And that’s entirely ok. I don’t exhale the worries of the previous day after breathing in the woody aroma of my coffee either.

I, like most people, love coffee for the caffeine content and the health benefits of drinking it.

For me, that means the ability to make sure my kids don’t set the house on fire while I am sound asleep due to a lack of caffeine.

Coffee does afford benefits outside of anything attributable to caffeine (which would be along the lines of increased performance, increased energy, relief from headaches).

The benefits provided by coffee and not from caffeine are related to its phytonutrients. The micronutrition in coffee can help your immune system out when it’s fighting to keep you healthy.

Don’t start counting your morning wake up cup as a serving of fruit or vegetables, though.

You can add some spice to your coffee while grinding the beans, but there’s something simple you just put in your coffee (not butter) to alter the taste that will increase the benefits of your cup of joe even further.

Benefits of Coconut Oil in Coffee

Coconut oil contains saturated fat. Saturated fat is not the demon we’ve been led to believe it is. Whether or not you believe it’s part of some conspiracy is neither here nor there.

The fact is that Americans have been downing vegetable oil and avoiding the beneficial saturated fats that come from butter and coconut oil because they were believed to cause heart disease.

Well, that turned out to be a huge, fat myth. Just because they’re beneficial doesn’t mean you should start double-fisting them, though. You may not clog your arteries, but you’ll probably clog your toilet.

Fats are generally made up of long chains. The fats in coconut oil are mostly medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). Here’s what you need to know.

Your digestive system breaks down what you eat and drink so it can be used by your body. Digestion of fats begins in the mouth, but the majority of the process takes place in the small intestine.

Bile is produced to help break down the large fat molecules so they can move into your mucosa, where they get turned into larger molecules, are then delivered to your bloodstream and carried to your fat deposits.

Should you need energy from fat, your body makes a withdrawal and uses some of that fat. If that seems like an involved process to use the fat you’re eating, you are correct.

MCTs, on the other hand, bypass most of that. They don’t require bile to be broken down because they’re shorter than other fats and they’re transported directly to the bloodstream through your portal vein.

All this means is that you can quickly get energy from medium chain triglycerides and your body won’t add them to your love handles (unless you’re consuming an overabundance of calories).

Lauric Acid

It’s not a good idea to ignore the rest of the group, but lauric acid provides benefits above and beyond the rest of the medium chain fatty acids. Lauric acid is where coconut oil gets its strange anti-powers from – it’s antiviral and antibacterial in a way the other medium chain triglycerides aren’t.

Not coincidentally, lauric acid is commonly found in breast milk – for many of the same reasons you’d want to take it, but it’s there to help babies grow and survive the perils of, well, being a baby.

MCTs are also satiating. More specifically, lauric acid makes you feel full without having to add Meta to your drink. Lauric acid does this by affecting two of your gut hormones that signal whether or not you’re full.

Of course, the easiest way to get the benefits of lauric acid is to eat coconut oil because lauric acid comprises about 50% of the fat content. But instead of just sticking a spoon in a jar and licking it clean (which isn’t as bad as it sounds), why not add it to a benefit-laden drink to really ratchet it up?

This is a beverage you’ll want to have more than twice a day, but probably shouldn’t. There is an upper limit to the amount of MCTs you can take in without having to run to the bathroom.

For most people, that’s around 2 tablespoons at a single time. Some people can have 4 tablespoons of MCT oil or more in a day. It all just depends on how your body reacts to it.

Pro tip: if you’ve never had coconut oil or MCT oil before, work your way up to your desired amount. Don’t just dive in and expect your body to be able to handle all that awesomeness. Be sure to listen to your body and find out what works best for you.

You’ve got two options to experience the benefits of coconut oil in your coffee. The first is just to stir it in, which is nice. You’ll feel like you’re on a beach instead of just standing in your kitchen.

The other way is to put both in your blender (or use an immersion blender) and get it nice and frothy – so you can feel like you’ve got a personal tropical barista.

In addition to a quick energy boost, you’ll also get some ketones out of the deal, help improve nutrient absorption, and you’ll provide your brain with some much-needed fuel.

