5 Drinks, Besides Coffee, to get Your School Week Started
Did you know your daily cup(s) of coffee can actually cause more harm than good?
Of course, coffee is not at all bad. In fact, it can be beneficial for us. However, according to MedlinePlus, coffee can not only affect our digestive system, heart rate, and blood pressure, but can also cause dehydration, insomnia, headaches, and anxiety. While these symptoms may not happen to everyone, I certainly have experienced a number of them. Therefore, we created this list of coffee alternatives that are healthy for our bodies, promote energy, and taste great!
Monday: Hot Lemon and Mint Water
Source: Live Eat Learn
While it may seem simple, starting off your morning with a cup of hot lemon and mint water is one of the best things for your body.
Ingredients:
-Juice of ½ a lemon
-2 leaves of mint
-Hot filtered water
Beginning your day with a glass of water is a great way to get your insides moving and kick your body into gear for the day ahead. Adding mint and lemon provides a good source of potassium and vitamin C, helps with digestion, and can prevent oxidation. Not to mention, the cool, yet tangy taste will certainly wake you up on days you don’t want to get out of bed.
Tuesday: Spicy Mango Celery Juice
Source: Dr. Hagmeyer
This spiced juice is packed with antioxidants and will definitely help you kickstart your school day.
Ingredients:
-1 large mango
-1 celery stalk
-1 ½ cups of coconut water
-Cayenne pepper (to taste)
Mix ingredients into a blender and blend to desired consistency, then serve.
Mango and celery are extremely vitamin dense and contain many antioxidants. Both are known to help boost immunity and heart health, improve digestion and eye health, and lower the risk of certain cancers. Cayenne pepper is a great way to clear congestion and toxins out of your body.
Wednesday: Superfruit Smoothie
Source: EatingWell
A simple, sweet smoothie to help you get through the rest of the week.
Ingredients:
-1 cup of frozen mixed berries
-1 cup of frozen pomegranates
-1 cup of preferred fruit juice
Mix ingredients into a blender and blend to desired consistency, then serve.
While berries are among some of the most beneficial foods in the world, it’s no surprise this smoothie is a great start to the day. This blend of berries can help maintain blood sugar, cholesterol, and fiber levels, as well as boosting immunity and energy.
Thursday: Ginger green tea with lemon and honey
Source: Berry & Maple
This combination is not only delicious and refreshing, but extremely beneficial for all parts of our bodies.
Ingredients:
-Hot water
-1 green tea bag
-2 tbsp of grated ginger
-1 tbsp of lemon juice
-Honey (to taste)
Add ingredients into cup of hot water and let steep for 5 minutes. Stir before enjoying.
Green tea and ginger have been used as medicine for centuries. Both are known to help with digestion, slow metabolism, low energy, and inflammation.
Friday: Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie
Source: Flavor the Moments
This protein-packed treat is a great way to end your school week.
Ingredients:
- 1 banana
-1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
-½ cup of oat milk (or milk of choice)
-2 tbsp cocoa powder
-Approx. 10 ice cubes
Mix all ingredients into a blender and blend until desired consistency, then serve.
Although it may seem like more of a dessert, this smoothie is a great addition to the morning. The banana provides tons of vitamins while the milk and powder provide lots of protein, making this the breakfast drink of champions!
While coffee in moderation is not a bad thing, it can be good for us to switch it up. We hope after trying some of these recipes it will encourage you to make some of your own healthy creations.