Mild stimulants and alternatives to coffee

desura

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2013
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Coffee doesn't seem to work for me anymore. I just get stressed/aggressive without any of the lucidity that it used to bring me. And even when it brought lucidity, it tended to be too much, followed by a crash.

So I'm looking for alternatives to coffee. Right now I've noticed that chocolates are decent stimulants. I'm just eating cheap Hersey's kisses -- but am thinking I'll start trying dark chocolates at the supermarket.

Any specific chocolates that are good? I'm aware that there are some really expensive ($3-$5 bar) chocolate out there, which I might try once, but I'd like to find something that's somewhat affordable.

Any other suggestions? Tea I never seem to notice the caffeine in it.
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
10,408
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So you want to substitute your Caffeine addiction with Sugar addiction?

Let me tell you, Sugar is FAR worse....and some.

Personally, I mostly drink coffee for taste (it has to have half and half or I can't drink it).

Caffeine doesn't really work for me, if anything it gets me more tired within 15-20 min of consumption (especially if it's in the afternoon).

Stay away from sugar if you can....

How about tea? I've been drinking tea my entire life....
 

iroast

Golden Member
May 5, 2005
1,364
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81
Sounds like you've built up quite a tolerance for caffeine and that you need both caffeine and sugar to affect you. You probably should work on reducing the source of your stress and get more sleep. Your body is telling you something...you should listen to it.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
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Sudafed. The good stuff behind the counter you have to sign your life away for. Not that crappy stuff they put out on the shelf.
 

desura

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2013
4,627
129
101
So you want to substitute your Caffeine addiction with Sugar addiction?

Let me tell you, Sugar is FAR worse....and some.

Personally, I mostly drink coffee for taste (it has to have half and half or I can't drink it).

Caffeine doesn't really work for me, if anything it gets me more tired within 15-20 min of consumption (especially if it's in the afternoon).

Stay away from sugar if you can....

How about tea? I've been drinking tea my entire life....

Actually, I'm looking at low-sugar chocolates mostly.

I've considered bakers chocolate...but what I'm most looking for is some ultra-low sugar content chocolate.
 

AznAnarchy99

Lifer
Dec 6, 2004
14,695
117
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It also depends on what kind of coffee are you drinking? Cheap watered down American style, straight espresso shots Italian style, or Vietnamese drip style? The latter two are significantly stronger and will give you a hit.
 

desura

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2013
4,627
129
101
It also depends on what kind of coffee are you drinking? Cheap watered down American style, straight espresso shots Italian style, or Vietnamese drip style? The latter two are significantly stronger and will give you a hit.

aeropress coffee, mainly.

which is espresso-lite.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,503
136
Go a week without any caffeinated products.

Then you can go back to coffee again. You've lost sensitivity to the caffeine and developed tolerance. You have to cycle it, most people make the mistake of drinking coffee all the time. Which is fine if you just like to drink coffee (as I do), but if you also need the energy from time to time (as I do) you have to not drink it all the time. Otherwise you develop tolerance, have to drink more coffee or get more caffeinated through energy drinks, shots, etc and when you do stop taking in caffeine you will feel very tired and/or get withdrawal headaches for a day or two. Caffeine tolerance develops very quickly, just about a week. Which means if you really want the same level of energy you have to go no more than a week or two max of drinking coffee every day. Especially if you drink several cups a day or more.

If you don't actually like coffee to enjoy, then try "stepping down" (caffeine wise, love it as a drink) to green tea. If it doesn't do anything for you, well that's because you are used to coffee-levels of caffeine, something like 100mg to 250mg. Once you go down to soda (60 to 80mg), then black tea (30 to 60mg), and green tea (20 to 60 mg) it's not as much an energy boost, but definitely helps when you drink a few cups a day. If you are really tired, you can then go back to coffee once in a while for extra energy.

The plus about green tea (or oolong, white, or lightly brewed black teas) is that you wont get side effects like feeling excessively tired after a few hours or caffeine withdrawal. You can drink it as often as you want. Gyokuro green tea is on the higher side of caffeine for green tea, but still about the same as black tea, and is what I like to drink most often. Dragonwell is my second favorite.

