Coffee is great until it isn't. Maybe the afternoon cup is wrecking your sleep, maybe the third one makes you jittery, or maybe you just want a change. Here are eight popular coffee alternatives, with approximate caffeine levels so you know what you're swapping into.
1. Matcha
Matcha is powdered green tea leaf, whisked into water or milk. Because you consume the whole leaf, it has more caffeine than regular green tea, often around 60 to 70mg per teaspoon serving, though this varies. It also contains L-theanine, which many people say makes the energy feel smoother.
2. Green tea
A cup of brewed green tea typically has about 25 to 40mg of caffeine plus L-theanine. It's a gentle option for an afternoon pick-me-up.
3. Black tea and chai
Black tea usually has about 40 to 70mg of caffeine per cup. Chai combines black tea with spices like cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, and makes a cozy latte.
4. Yerba mate
A South American drink made from the leaves of a holly plant. A cup typically has around 70 to 85mg of caffeine. Mate has an earthy, grassy flavor and a strong social tradition in countries like Argentina and Uruguay.
5. Cacao drinks
Hot cacao or cacao "coffee" made from ground roasted cacao beans offers a chocolatey flavor with theobromine, a milder stimulant, and only a small amount of caffeine.
6. Chicory root coffee
Roasted chicory root tastes remarkably like coffee and is naturally caffeine-free. It's been used as a coffee substitute or stretcher for centuries, famously in New Orleans. It contains inulin, a type of fiber.
7. Mushroom coffee
Usually a blend of coffee and mushroom extracts like lion's mane, chaga or reishi. Many blends have less caffeine than regular coffee, but check the label, since some are caffeine-free and others are close to a full cup.
8. Golden milk
A warm drink made with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and milk, often sweetened with honey. It's caffeine-free and a popular evening option.
Quick comparison
| Drink | Approx. caffeine (8 oz) |
|---|---|
| Brewed coffee | 80–100 mg |
| Matcha | ~60–70 mg per tsp |
| Yerba mate | ~70–85 mg |
| Black tea | ~40–70 mg |
| Green tea | ~25–40 mg |
| Cacao | Small amount |
| Chicory, golden milk | 0 mg |
Caffeine content varies widely by brand, preparation and serving size.
Do you actually need an alternative?
For many people, the issue isn't coffee itself, it's how much and when. The FDA says up to 400mg of caffeine a day is generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Caffeine has a half-life of roughly five hours in many people, so an afternoon cup can still be in your system at bedtime.
You might not need to quit. Instead, try:
- Cutting off caffeine by early afternoon
- Switching your second cup to half-caf or tea
- Eating something with your coffee instead of drinking it on an empty stomach
- Adding L-theanine, which is often paired with caffeine in research
Keep your coffee, make it smarter
HYVE Mind Focus & Memory was made for coffee lovers. Squeeze a 14g packet into your hot or iced coffee and you add 80mg of L-theanine, 222mg of organic lion's mane extract (20:1, dual-sourced from 100% fruiting body), organic raw cacao, organic bee pollen and organic vanilla, all in 100% raw, USDA Organic honey.
It adds zero caffeine and 45 calories, and makes your coffee taste like a vanilla-chocolate latte.
Use code WELCOME20 for 20% off your first order.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Not for infants under 12 months or anyone with bee or bee-product allergies.
