Looking for Alternative Sources for Caffeine
July 27, 2017 10:53 AM Subscribe
I love coffee. Unfortunately, I can no longer drink it. It gives me acid reflux. But, I need my caffeine. Are there any alternative (and good tasting) sources for my caffeine fix?
Caffeine tablets, available at any drugstore, have no taste at all, or more accurately, they have the taste of the water you down them with. Side benefit, it's a lot quicker than brewing coffee.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:57 AM on July 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:57 AM on July 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
Have you tried yerba mate tea? It comes from a gourd and makes an odd-looking light yellow tea that is super high in caffeine. It's sold in varying levels of processing ranging from loose grounds that make an intense, swampy tea like something you'd drink in a yurt on a spirit quest to plain old tea bags sold at places like Trader Joe's. The tea bags make a version of the tea that is easier to take in consistency and has a mild, pleasant flavor.
As for the caffeine level... even the Trader Joe's tea bags made my entire body vibrate at a low frequency.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:59 AM on July 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
As for the caffeine level... even the Trader Joe's tea bags made my entire body vibrate at a low frequency.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:59 AM on July 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
Don't laugh until you've tried it, but Monster Rehab is Monster's line of heavily caffeinated (160mg per can) ice teas. The default (yellow can) flavor has a little bit of an aftertaste, but the pink can (pink lemonade) is decent and the peach can (peach ice tea) is quite good. Only 10 calories a can too.
posted by Oktober at 10:59 AM on July 27, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Oktober at 10:59 AM on July 27, 2017 [4 favorites]
Similar to the mate suggestion - Runa brand teas and energy drinks (I was given a couple as a sample) are pretty powerful caffeine from a mate-like plant. The marketing is all a little woo for me - they bill themselves as "clean" energy drinks, but man, they aren't kidding about the energy (available as bottled tea, canned energy drink and in bags for brewing your own).
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 11:01 AM on July 27, 2017
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 11:01 AM on July 27, 2017
Coffee tends to have a poor effect on my guts too (except, the other end), so I've taken to the Crystal Lite "Energy!" packets. I mix one packet of CL with a packet of Propel in a quart bottle, and it smooths out the delivery over a longer while.
posted by notsnot at 11:11 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by notsnot at 11:11 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Have you looked into different teas? I've had some pretty caffein rich Pu'er teas that I've enjoyed.
posted by Toddles at 11:19 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Toddles at 11:19 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Definitely try cold brewed coffee to see if it helps with the reflux. You don't need a special carafe, just throw grounds and water in an unpressed frenchpress in the fridge at night, pour through a paper filter in the morning. (I brew it in a press in the fridge then pour it through a chemex to serve, but you could just pour it straight through a filter in a regular coffee maker)
Mate might not meet the good tasting requriement, but what about plain old tea? A nice darjeeling, first flush or autumnal has a good caffeine kick if you drink enough of it. I usually drink about 700ml of tea for my afternoon caffeine dose and it's pretty effective.
posted by dis_integration at 11:20 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Mate might not meet the good tasting requriement, but what about plain old tea? A nice darjeeling, first flush or autumnal has a good caffeine kick if you drink enough of it. I usually drink about 700ml of tea for my afternoon caffeine dose and it's pretty effective.
posted by dis_integration at 11:20 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Starbuck's Refreshers uses a "green coffee" so not sure if they would bother you, but I really enjoy them and you can get them as Via, so can mix them yourself anytime.
posted by LKWorking at 11:21 AM on July 27, 2017
posted by LKWorking at 11:21 AM on July 27, 2017
Nthing cold brew coffee. It's delicious, and easy to make. I have a 16 oz thermos that I carry with me; I fill it with cold brew, ice cubes, and almond milk, and I just sip on that all day.
posted by spinifex23 at 11:22 AM on July 27, 2017
posted by spinifex23 at 11:22 AM on July 27, 2017
i drink v8 energy every morning. it uses green tea extract for caffeine and they have fruit juice versions under the 'fusion energy' line, not just the salty tomato stuff. pomegranate blueberry was a longtime favorite although i've been buying the pineapple orange as it's available from amazon in a large jug.
posted by noloveforned at 11:25 AM on July 27, 2017
posted by noloveforned at 11:25 AM on July 27, 2017
Maybe Zipfizz?
From their site:
"It has 100 mg of caffeine from natural sources of green tea and Guarana. That’s less than one-third the caffeine in a Grande Starbucks drip coffee (330 mg) and less than two Excedrin tablets (130 mg)."