Optimized Coffee Recipe with Coconut Oil

Ingredients

● 8-12 oz. hot coffee
● 2 tbsp. coconut emulsified MCT oil

Suggested Uses:

In the morning on an empty stomach for a quick energy boost. No blender required. Simply stir and go.

The post The Benefits of Coconut Oil in Coffee appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Purple Thai Iced Tea

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Yield:	2
Difficulty:	Easy
Prep Time:	15 minutes
Total Time:	1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 King Tea bags
• 16 oz. filtered water
• 1 cinnamon stick, plus 2 for garnish
• 3 whole cloves, or ⅛ tsp. ground
• ⅛ tsp. cardamom
• 1 tbsp. organic maple syrup
• 5.3-oz can coconut cream
• 10 drops Stevia SweetLeaf drops, vanilla creme flavor*
• Ice

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat.
2. Add 2 tea bags, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and cardamom to the water and cover. Let steep for five to eight minutes.
3. Strain into a large mason jar or pitcher. Stir in maple syrup, then cool in fridge for an hour or overnight.
4. Add ice to serving glasses. Pour chilled tea over ice. Top with coconut milk or cream. I suggest whisking the canned coconut cream in a bowl or blender before topping tea. Serve with a cinnamon stick for garnish, if you want it to look pretty.

Notes:

*Can substitute with 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract plus additional sweetness if desired.

Blackberry King Tea Spritzer

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Yield:	1
Difficulty:	Easy
Prep Time:	5 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup fresh, organic blackberries
• 4 oz. soda or mineral water*
• 4 oz. pure, organic coconut water
• 5-10 SweetLeaf Stevia Sweet drops or 1 tsp. raw honey
• 2-3 Purple King Tea ice cubes**
• 1-2 fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Directions:

1. Muddle blackberries with the Stevia drops, or sweetener of choice. Add to the bottom of a tall serving glass. Add King Tea ice cube cubes.
2. Pour half coconut water, half soda water. Stir lightly to combine. Garnish with a mint leaf and a couple fresh blackberries. Serve with a reusable straw.

Notes:

*For an energized version, replace the mineral water with an organic HiBall Sparkling Energy Waters, mixed berry flavor. **To make purple tea ice cubes, simply boil 10-ounces of water. Remove from heat. Add 2 tea bags, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Pour into ice cube mold and freeze for 3 hours or overnight.

Not-So-Purple Palmer

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Yield:	2
Difficulty:	Easy
Prep Time:	5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 King Tea bags
• 4 cups filtered water
• 3 lemons (two for juicing, one for slicing)
• 4 tbsp. raw unfiltered honey or 2 full dropper SweatLeaf Stevia drops
• Ice

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and let steep covered for about 8 minutes.
2. Discard the tea bags, and pour brewed tea into a pitcher. If using honey as a sweetener, mix in now.
3. Squeeze two lemons and add the lemon slices to the pitcher. Don’t be shocked when the tea changes color. The acidity in the lemon juice will change the color from purple to a light pink. Pretty neat huh?
4. Stir in Stevia drops or sweetener of choice.
5. Chill in fridge for about 3 hours or overnight. Serve over ice. Garnish with a fancy mint leaf or a snazzy lemon slice.

Super Antioxidant Acai Bowl

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Yield:	1
Difficulty:	Easy
Prep Time:	15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 King Tea ice cubes*
• 1 pack unsweetened acai
• ⅓ cup frozen blueberries
• ¼ frozen banana
• 1 tbsp. organic peanut or almond butter
• 4 oz. unsweetened coconut milk
• Toppings: fresh blueberries, ¼ banana sliced, 1 tsp. bee pollen, raw honey drizzle

Directions:

1. Add the ingredients except for the toppings to a high-powered blender. Pulse until smooth. There’s a high likelihood that you’ll have to stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then blend again. Don’t add more liquid. It will quickly go from bowl to a smoothie if you do that. Be patient, stir, and blend. Vitamix takes the prize here for best acai blender (no affiliation, just dig it.)
2. Scoop or pour into serving bowl. Add toppings of choice. I like fresh fruit, bee pollen, granola, nuts or seeds, and a light drizzle of raw honey!

