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Nutritionist’s single best non-coffee drink to wake you up in the morning contains beets
A morning brew comes with several benefits, but not everyone likes the flavor. Nor is caffeine to everybodys tastes, meaning decaf mightnt be the perfect replacement. We shopped around for the best non-coffee drink to help us wake up in the morning and were quite happy with what we found.
Earlier this year, we shared a handful of healthy alternatives to a morning coffee. They include a brew made with lions mane mushroom, matcha tea, and something called Indian ginseng, or ashwagandha. We also understand that for anyone quitting coffee entirely, going cold turkey isnt necessarily the best way. The Focus spoke to a professor of nutrition to get her go-to for a morning pick-me-up, and it doesnt involve any unfamiliar powders, herbal teas, or inaccessible roots.
Nutrition experts perfect non-coffee morning pick-me-up drink
It’s hard to beat the antioxidant powerhouse that is green tea, says Lindsay Malone, professor of nutrition. But there are other options for those who prefer an alternative.
Thats right. Were running an article on non-coffee alternatives that doesnt tell you to go and drink your weight in green tea. Nor matcha. And not golden milk, either. Turmeric is for curries, rice dishes, and occasionally scrambling tofu to make it look more like eggs. Right?
How about mixing in some bright red beets into your morning? How about it? Lindsays top recommendation for the best non-coffee morning drink is a bright red, cold smoothie full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Its ingredients include ginger, frozen strawberries, and lemon.
The inclusion of beets results in the production of nitric oxide, a compound that helps dilate blood vessels for better blood flow and improved oxygenation of tissues.
Heres how she does it:
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 medium beet, washed, trimmed, and chopped (leave the greens out for another smoothie!)
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 ginger root, peeled
- 1/2 lemon, peeled
- 1 large carrot, washed and trimmed
Blend it all up and slurp it down. Try it for a week. See what you think!
Alternatives to the alternative
Lindsay also has a few other suggestions if a zingy purple smoothie doesnt float your boat.
Her first is electrolyte-enhanced water. Healthline describes it as water enhanced with charged minerals. It says electrolytes can help improve physical performance during exercise or help rehydrate you when youre sick. You can buy it online or from some large grocery stores.
Lindsay also points out that, for some Americans, such as those struggling with diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, fasting in the morning can be a great way to improve insulin sensitivity and move towards a healthier body composition.
A 14-hour overnight fast can benefit metabolic health markers like blood pressure, blood sugar, triglycerides, and waist circumference, she says. Kings College London corroborates this.
However, Lindsay emphasizes the importance of staying hydrated if you opt to fast. Prepare to experience what Lindsay calls a burst of energy when you reach a fat-burning fasted state called ketosis.
Lindsay Malone is an adjunct professor of nutrition at Case Western Reserve University and an instructor for the Mandel Wellness and Preventive Care Pathway.
