In my previous post on drinkigng calories, I warned against the downsides of sugary sports and energy drinks. Of course, I have an alternative. This is the list of my top 5 natural morning energy drinks to get your mojo going and start your day. All of them not only wake you up and energize you but have great health and weight loss benefits.
I am not going to lie, I sometimes drink all of these in one morning. Talk about double fisting!
Hot water with lemon
You have probably heard this in the context of what supermodels or actresses do, but there is something to this for us normals too. A cup of hot water and lemon instantly turns on your detoxing switch and cleanses the body, plus is great for your immune system. I usually wake up and drink a cup of hot water with lemon as I meditate and the next drink, coffee, is my reward!
I use one of these contraptions to get all the juice out of the lemons, or if you want something less complicated just buy these True Lemon packets in bulk and you are instantly good to go.
Coffee+ MCT oil creamer
We all love coffee, right? Coffee is one of those drinks that it really matters what you put in it. Toss the sugar and half and half, and reach for MCT oil creamer. MCT oil promotes weight loss by using fat for energy. Plus, having a small amount of fat in your morning coffee drink will allow you to take supplements in the morning, including those that are fat-soluble.
Some of my recommended plant-based MCT oil creamers are Vanilla Super Creamer, Picnik coffee creamer and Laird superfood creamer.
Green Tea or Rooibos Tea
This includes either regular green tea, or matcha green tea. Both have great benefits, it just depends if you like more of a thicker milkier texture or a lighter drink. You can find my recipe for a matcha green tea latte here.
Improve on the effect of green tea by adding hot, not boiling water and drink with gingerand/or lemon. If you are all about your joe in the morining, I won’t stop you. What I like to do when I itch for coffee is to make sure I have a small cup of coffee, and then a cup of green tea (like a chaser for grown ups).
If you are not a caffeine person, or cannot have it for some reason, Rooibos tea is also an amazing option, that gives you that natural metabolic energy. I like Republic of Tea’s Get Lost Stackable Tea Tin, which has a two week supply of both Caffeinated Green Tea plus Rooiboss tea. It also has a third tea variety that has ingredients to help keep blood sugar stable and curb cravings.
For Matcha Green tea, I prefer the Trader Joe’s brand or the U-Matcha packets from Republic of Tea, which is presweetened with Monk Fruit. Both can be dissolved easily in boiling hot water or heated up almond milk. Note that I mean the plain matcha packets, not the matcha latte mixes, which normally have a lot of added sugars.
Kefir turmeric elixir
This drink comes from my late grandfather, who lived until he was 95. It’s actually a popular drink in the middle east, with Kefir as a based. If you have otherwise never heard of kefir, it is a fermented milk drink traditionally with either cow’s milk or goat’s milk.
Before you go, “ew,” listen to its health benefits – it is a great source of protein, vitamin B12, magnesium, calcium, and natural probiotics.
The elixir is the following combo, which I usually drink as a post-workout drink:
- 4 ounces Kefir;
- Juice of a lime
- 1 tsp cumin;
- 1sp turmeric
- black pepper (optional)
Then I whip all of the ingredients together with a fork or mini-whisker. It gives you this puriried energy feeling. Definitely try it! If you are a non-cow-dairy person, kefir also comes in goat’s milk. For a totally vegan subsitute you can try organic vegan coconut water kefir!
Apple cider vinegar shot
This makes a perfect pre-workout drink, because it wakes you right up! Apple cider vinegar aids weight loss by increasing satiety. It also helps kill harmful bacteria and helps with digestion. See more benefits here (it’s also great for hair health, skin, and nails).