Notes:

*I used a silicon whiskey ice cube mold, so one ice cube is quite large.

The post 4 Purple Tea Recipes Fit For a King (and Queen) appeared first on Onnit Academy.

For all you avid ketogenic dieters out there, consuming 75-80% of your daily calories from fat can be tough. We concocted a pick-me-up solution to get in a variety of healthy fats that will provide you the fuel you’re looking for. This Six-Fats Keto Coffee combines monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fats to cover all your bases. Not to mention, it’s quite creamy and delicious. Powerfood Vitality adds the perfect hint of sweetness from a blend of stevia, mesquite, and acai in addition to key fats and plant-based protein from flax, chia, and hemp seed.

Yields: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup fresh-brewed Dark Roast Arabica coffee
⅓ cup heavy cream*
1 tbsp.pastured butter*
1 tbsp. MCT Oil
½ tbsp. coconut butter
½ tbsp. Walnut Almond Cashew (WAC) butter
1 scoop Powerfood Vitality
*derived from grass-fed cows

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender. Pulse until smooth! Sprinkle with ground cinnamon if desired. Dominate the day!

The following recipes are some of our most popular offerings at the Cafe & Smoothie Bar in the Onnit Academy next to our headquarters in beautiful Austin, TX!

Optimized Coffee

If you aren’t necessary following a keto diet, but aim to have a delicious dose of healthy fats that are designed to keep you focused and satiated throughout the early hours of work, this recipe is for you. A staff favorite, the Optimized Coffee is quick and simple to whip together. Powerfood Vitality adds texture and natural sweetness to spruce up your morning cup of joe. If you’d prefer to keep it dairy free, replace the butter with ½ cup of warm unsweetened almond or coconut milk.

Yields: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup fresh-brewed Dark Roast Arabica coffee
1 scoop Powerfood Vitality
1 tbsp. pastured butter*
1 tbsp. MCT Oil
Ground cinnamon, to taste

*derived from grass-fed cows. Our favorite brand is Vital Farms.

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender. Pulse until smooth and frothy! Sprinkle with ground cinnamon if desired.

Strawberry Beret

Simple, but it always hits the spot. There’s something about the strawberry and banana combination that pleases adults and kids alike. The Strawberry Beret is a top seller at the Onnit Cafe & Smoothie Bar!

Yields: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 cup organic, frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana
1 tbsp. MCT Oil
1 scoop Powerfood Vitality
1 scoop grass-fed vanilla whey isolate*
12 oz. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
*If additional protein is desired.

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender. Pulse until smooth.

Optimized Warrior

Do you want to optimize your nutrition? This shake is a nutrient-dense powerhouse! This shake is full of healthy fats from the Powerfood Vitality, chia seeds, WAC butter, emulsified MCT oil, and yogurt. Combine that with antioxidant-rich berries, probiotic-rich yogurt, minerals in the Himalayan salt, natural enzymes in the raw honey, and dietary fiber in the oats and fruit, and you got yourself an ideal meal replacement for anytime you’re on the go!

Yields: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 scoops Powerfood Vitality
½ banana, frozen
½ cup organic strawberries, frozen
½ cup organic blueberries, frozen
2 oz. steel-cut or ground oats
1 tsp. chia seeds
1 tbsp. maca powder
2 tbsp. Walnut Almond Cashew butter
1 tsp. raw, unfiltered honey
1 tbsp. vanilla emulsified MCT
½ cup full-fat plain Greek or Skyr yogurt
12 oz. unsweetened almond milk
Pinch of Himalayan salt

Instructions

1. Blend until smooth. Smile & sip!

Velvet Rocket

Need to blast off when those midday work hours have you in a slump? The Velvet Rocket has your back with natural sources of caffeine from the cold brew and matcha combination. Add in plant-based hemp proteins, Powerfood Vitality & Active, MCT Oil for improved cognition, and healthy fats in the WAC Butter, and it’s a done deal.

