I have tried giving up coffee for more then 15 years but seriously for the last 15 for sure.. but it was a loosing battle,..

I could not find a suitable substitute.. until about week ago when I switched to Cocoa powder to which I add hot water and whatever I would add to coffee..  It took some getting used to but after 4 days it was so much easier and so much better than all the other alternative liquids available to me.

I think 6 weeks from now I will be clear of desire for coffee.. for me that is a big thing..

It's a neutral food for me so.. I make the sacrifice.. but better than avoid of coffee beans..  

I don't know if it has caffeine, I cant feel any .. BUT what I do feel is a peacefulness in my stomach and intestines I never felt before..

(I had one have a cup of weak coffee in-between.. and my intestines reacted fiercely..

so for now cocoa as a bitter drink is just fine..  

Do you drink tea, Goldie?  It has some caffeine, not as much as coffee, but at least it has some other benefits for you.  I would find unsweetened cocoa difficult to drink - it's so bitter - but I always associate cocoa with sweet treats, hot chocolate with marshmallows or whipped cream.  (sigh!)  Did you see the film Chocolat?  I loved the part where she's making a hot chocolate drink for Judi Dench's character with chili powder in it.  The book by Joann Harris is good, too.  Highly recommend her books, btw.  Sorry for the side tangent...I'm always going off on them.  

The Japanese Green Tea on this site Goldie.

Congratulations on creating a way to get off coffee.  Perhaps once that spell is broken you can switch to something like a compliant tea or maybe just water.  Anything is possible when you create it!

I agree, Goldie.  I went through a long black cocoa phase also while I was trying to break up with coffee.  I find cocoa to satisfy a similiar 'bitter' need, much the same as blackstrap molasses.

I don't drink it anymore since it is not good for my genotype.  But I think it's a good alternative for what you are doing.!  And it's a diamond for Gatherers!!

Great idea! I've never tried it/thought of it. Dig the "bitter" angle.

I just received the Carob Extract a couple of weeks ago - and with my new found knowledge of actually being an Explorer, also received the Explorer supplements and have been going strong with all that and the new diet choices.  This is "da bomb"!!, as the kids say.  Instead of coffee, I find the Carob Extract, with a spoonful of blackstrap molasses (a bene) gives just the right edge; I mix it with a little goat milk warmed by hot water and I'm off to work! So delicious its almost devilish - so satisfying.  Let me tell you, its like I died and went to heaven.  Morning commute was never more pleasurable...if it can be that.  Also, I don't know if its the carob or the new supplements and changed Explorer modified diet but...how do I say this...I'm feeling a little more "randy" than I have in years.  Is it a fluke? After only a couple of weeks? My fiance certainly isn't complaining.  Food (the right GTD/BTD/SWAMI food) certainly is the best medicine .... along with laughter and all that good stuff.  I sure am feeling my fill of gratitude today!

Quoted from san j

Dig the "bitter" angle.

In Chinese tradition, the bitter taste corresponds to the Fire element, and within the body - to the heart. "When there's bitter taste in the mouth, the heart rejoices".  

Good for Pitta and Kapha too, according to Ayurveda

Vasant Lad writes:
"Examples of bitter taste are found in bitter melon, turmeric root, dandelion root, aloe vera, yellow dock, fenugreek, sandalwood, rhubarb and coffee. Bitter is the taste most lacking in the North American diet. It has the Air and Ether elements and is cool, light and dry in nature..it promotes the flavor of the other tastes. It is anti-toxic and kills germs.."

Plenty more where that came from.

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I add hot water and whatever I would add to coffee.

and that is?

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Food (the right GTD/BTD/SWAMI food) certainly is the best medicine .... along with laughter and all that good stuff.  I sure am feeling my fill of gratitude today!

it must be the goats milk!!!

keep up the good work!

Lola: NO GOATS ... NOT EVER.. BUT all the others.. yes bitter and a taste not exactly to ones liking, but better then water any day and better then much else like tea.. If I added coffemate I would add that, If I added sugar I would add that.. or do as I do now.. cocoa and nothing else.. ! Hard core..

as fro the Carob extract.. I had issues with extreme water retention so I tried Carob plain.. could not stand the taste.. tried the Agave plain and that was OK , did not try the glycerin but convinced myself to give the cocoa a try.. I think it's working ok.. at least so far..

It is anti-toxic and kills germs interesting to know.. I will see if my tongue will turn pink ...

I'm feeling a little more "randy" than I have in years  always promote life! involvement..  

Did you see the film Chocolate?  I loved the part where she's making a hot chocolate drink for Judi Dench's character with chili powder in it.  The book by Joann Harris is good, too.  Highly recommend her books, btw.  Sorry for the side tangent...I'm always going off on them.  ..........