I like grape and orange best.
posted by mcbeth at 11:37 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
From their site:
"It has 100 mg of caffeine from natural sources of green tea and Guarana. That’s less than one-third the caffeine in a Grande Starbucks drip coffee (330 mg) and less than two Excedrin tablets (130 mg)."
I like grape and orange best.
posted by mcbeth at 11:37 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was able to drink cold-brew for a while when my GERD was more manageable, but no longer. I drink tea and/or pop a half of a No-Doz if I get desperate.
posted by radioamy at 11:42 AM on July 27, 2017
posted by radioamy at 11:42 AM on July 27, 2017
Diet Coke.
posted by AugustWest at 11:55 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by AugustWest at 11:55 AM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper. I drink a liter a day when I'm doing serious brain work.
posted by Bruce H. at 12:08 PM on July 27, 2017
posted by Bruce H. at 12:08 PM on July 27, 2017
For a play on mate that's more suited to taste buds that can't handle pure mate, try terere, which is simply replacing the water in the thermos (that gets poured into the mate) with fruit juice and ice. The fruit juice can be from any source, in Argentina there exists about a million flavours of crystal lite-like powders to make the juice with. The argentinian side of my family uses a brand called C-Lite, I think.
It's super refreshing on a hot day.
Confusingly, the herb (which is actually dried, shredded stems and leaves of a large bush) is called mate (or more commonly yerba or hierba). The gourd it is drunk from (traditionally covered in capybara leather) is called a mate. And the whole collection of actions (making, drinking, sharing) and things (the gourd, the silver straw, the thermos containing hot water) is called mate.
posted by conifer at 12:25 PM on July 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
It's super refreshing on a hot day.
Confusingly, the herb (which is actually dried, shredded stems and leaves of a large bush) is called mate (or more commonly yerba or hierba). The gourd it is drunk from (traditionally covered in capybara leather) is called a mate. And the whole collection of actions (making, drinking, sharing) and things (the gourd, the silver straw, the thermos containing hot water) is called mate.
posted by conifer at 12:25 PM on July 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
Caffienated gum and chocolate exist. Benefits are that the effects seem to kick in even faster. I've tried, and liked, Blitz brand, but there are others, like this rather terrifying brand
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:33 PM on July 27, 2017
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:33 PM on July 27, 2017
This doesn't exactly fit the "good tasting" requirement, but there's also caffeine pills.
I make cold brew a couple times a week, because one of the benefits is that it stores for up to 2 weeks. I have a 2-quart batter bowl that basically looks like a giant measuring cup with a lid, and a mesh strainer, which cost less than $20 for the two of them at Homegoods. For a storage option, I adore the Takeya pitchers for being very convenient to store in the fridge and wash. I also keep some vinegar around to soak my pitcher after use, so that it doesn't develop permanent coffee smell.
posted by Autumnheart at 3:53 PM on July 27, 2017
I make cold brew a couple times a week, because one of the benefits is that it stores for up to 2 weeks. I have a 2-quart batter bowl that basically looks like a giant measuring cup with a lid, and a mesh strainer, which cost less than $20 for the two of them at Homegoods. For a storage option, I adore the Takeya pitchers for being very convenient to store in the fridge and wash. I also keep some vinegar around to soak my pitcher after use, so that it doesn't develop permanent coffee smell.
posted by Autumnheart at 3:53 PM on July 27, 2017
One addition to the cold brew suggestion: add a tiny bit of baking soda to the dry grounds. I feel like it reduces the coffee's acidity quite a bit.
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:32 PM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:32 PM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Just a quick second on the Starbucks Refreshers BUT they have given me a bit of reflux of late :(
posted by Kemma80 at 6:12 PM on July 27, 2017
posted by Kemma80 at 6:12 PM on July 27, 2017
Try making hot chocolate with plenty of high-quality cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mixture). It has less caffeine than coffee (although the exact amount can vary a lot between different kinds and brands) but it does meet your good tasting requirement.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 6:49 PM on July 27, 2017
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 6:49 PM on July 27, 2017
Matcha is the answer!
Matcha is powdered green tea. It is shade-grown in the last three weeks before harvest to increase its caffeine content. Matcha is high in caffeine, tastes delicious, and doesn't cause acid reflux. It also has other good stuff in it, like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and theanine (an amino acid which may help create a calm and focused state of mind in combination with caffeine). It's also easier to prepare and cheaper than (high-quality) coffee on a per-drink basis.
I find that the caffeine from matcha has a smoother effect on me than coffee. With coffee, I tend to feel jittery and a little unfocused/distractible, along with the unpleasant acid reflux. With matcha, I feel alert but also calm and focused after drinking it. With yerba mate, for comparison, I tend to feel alert and mildly euphoric.
