Healthy Ways to Get Caffeine

Many of us rely on caffeine to get started in the morning and to keep going through the day. Caffeine stimulates our central nervous system, making us feel more energetic and alert. It also blocks a chemical in the brain that promotes sleep, thus helping keep us wide awake when we might be feeling a little drowsy.

Coffee, sodas, and energy drinks are popular ways to get a dose of caffeine. However, drinking these beverages regularly can negatively affect your health, including causing digestive issues, weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart problems.

There are healthier ways to caffeinate yourself, without many of the downsides. Some of these caffeine alternatives may be unfamiliar to you, so in this article we’ll explore what they are and how they can benefit you.

How Much Caffeine is Unsafe?

For most adults, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day shouldn’t cause health problems. That’s about what’s in two to three 12-ounce cups of coffee. 

However, some people are more sensitive to caffeine and start experiencing issues at lower amounts. Warning signs of consuming too much caffeine may include:

• Trouble getting to sleep (insomnia)
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Jitters or nervousness
• Upset stomach
• Increased heart rate
• Heart palpitations
• High blood pressure
• Headaches
• Muscle tremors

You can prevent a caffeine overdose by becoming more aware of how much caffeine you are consuming. Check out this chart of caffeine levels in common drinks, foods, and over-the-counter medications. Track how much caffeine you’re ingesting and limit your daily intake to a safe and healthy level.

If you are having trouble sleeping or are experiencing other symptoms of being over-caffeinated, try slowly reducing your caffeine intake. Don’t try stopping all at once, as cutting back too quickly can result in caffeine withdrawal symptoms like headaches, nausea, low energy, irritability, and trouble concentrating.

Switching to a beverage that has a lower amount of caffeine in it can help. So can drinking more water, as staying hydrated will help you feel more energetic (check out our blog on hydration tips). Setting a time when you stop consuming caffeine each day, such as 2 p.m., may also help you sleep better at night.

Caffeine Alternatives

If you’d like to discover other ways of getting caffeine, here are some natural sources to try. For each alternative, we’ve provided its caffeine content, which you can compare to the 95 milligrams of caffeine in an average 8-ounce cup of coffee.

• Black tea — Drinking black tea has many health benefits, including consuming powerful antioxidants that decrease inflammation and protect against several chronic conditions, such as heart disease. One black tea bag contains 55 milligrams of caffeine.
• Chai tea — This flavorful tea is made with ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. It also has black tea leaves. Some variations may add fennel, star anise, and saffron. People like Chai for its balance of spiciness and sweetness. An eight-ounce cup of Chai tea has about 22 milligrams of caffeine.
• Dark chocolate — You don’t have to just drink tea to get some caffeine. You can also munch a few squares of dark chocolate. A 1.4 ounce dark chocolate bar contains 25 milligrams of caffeine. Dark chocolate has plenty of antioxidants and flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory and cancer-fighting properties. Check out our blog on choosing the healthiest chocolate.
• Green tea — Not only is green tea rich in antioxidants, it also contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which elevates levels of the neurotransmitter GABA. This means green tea helps reduce anxiety and improve mental alertness. Studies have also shown that drinking green tea reduces body fat. One bag of green tea has 35 milligrams of caffeine.
• Kombucha — This is a fermented beverage that contains black and/or green teas. The bacteria and yeast in the beverage can improve gut health. There are many different brands of kombucha available on store shelves, with a wide range of caffeine levels — from 120 milligrams to less than 15 milligrams. The amount of caffeine may not be on the label, so check the caffeine chart to find more info.
• Matcha tea — Matcha comes from green tea leaves that have been grown in the shade and then ground into a fine powder. It is brimming with antioxidants, including epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which may help prevent cancer. Matcha is made from the whole tea leaf, so it can have a high amount of caffeine. While a typical serving has about 68 milligrams of caffeine, some preparations of matcha can have as much as 175 milligrams.
• Yaupon tea — Made from leaves of the yaupon plant, which is native to the U.S., this herbal tea has a mild flavor which can vary depending on how much the leaves are roasted. It contains antioxidants and theobromine, a compound that has been shown to improve memory and other brain functions. Yaupon tea has 60 milligrams of caffeine per cup.
• Yerba mate — This herbal tea is made from the leaves of a South American holly tree. It has a bitter or smokey taste, so it may take some time to get used to the flavor. The upsides (along with about 80 milligrams of caffeine per cup) include lots of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. A downside to be aware of is that certain processing methods use smoke, which can add cancer-causing chemicals. To be safer, look for unsmoked mate processed by air drying.

Managing Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can be used safely, if it is managed properly. We hope this article has given you information that you can use to manage your caffeine intake and select healthy alternatives to try out. If you’d like to reduce caffeine but want to stick with drinking coffee, there are blends available that have lower amounts of caffeine (such as one-half or two-thirds less). With so many choices, you’re bound to find one that you like!