The jury is really still out on coffee. Is it good for you, or is it detrimental to your health? Finding the answer to that question is almost as difficult as the proverbial question, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Some studies report amazing benefits of coffee drinking, while others point to harmful effects of daily coffee. Studies aside, you may be thinking, “Are you crazy, even if it is bad for me, how could I survive without my daily coffee energy burst?” While we don’t hope to solve the good for you/bad for you question in this post, we do offer some energy-boosting tips that will keep you going stronger than ever while kicking coffee out of your life.
Sip Some Green Tea
Research shows that drinking the equivalent of four cups of green tea per day on a regular basis may help boost energy levels. Although the study was geared toward boosting exercise endurance, the benefits are there for anyone. Green Tea Extract was used for the study, but you can still gain the same benefits from drinking adequate amounts of green tea. And, if you want something to replace sipping down a hot cup of java every morning, drinking the green tea, rather than taking the extract, may be just the ticket.
In addition, green tea boasts a long list of health benefits as an antioxidant. It is suggested to help prevent certain cancers and skin cancers. It also may help prevent Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. So, for a way to boost your day that may also pack a powerful punch for health green tea is worth a try.
An Apple a Day…or a Banana
Fruits are a great natural source of energy. Unlike sugary drinks, the natural sugar contained in fruits such as apples, bananas, peaches, and oranges are balanced by a great blend of fiber and complex carbohydrates that offer more sustainable energy to your body.
Down the Goji
New to the playing field for many Americans, goji berries nonetheless have a long tradition of health benefits in Asia, one of which is energy. Research reported in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine revealed a marked increase in energy levels in study participants who drank goji juice for 14 days compared to those given a placebo.
Go for a Walk
Yes, you read that right. Going for a walk may actually boost your energy, rather than deplete it. A study by California State University, Long Beach, joins the role of research that supports the idea that walking gives energy a boost. In this study, participants noticed increased energy and better moods after consistently walking every day. Professor Thayer said that this easy booster is often neglected because people usually decrease physical activity when they are depressed or tired. This puts them in a continued cycle, one that can be broken by deliberate choices to walk daily.
Try Some Cacao
If your idea of chocolate is the super sweet stuff that comes in bright wrappers and sold as candy bars, you have yet to experience the true chocolate: cacao. Small pieces of the cacao bean (what chocolate is derived from) are called nibs. These nibs can be eaten or brewed much like a tea or coffee. A professor at the University of Nottingham revealed that cacao beans contain flavanols that increase oxygen to certain areas of the brain. This helps combat fatigue and increases mental clarity.
Bring on the Energy!
How’s your morning going? Try adding one or combination of these suggestions to your daily routine. By the time you’ve gone for a walk, chomped on an apple and downed some green tea or cacao, chances are, you will hardly miss that morning java.
Sources for this article include:
- www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050128221248.htm
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14512804
- www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Goji-berry-juice-improves-energy-happiness-study
- www.csulb.edu/misc/inside/archives/vol_58_no_4/1.htm
- www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070221101326.htm
