ArtsAutosBooksBusinessEducationEntertainmentFamilyFashionFoodGamesGenderHealthHolidaysHomeHubPagesPersonal FinancePetsPoliticsReligionSportsTechnologyTravel

Help! I Am Allergic To Caffeine...

Updated on August 31, 2015

Great Decaffeinated Alternatives To Coffee

Several years ago I was experiencing panic and anxiety attacks on a regular basis. As It turns out I am one of those odd individuals that cannot tolerate caffeine.

I am allergic to it!

I love my coffee and cola drinks but I am no longer able to ingest them without these extreme side effects.

The panic attacks began around 2004. I started tracking them and I realized they came on after I had drank coffee or a cola. The last time I had caffeine intentionally I drank 1/3 of a cola drink and almost immediately anxiety problems reared their frightening energy. I have not had caffeine since that day over 4 years ago.

When I finally learned my lesson I began seeking decaffeinated alternatives. I have been able to make the switch, although it was not easy in the beginning. Imagine trying to find something that tastes as good as vanilla cappuccinos! I searched around for good tasting teas and coffee alternatives and here are some of the drinks I have discovered. They taste great and they satisfy my desire for a warm beverage or a cold, sweet drink.

Imagine trying to get through a long workday without the help of a shot of java. I can. I have to if I want to stay panic free.

How do I start my day with no caffeine?

Image: M Burgess

Decaf Still Has Caffeine

Not A True Decaffeinated Beverage

According to Wikipedia many decaffeinated drinks still have around 1–2% of the original caffeine remaining in them, and research has found that certain decaffeinated coffee drinks can contain around 20% of the original caffeine. This is scary to someone like myself who should avoid caffeine for obvious reasons.

I can enjoy a cup of decaf now and then but I have to limit my intake on it. If I consume more than 2 cups of decaf I will have the same reaction as if I had sipped on a real cup of coffee. Not good! Having an anxiety attack and having my nerves crawling is not fun. It takes a good 4 to 6 hours for the caffeine to leave my system and for the panic attack to subside.

Pero A Truly Decaffeinated Choice - A Caffeine-Free Alternative

Decaffeinated Coffee

Rich decaffeinated coffees can be a great alternative to regular brews. In late evenings this may be a good choice for a hot beverage. There are many brands on the market that have low levels of caffeine and are considered decaf. Sanka is a good choice, but I wanted something to drink without a coffee bean. I found even a double decaf had some side effects.

Pero is a truly decaffeinated choice because it is made from Chicory, malted barley, and rye grains, not coffee beans.Pero is a great way to start your day if you are having issues with caffeine drinks like I do. It is a good way to reduce your caffeine intake. This caffeine-free beverage is served hot and made just like you would an instant coffee. Use two teaspoons of Pero powder and hot water in a coffee cup and stir.

With Pero you have a nice wake-me-up drink without caffeine. I like it with a shot of Vanilla Creamer. Mixed this way it is my caffeine-free vanilla cappuccino! You can drink it dark if you like. It is not bitter.

Pero Instant Beverage, 7 Ounce (Packaging may vary)
Pero Instant Beverage, 7 Ounce (Packaging may vary)
Rich and smooth, Pero is the best substitute for coffee if you are directed not to imbibe in caffeine or just want cut down your coffee consumption.
 

Herbal Tea

Red Raspberry

My mother has a friend that is an herbalist. This friend is from Romania. She tells us that raspberry tea is given to patients coming out of surgery in her home country for recuperating and healing. It has many healthy qualities to it. Raspberry tea is a fruity, smooth tea. I choose it as my drink in the late afternoons or early evening. The tangy flavor is just enough to not need any sweetener which I like. Reducing sugar intake is also a good way to ward off problems with anxiety.

Any tea can be brewed and used as an ice tea if you so choose. Just 6 packets of the tea is all you need for 2 quarts of iced tea. Boil or brew water through a coffee maker and let it steep in about 2 cups of hot water. Remove the bags and add enough water and ice to fill a 2 quart container.

If you would prefer to sweeten this tea add 1/2 to 3/4 cups of sugar to the hot raspberry tea mix and stir until the sugar is dissolved. You may also use stevia as a sweetener. You can then add it to your pitcher and dilute to fill the container.