......... need to see where I can find it.. but just so you know: choc is not the SAME as cocoa.. this cocoa is near-- why would I eat or drink it -- but better then tea!!? yes..  

but for me worth the try to get rid of the need for coffee.. (by the way the caffeine is NOT the issue by it self.. = I am trying for DrD's sake.. giving up coffee that is..

coffemate is full of junk, additives and emulsifiers......
no wonder!

From the Nestle website: http://www.nestle.ca/en/products/brands/Coffee_Mate/ff_liquid_french_van.htm?subGroup=

Ingredients for coffee mate original powder:
GLUCOSE SYRUP (corn based?), HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (MAY CONTAIN COCONUT(ok for O nonnies), PALM KERNEL(avoid) AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL (avoid)), SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)(avoid for Os),  DIPOSTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM ALUMINUM SILICATE, MONOGLYCERIDES, ACETYLATED TARTARIC ACID ESTERS OF MONO- AND DYGLYCERIDES, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOUR, COLOUR (all non-food chemicals that can't be good for anybody, but not specifically mentioned by Dr. D.)

liquid French Vanilla:
WATER, SUGAR (avoid for O nonnies), HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL, SODIUM CASEINATE, FLAVOUR AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOUR, DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SALT, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, ACETYLATED TARTARIC ACID ESTERS OF MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES.  

All flavors and varieties (liquid and powder) have casein, hydrogenated oils, and artificial flavors. The fat-free liquids also add corn syrup solids.

None of these products are acceptable for O nonnies.

Drinking your cocoa powder black is the best choice there is Goldie. If you really feel the need for "creamer" I'd suggest making your own almond or rice milk- it's super easy to do, and you can make it thick like cream rather than thinner like milk.

Oh Goldie, don't even consider eating that creamer stuff.  

I don't think Coffeemate is acceptable for ANY livng being   !   On the goat milk...does it really do "that"? I searched for any documents on it but found nothing substantial.  

It wouldn't be too good for the Undead either.

ha! ruthiegirl!

What's so big about cream? yes, you heard me...dairy cream! full fat. a Tbs. in your cocoa, babe! Then a bit of stevia.....and you got somethin'!

Quoted from ruthiegirl

It wouldn't be too good for the Undead either.

Lol!  You're still reading Anne Rice, aren't you!  

Yup Virginia, I'm in the 2nd to last book in the Vampire Chronicles,  and there's no way Lestat could have drunk coffee mate!

Jayneo- stevia is an avoid for O nonsecretors (though fine for O secretors and a superfood for Gatherers) and heavy cream has never been evaluated by Dr. D. Half and half is the closest, and it's an avoid for all Os. Many Os do "cheat' with heavy cream and some find that they tolerate it just fine (as they tolerate butter) while others find that it causes problems. It's certainly "less toxic" than whole milk, but it's still not a great choice for Os. It's probably still a better choice than coffee mate though.

half and half is not ok...it is half milk!!! Cream is a neutral! people are afraid of it cuz of all those lowfat diets we all used be on.

This is interesting.  I have been soooo missing coffee.  I have come to like green tea with lemon or mint but I still miss the coffee.

I'm going to try this and see.  I drank my coffee black so maybe a certain bitter taste is what I'm looking for.  I know I DON'T like the 90% cocoa bars and green tea brewed too long is bitter.  Don't like that either.

I got a bag of roasted chickory root from nutsonline and it has an interesting flavor.  Not sure about it yet.

nothing beats mate with a touch of cocoa and roibos.....no sugar needed

Quoted from ruthiegirl

If you really feel the need for "creamer" I'd suggest making your own almond or rice milk - it's super easy to do, and you can make it thick like cream rather than thinner like milk.

Almond milk is easlily made by mixing in the blender a little almond butter and water for a few seconds. I've just made it for the first time, I would give it a try with the cocoa (maybe you even like almond chocolate). It serves both as a creamer and a sweetener.

This may sound a bit weird, but I'll write it anyway.

Among other supps, I have been taking capsulated medicinal mushrooms extracts for more than 2 years. I take them half an hour before meal.

Recently I've had enough of capsules, so I started to open capsules and pour the contents into whatever liquid I take.

When I mixed the mushrooms (Reishi, Maitake) powder with water, I realized I got a beverage that resembles coffee... : Aromatic, deep brown, and bitter. I add warm water and I have a new version of coffee... I love very much the fragrance of mushrooms, sweet, earthy and dense, reminds me of  woods after the rain. I also love some bitterness, it works for me like an alarm clock.