Healthy Sources of Caffeine

By: Bailey Larmore

Looking for some more energy? If you didn’t get a full night’s rest or the cold weather has you feeling dreary, you may find yourself turning to a source of caffeine. Instead of a typical coffee or soda, there are many healthier caffeine options for us to choose from!

Chocolate

Depending on its cocoa content, this delicious dessert is a source of caffeine, an antioxidant, and can help lower cholesterol. When chocolate has a higher percentage of cocoa, like dark chocolate, the more caffeine it contains. In 1 normal serving (1 ounce) of dark chocolate, you get about ⅓ of the caffeine amount in a cup of black coffee. 

Tea

Another healthy alternative to drinking coffee and soda is drinking tea! Green tea, matcha tea, and earl grey tea all contain caffeine that can help give you a boost of energy. Trying out different teas, both hot and iced, can be a fun way to change up your diet. Tea can be a great way to start your day!

Yerba Mate & Kombucha

Yerba mate, which is a type of herbal tea, can also make you feel less tired. Kombucha, on the other hand, contains some caffeine from tea leaves used to make the drink. When compared, yerba mate provides more caffeine, whereas kombucha has many more benefits for digestion. Both of these drinks contain numerous vitamins and can help you get a boost of energy.

Did you know that these sources of caffeine are healthier alternatives to coffee and soda? Now that you know more about their benefits, maybe you’ll check out these caffeine sources on your next visit to the Pod or the grocery store. 

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