Most adults start off their day with a cup of caffeine to stimulate their minds and wake up enough to be prepared for the day ahead. However, studies have shown that drinking coffee every day may be worse for your body than you think – causing your adrenal glands to be perpetually exhausted and increasing stress levels, among other adverse effects. This article deals with seven foods that can be eaten in the morning instead of drinking coffee, and that are better for your body and wake you up just as effectively.
Apples are the first on the list – along with countless health benefits such as boosting your immune system and detoxing your liver, apples can wake you up better than coffee, and keep you awake longer without the crash afterwards. A medium sized apple contains roughly 11grams of natural fructose, and this moves through your body slowly, giving your body constant energy levels to keep you active throughout the first half of your day.
Eggs are also a great way to get an energy boost in the morning – they contain the essential nutrients that help activate your brain early in the morning, and the healthy omega-3 fatty acids and protein take longer to digest but, help you feel full and awake for longer, preventing you from running out of energy quickly, as is the case with consuming coffee as the sole source of energy in the morning.
Bananas, like apples, contain ample stores of naturally occurring fructose, which stimulate the mind early in the day. They also contain healthy amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and the minerals you need to keep going. The fiber in bananas also allows the fructose to get absorbed slowly over time, giving you a lasting energy.
Almonds are another source of energy that could replace a morning cup of coffee. Almonds have omega fatty acids that will give you a mental burst of energy, and increased sharpness attentiveness. The magnesium in almonds helps the body create energy from sugar, so this makes almonds or almond milk especially, good in the morning when combined with the natural fructose from things like bananas or Medjool dates.
Chia seeds are rich in brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, which can help ward off tiredness and exhaustion and make you feel more alert. But the benefits don’t stop there: these small seeds can absorb up to 10 times their weight in water, which can speed up digestion (thus, converting food to energy) while keeping you hydrated and awake, since water wakes up your cells, organs and blood.
Oatmeal can also prove to be a powerful alternative to coffee, as the whole grains take time to get digested and provide constant levels of energy. Oats also contain B-vitamins like niacin, thiamin, and foliate which work together to help your body create more energy and raising your metabolism.
Yogurt is the seventh item on the list, and it contains the sugar, lactose, found in milk, that can be easily used by the body for energy. It also contains a healthy amount of protein, which stops the sugar from being digested quickly and burning you out fast – instead, the energy made from the lactose will be provided over a more extended period of time and keep you alert for longer.
In conclusion, to break out of the habit of having multiple cups of coffee a day, try these foods which are a healthier alternative, without compromising the energy boosts that we all require early in the morning.
