If you love your daily coffee substitute, there’s really no reason to feel guilty about it. As long as you don’t add tons of sugar and cream, coffee is actually very healthy. However, if you have a lower caffeine tolerance than most, then your morning coffee could leave you feeling restless, anxious and jittery. Caffeine intolerance can develop later in life, so you might find it difficult to break your old coffee habit. However, there is a coffee substitute which looks and tastes almost like the real thing, without any of the caffeine side-effects.
Dandelion Root Coffee
Dandelion root coffee is made out of roasted and ground dandelion roots. What is most remarkable about this coffee substitute is how closely it resembles actual coffee. The roasting process gives dandelion root the same smoky, intense flavor as coffee. It is even the same dark brown color, so your eyes will be fooled instantly. Many people even claim that dandelion root tastes better than actual coffee because the roots contain small amounts of glucose. This gives dandelion coffee a slightly sweet taste, almost like caramel.
Making dandelion coffee is also very easy. Add a few tablespoons of the root powder to boiling water and let it steep for half an hour. Strain the mixture and drink it like you would your usual coffee. While making your own dandelion root coffee powder is extremely simple, many brands now sell their own blends of this coffee. If you’re unsure about making the switch, you could even substitute half your coffee powder with dandelion root. This way, you’ll still be getting coffee, but with half the amount of caffeine.
Benefits Of Dandelion Root Coffee
1. It’s Completely Caffeine-Free
The most obvious advantage that dandelion root coffee has over regular coffee, is that it contains no caffeine at all. Not everyone’s body can handle the effects of caffeine. The side effects of drinking caffeine can range from an increased pulse rate to rapid breathing and inability to concentrate. Another negative effect of drinking coffee is that it can interfere with your sleep cycle. Caffeine keeps you very alert, which is why if you drink it too close to your bedtime, you won’t be able to fall asleep. This makes you more tired the next day, so you end up drinking more caffeine and continue the cycle. Dandelion roots taste like the real thing, but will give you no adverse side-effects. You can drink it anytime you feel like and still get on with your day.
2. You Won’t Miss Out On Antioxidants
When you give up caffeine, you’re also giving up all the antioxidants present in your mug of coffee. Since most of us don’t eat nearly as many fruits and vegetables as we should, almost all of our daily antioxidants come from coffee. If you switch to dandelion root coffee, you won’t be losing out on antioxidants at all. The roots come packed with a whole variety of antioxidants that protect you from cancer, premature ageing and illness.
3. It Has More Nutrients
Dandelion roots are rich in the vitamins A, B, C and D. These vitamins are essential for your health and immunity. The roots also contain minerals like potassium, zinc and iron. The same cannot be said for coffee. Far from adding nutrients to your diet, coffee can actually rob you of some. Drinking coffee in large amounts leaches calcium from your bones, making them brittle and prone to breaking. Dandelion root coffee gives you all the benefits of coffee with none of the bad stuff.