I drink yerba mate occasionally because it makes me feel good, but I really don't like the grassy taste. But matcha is delicious. It is a little bit bitter, depending on how strong you brew it. It's also very creamy and full-bodied.
Preparation: You measure out a specific amount of the powder (usually 2-4 grams), traditionally measured with a little bamboo scoop (but it's easy to eyeball it instead). Then you pour hot water (160 deg F - 185 deg F, but sometimes I'm lazy and break the rules and use boiling water and it works fine) over it and whisk the tea into the water, traditionally with a bamboo whisk (but -- sensing a theme here? -- in a pinch I cheat and use a spoon). Then you drink it! I find it extremely convenient because there is no teabag or coffee grounds to clean up and dispose of. I carry a small tin of matcha with me and can make instant tea anywhere.
You can also make iced matcha and add sugar or sweet syrup to it for a delicious summer drink.
On the opposite end of the fanciness spectrum: if you're so inclined, you can get really into the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, which is really a philosophy and meditation practice in disguise.
Matcha may seem expensive per ounce, but you get between 7 and 14 cups per ounce, depending on how strong you brew your matcha. I used to drink locally-roasted coffee, which ran me around $15 a week. Buying tins of matcha at my local tea shop ends up being much cheaper. Make sure you buy it from your local tea store or a reputable online source, and that's it's pure matcha. Starbucks, for instance, has a weird, gross matcha powder that is more than 50% sugar and tastes really, really awful when made with just water (ask me how I know).
posted by cnidaria at 7:37 PM on July 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
Matcha is powdered green tea. It is shade-grown in the last three weeks before harvest to increase its caffeine content. Matcha is high in caffeine, tastes delicious, and doesn't cause acid reflux. It also has other good stuff in it, like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and theanine (an amino acid which may help create a calm and focused state of mind in combination with caffeine). It's also easier to prepare and cheaper than (high-quality) coffee on a per-drink basis.
I find that the caffeine from matcha has a smoother effect on me than coffee. With coffee, I tend to feel jittery and a little unfocused/distractible, along with the unpleasant acid reflux. With matcha, I feel alert but also calm and focused after drinking it. With yerba mate, for comparison, I tend to feel alert and mildly euphoric.
I drink yerba mate occasionally because it makes me feel good, but I really don't like the grassy taste. But matcha is delicious. It is a little bit bitter, depending on how strong you brew it. It's also very creamy and full-bodied.
Preparation: You measure out a specific amount of the powder (usually 2-4 grams), traditionally measured with a little bamboo scoop (but it's easy to eyeball it instead). Then you pour hot water (160 deg F - 185 deg F, but sometimes I'm lazy and break the rules and use boiling water and it works fine) over it and whisk the tea into the water, traditionally with a bamboo whisk (but -- sensing a theme here? -- in a pinch I cheat and use a spoon). Then you drink it! I find it extremely convenient because there is no teabag or coffee grounds to clean up and dispose of. I carry a small tin of matcha with me and can make instant tea anywhere.
You can also make iced matcha and add sugar or sweet syrup to it for a delicious summer drink.
On the opposite end of the fanciness spectrum: if you're so inclined, you can get really into the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, which is really a philosophy and meditation practice in disguise.
Matcha may seem expensive per ounce, but you get between 7 and 14 cups per ounce, depending on how strong you brew your matcha. I used to drink locally-roasted coffee, which ran me around $15 a week. Buying tins of matcha at my local tea shop ends up being much cheaper. Make sure you buy it from your local tea store or a reputable online source, and that's it's pure matcha. Starbucks, for instance, has a weird, gross matcha powder that is more than 50% sugar and tastes really, really awful when made with just water (ask me how I know).
posted by cnidaria at 7:37 PM on July 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
Chocolate covered coffee beans?
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:20 PM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:20 PM on July 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Another vote for yerba mate. The gourds and straws are super cool, too, which is a plus. What kind of person doesn't love caffeine ritual and paraphernalia?
posted by Joseph Gurl at 12:38 AM on July 28, 2017
posted by Joseph Gurl at 12:38 AM on July 28, 2017
Do you need to drink it? I find high cocoa chocolate (ie >70%) is pleasantly bitter and has enough theobromine in an ounce to have a definite stimulant effect.
