Caffeine Withdrawals and Quitting Coffee.
Caffeine is the most popular drug in the world (excluding sugar) and the global coffee industry is worth $20 billion! This is not surprising considering 75% of Australians enjoy at least one cup per day, with 27% admitting an addiction, stating that they can’t live a day without it. So, what happens when those 6.7 million people decide they want to get help with their addiction and quit coffee?
There are no clinics or counselling services to help people with caffeine addiction or suffering through coffee withdrawals. This is despite caffeine withdrawal symptoms being similar to drug or alcohol detox – fatigue, irritability, headaches, low energy, poor concentration, anxiety, depression and even body tremors. Obviously, caffeine withdrawals are far milder in most cases, but these troubling side effects can last for up to weeks and affect anyone who drinks coffee regularly then abruptly stopping consumption.
How do you treat caffeine withdrawals?
Caffeine withdrawal headaches are the most common symptom that your body is craving a fix and is also a symptom of dehydration. It’s important to keep your fluid levels up while quitting caffeine to help your body efficiently expel the drug from your system. Caffeine-free tea is a good substitute that can reduce cravings whilst improving hydration.
What’s the best caffeine alternative?
Carquam Mitragya javanica is an Indonesian tree in the same botanical family (rubiaceae) as coffee but which doesn’t contain caffeine. The herb has numinous health benefits and is a good caffeine-free tea option. It produces an uplifting and energising effect that can improve focus and productivity, much like coffee or caffeine drinks do. It has proven helpful for people quitting coffee or reducing their caffeine intake by minimizing the effects of withdrawals. Carquam powder has a bitter taste but when blended with other herbs like ginger or cinnamon, its taste becomes quite pleasant. Carquam herbal teabags can be brewed hot like coffee and tea or made using the cold brew technique. Brewed tea can be stored in the fridge for up to a month and enjoyed as a healthy, sugar free, calorie free, caffeine free energy drink.