffeine upset. The latter occurs when the concentration of caffeine in the body is too high, which in turn leads to increasing levels of irritation, irritability, racing thoughts and difficulty falling asleep.
However, answering the most important question – yes, you can drink coffee on a diet. We recommend dieting no more than 2 cups of unsweetened coffee a day. Remember that the maximum daily dose of caffeine should not exceed 300 mg – this balance also includes tea and other drinks. Naturally, black coffee, without milk and sugar, will also be much less caloric.
| Product | Energy value |
|---|---|
| 3in1 coffee drink in a sachet | 100 kcal |
| ready batch of coffee cream | 100 kcal |
| half a glass of milk 3,2% | 65 kcl |
| teaspoon of white sugar | 40 kcal |
| black coffee without sugar | 5-20 calories |
Be sure to let me know in the comments if you tried to replace coffee in any way, how did you do it and what is your favorite type of coffee. And of course we wish you a wonderful Coffee Day!
Źródła:
How much caffeine does coffee contain?
https://kawa.pl/artykuly/co-pic-zamiast-kawy/