There's also good old tea. Drink strong black tea with milk like millions of British and commonwealth people. Drink Russian-style, samovar style, with concentrate and hot water, and calibrate the water to your desired level. Make Indian-style chai. All likelier to be easier on the stomach than coffee.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 1:48 AM on July 28, 2017
There's also good old tea. Drink strong black tea with milk like millions of British and commonwealth people. Drink Russian-style, samovar style, with concentrate and hot water, and calibrate the water to your desired level. Make Indian-style chai. All likelier to be easier on the stomach than coffee.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 1:48 AM on July 28, 2017
In addition to a bowl of matcha tea, I usually start every morning with a black tea as well. Lately I've been brewing Yunnan Hong Cha mixed with candy cap mushrooms I ordered on Amazon, with or without cream. It's delicious. I also like the assam (Irish breakfast tea) from Townshends with a little cream and honey.
Qualifications: Former coffee drinker with acid reflux problems.
posted by cnidaria at 5:42 AM on July 28, 2017
Qualifications: Former coffee drinker with acid reflux problems.
posted by cnidaria at 5:42 AM on July 28, 2017
Response by poster: These are all great suggestions! Thx. I love cold brew and I know it has less acid. But, I think I ODed on it and it gave me reflux. If I could drink it maybe once in a while I think I'd be fine. But, I love the taste so much, I might not be able to stop myself if I started on it again (just this morning, as I was passing a Starbucks on my way to work, I thought, "Maybe just one."). At Starbucks I order a tall cold brew put into a Vente cup. I fill the rest with lowfat milk. The baristas know my order but once, the guy didn't read the cup and filled the Vente all the way to the top. I had to drink it all. Yeah, that's my story.
Right now I drink Earl Grey in the morning. Plus, I take a "lightly caffeinated" capsule of Green Tea extract.
The thing is, I love the ritual of drinking coffee with friends. And, I love the taste of coffee. Yerba mate and Matcha sound like things I might try. Thanks again!
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:29 AM on July 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
Right now I drink Earl Grey in the morning. Plus, I take a "lightly caffeinated" capsule of Green Tea extract.
The thing is, I love the ritual of drinking coffee with friends. And, I love the taste of coffee. Yerba mate and Matcha sound like things I might try. Thanks again!
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:29 AM on July 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
There's only 15 mg of caffeine in a chocolate truffle compared to 85 in a cup of coffee so you'd have to eat six of them. You'd only have to eat 200 grams of dark chocolate to get as much caffeine. The problem is that cocoa, like coffee might very well trigger your acid reflux. Dark bitterness can do it.
Do you drink your coffee black? One reason people drown their coffee in cream is to preven the acid reflux. You could try that if you haven't.
I think that JimN2TAW who suggested caffeine tablets has the best suggestion, because for a lot of people fluid is part of the acid reflux problem and you could end up with the problem no matter what hot beverage you switch to, or even if you switch to some energy drink, and drink it chilled. If you are looking for a substitute for the hot comforting wake you up beverage consider trying drinking standing up.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:33 AM on July 28, 2017
Do you drink your coffee black? One reason people drown their coffee in cream is to preven the acid reflux. You could try that if you haven't.
I think that JimN2TAW who suggested caffeine tablets has the best suggestion, because for a lot of people fluid is part of the acid reflux problem and you could end up with the problem no matter what hot beverage you switch to, or even if you switch to some energy drink, and drink it chilled. If you are looking for a substitute for the hot comforting wake you up beverage consider trying drinking standing up.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:33 AM on July 28, 2017
Response by poster: Drinking standing up. Hmmm. Does that really work? How long do you have to keep standing after drinking the cold brew coffee?
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:57 AM on July 28, 2017
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:57 AM on July 28, 2017
Response by poster: How do you make matcha tea from powder?
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:57 AM on July 28, 2017
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 6:57 AM on July 28, 2017
My mom gets reflux from coffee, and she now mixes Folgers Simply Smooth blend with her regular coffee when she makes a pot. This does the trick for her.
posted by epj at 9:35 AM on July 28, 2017
posted by epj at 9:35 AM on July 28, 2017
I loooove mate, but I have a number of Argentine friends who have had to give it up because of the acid reflux issue. Some of them claim that it's less acid if you put the loose-leaf yerba through a fine colander first, and/or put a cheesecloth filter on the submerged end of the bombilla (straw).
posted by dr. boludo at 11:14 AM on July 28, 2017
posted by dr. boludo at 11:14 AM on July 28, 2017
Caffeine vape pens are also a thing.
posted by Bruce H. at 11:44 AM on July 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Bruce H. at 11:44 AM on July 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by erst at 10:56 AM on July 27, 2017 [8 favorites]