I like chocolate, as well. You want 70% cocoa or higher. I like Lindt, but if I had the money I would eat Amedei Porcelana and Toscano Brown more. Rich enough that a square or two a day is all I would eat. It doesn't have enough caffeine to be a substitute for coffee, though, not unless you eat a ton which is likely to make your stomach hurt. All the naturally caffeinated products tend to be acidic and boost your metabolism. The plus about dark chocolate -and I mean the extra dark 70 to 90 percent, "real" chocolate which doesn't have more than 4 to 6 grams of sugar per serving - is it also works as an appetite suppressant, not just a mild stimulant. You would think not, since chocolate it is associated with fat people who can't control their appetites, but that's milk chocolate or cheap dark with a ton of sugar. The plain bars that are mostly cacao are surprisingly good for you, very rich in antioxidants as well. Just don't eat a bar or more a day, only a square or two or a serving depending on the size of the bar. You wont get more than tea levels of caffeine from chocolate, though. Which isn't bad if you are also drinking tea.

There's always caffeinated soap, as well. :D I ordered a few bars from ThinkGeek 2 years ago, smelled very minty and nice. Does wake you up, but it might be more from the smell. I doubt much of the caffeine really makes it through the skin, but it's still nice but pricey soap.

I drink energy drinks as well (mostly flavorMonster, NOS, Full Throttle, or cheap Red Rain: Watermelon), but like with coffee I don't consume it all the time.
Both energy drinks and coffee are fairy self-limiting for me, I know to stop for a while when I start getting heartburn. That's the downside of acidic beverages.
 
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Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,503
136
Bronkaid for your "asthma".

Ephedrine, lol.

The gateway drug to meth. :colbert: :D

Caffeine/coffee was used as a treatment for asthma before inhalers and medications were developed.
Theodore Roosevelt had really bad asthma as a child, he was given coffee on occasion when it got bad. As an adult supposedly he drank a pot or two a day.
 
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Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,503
136
http://www.amazon.com/Endangered-Spe.../dp/B000EUF9CK

It's $2.51 a bar at my local supermarket. It's fantastic for you, but isn't sweet. It has more fiber than sugar, lol. I little piece is enough to perk you right up.

That brand isn't bad. They have a good mint flavored dark which is pretty good, very subtle mint and smooth dark chocolate. I also like Green & Black's, which they usually carry in supermarkets next to it. Their white chocolate is amazing, but I don't eat it anymore because of the milk (I'm a vegan now) and it has a lot of sugar.

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preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
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That brand isn't bad. They have a good mint flavored dark which is pretty good, very subtle mint and smooth dark chocolate. I also like Green & Black's, which they usually carry in supermarkets next to it. Their white chocolate is amazing, but I don't eat it anymore because of the milk (I'm a vegan now) and it has a lot of sugar.

The mint has a lot more sugar, though. I'm not the biggest fan of Green & Blacks because they a lot more sugar than Endangered Species, even in the high 80%'s.

Once you start getting up beyond 85% there's more fiber than sugar, which I prefer for a daily snack.
 

Crono

Lifer
Aug 8, 2001
23,720
1,503
136
The mint has a lot more sugar, though. I'm not the biggest fan of Green & Blacks because they a lot more sugar than Endangered Species, even in the high 80%'s.

Once you start getting up beyond 85% there's more fiber than sugar, which I prefer for a daily snack.

Yeah, I only get those on occasion. Usually I'm buying 90% Lindt since it's the easiest high quality chocolate to find.

I think it's an acquired taste, though, most people are put off by chocolate with that high a cocoa percentage. It might be easier for the OP if he tries 65%, then 70%, then 80-90% if he likes it. That's the way I started to enjoy dark chocolate. Never liked it until a few years ago.
 

PlanetJosh

Golden Member
May 6, 2013
1,814
143
106
Mio or Dasani flavor additives? The caffeine free versions of them. Ok haven't done my homework on them but seems there must be something in them as a pick-me-up. Now I'll go google the ingredients.
 
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T9D

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2001
5,320
6
0
Stop caffeine and reduce sugar. It's amazing how calm and in control and content you feel when you get off the stuff. It's a horrible addiction.

But if you must go to the health store and get some green tea tablets. Much better for you and the green tea has some health effects too.

Then go to GNC and get that megamen Multi vitamin: http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4033435

Take one of those and then an hour later take the green tea tablet. Man you'll be flying with energy and ambition, and good energy. You'll be a lot healthier for it and no crash.

But get off the other stuff first. Just use these two. A chocolate here and there ain't to bad though. Just as a treat not as something regular.