Interesting facts about Red Raspberry Leaf may be found on Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_raspberry_leaf

Fresh Red Raspberries - 36"W x 28"H - Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys

Raspberry Tea - Alternatives To Caffeine

A warm, fruity blend is a great drink anytime. Raspberry can be a good alternative to soda drinks, too, if you would like to cut out that drink in your diet. Drink this tea when you get a craving for something a little sweet. The aroma is nice. Let it steep to a deep pink color and enjoy!

Small Chamomile - Poster by Wendy Russell - by Old World Prints - Amazon
Small Chamomile - Poster by Wendy Russell - by Old World Prints - Amazon

Chamomile Tea

Great Bedtime Beverage

Chamomile tea has long been known for its calming effects. This tea is one I would choose before bedtime or anytime I need to chill out a bit. The effects of the tea help the nerves settle and it is another tea I would drink without a sweetener. The woody, citrusy taste is a great way to relax and drift into your sleep mode.

Chamomile would be a great addition to an herb garden. The flowers are fresh little daisies on long stems. The dark green foliage is very interesting. They are tiny leaves.Grow your own and dry the leaves yourself. Having a large plant will yield a lot of tea!

For the benefits and scientific information on Chamomile see this link on WIkipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamomile

Small Chamomile - Poster by Wendy Russell (9.5x13)

Decaffeinated Soft Drinks - Diet and Decaf Choices

I don't care for much soda these days but when I want that bubbly beverage I seek out a caffeine-free diet cola for that craving. Coke has a version and Pepsi does, too, as does Mountain Dew. We can still enjoy our favorite soft drinks without the caffeine. Dr. Pepper in caffeine free make me very happy as you see, that was my cola of choice when I could still drink colas. That soda is the one I miss the most!

If I want to add a little more flavor to one of these fake colas I can drop in some cherry flavoring or a splash of vanilla.

Though I had to give up caffeine I still have some great selections for a hot or cold beverage. It is possible to find drinks that taste good and satisfy a flavor craving.

Thanks for dropping by ~ Can I get you something to drink?

working

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, hubpages.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

For more information on managing or withdrawing consents and how we handle data, visit our Privacy Policy at: https://corp.maven.io/privacy-policy

Show Details
Necessary
HubPages Device IDThis is used to identify particular browsers or devices when the access the service, and is used for security reasons.
LoginThis is necessary to sign in to the HubPages Service.
Google RecaptchaThis is used to prevent bots and spam. (Privacy Policy)
AkismetThis is used to detect comment spam. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide data on traffic to our website, all personally identifyable data is anonymized. (Privacy Policy)
HubPages Traffic PixelThis is used to collect data on traffic to articles and other pages on our site. Unless you are signed in to a HubPages account, all personally identifiable information is anonymized.
Amazon Web ServicesThis is a cloud services platform that we used to host our service. (Privacy Policy)
CloudflareThis is a cloud CDN service that we use to efficiently deliver files required for our service to operate such as javascript, cascading style sheets, images, and videos. (Privacy Policy)
Google Hosted LibrariesJavascript software libraries such as jQuery are loaded at endpoints on the googleapis.com or gstatic.com domains, for performance and efficiency reasons. (Privacy Policy)
Features
Google Custom SearchThis is feature allows you to search the site. (Privacy Policy)
Google MapsSome articles have Google Maps embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
Google ChartsThis is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)
Google AdSense Host APIThis service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Google YouTubeSome articles have YouTube videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
VimeoSome articles have Vimeo videos embedded in them. (Privacy Policy)
PaypalThis is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook LoginYou can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)
MavenThis supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)
Marketing
Google AdSenseThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Google DoubleClickGoogle provides ad serving technology and runs an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Index ExchangeThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
SovrnThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Facebook AdsThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Unified Ad MarketplaceThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
AppNexusThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
OpenxThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Rubicon ProjectThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
TripleLiftThis is an ad network. (Privacy Policy)
Say MediaWe partner with Say Media to deliver ad campaigns on our sites. (Privacy Policy)
Remarketing PixelsWe may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.
Conversion Tracking PixelsWe may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.
Statistics
Author Google AnalyticsThis is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)
ComscoreComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)
Amazon Tracking PixelSome articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)
ClickscoThis is a data management platform studying reader behavior (Privacy Policy)