Yields: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 scoop Powerfood Vitality
1 scoop Powerfood Active
½ banana, frozen
1 tbsp. Walnut Almond Cashew (WAC) butter
1 tbsp. MCT oil
1 tsp. matcha green tea powder
8 oz. cold-brew coffee
8 oz. unsweetened almond milk
1 cup ice

Instructions

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Enjoy!

The post Up Your Game With These Powerfood Vitality Recipes appeared first on Onnit Academy.

In its continuous search for optimization, Onnit has investigated green tea. Once a health fad barely recognized outside of Asia, green tea is now virtually a staple in fitness-friendly cupboards around the world—its extracts are even sold as supplements, and purported to help burn fat, increase endurance, and promote various health benefits. But, as we’ve learned, your standard supermarket green tea is only the tip of the iceberg, offering but a glimpse of the advantages that can be found with matcha.

A special form of green tea native to China and Japan, matcha differs from other green tea products in a few key ways. The plants that are used to make matcha powder are grown in shade for three weeks before harvest, and only their stems and veins are removed in processing, leaving the whole leaf for use. The leaves are stone ground, resulting in a fine powder, as opposed to the crushed leaves that are typically steeped to make a tea beverage. Check out the special characteristics of matcha below, and you’ll see why it’s now “our cup of tea.”

Matcha Tea Benefits

Higher Quality

Matcha has been used in Asian tradition for thousands of years, and was so revered for its nutrition and effects on the mind and body that ceremonies accompanied its presentation. To this day, some matcha is still blessed by monks before it is used ceremonially. In Japan, matcha is considered sacred.

Need a more scientific reason to give it a try? The lack of sunlight during the growing process stimulates the buildup of chlorophyll in the tea plant’s leaves. This results in matcha’s darker green color and a stronger, earthier flavor. Japanese-sourced matcha is generally superior to the Chinese version, due to higher soil quality (which offers a lower risk of contaminants) and production practices—the leaves are stone ground, which keeps the heat they’re exposed to low, preserving their natural aroma. To ensure the utmost quality, it may be best to buy organic matcha.

More Nutrition

Unlike tea made from conventional green tea leaves, matcha tea utilizes the whole leaf. As a result, you get the full spectrum of phytonutrients from the plant when you drink it.

A Better Buzz

Due to the time they spend in the shade, leaves that become matcha are naturally higher in caffeine and L-theanine, an amino acid, than standard green tea. This combination is believed to be responsible for matcha’s reputation as a food that helps to keep you alert while having a relaxing effect on the mind—think wide awake but without the jitters. L-theanine is thought to slow the absorption rate of the caffeine, which a 2015 study in the journal Psychopharmacology found made for a milder and more prolonged buzz (reportedly up to seven hours in some cases).

Matcha vs. Green Tea

*Per 8-oz serving (approx. one cup)

Matcha Chai Recipes

1. Chai Storm

Recipe type: Protein Shake
Cook Time: <5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients

● 1 scoop Matcha Chai Latte
● 1 scoop grass-fed whey protein
● 1 scoop plant-based protein
● ½ banana, frozen
● 2 cups organic spinach
● 1 tsp. fresh ginger or ½ tbsp. ginger powder
● ½ tsp. raw, unfiltered honey
● 1 tbsp. coconut emulsified MCT
● 16 oz unsweetened coconut milk
● 1 ½ scoops of ice

Directions

1. Add everything to a high-powered blender.
2. Pulse until smooth.

Special diet: gluten-free, contains tree nuts, contains dairy
Tip: Matcha Green Tea is a great caffeine alternative to coffee. Not only are you getting the fat-burning benefits of the green tea, but tea also alkalizes the gastrointestinal tract, whereas, coffee is generally more acidic (harsh) on digestion.

2. Matcha Overnight Oats

Recipe type: breakfast
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 3-6 hours or overnight
Serves: 1

Ingredients

● ½ scoop Matcha Chai Latte
● ¼ cup steel-cut or ½ cup whole rolled oats
● 1 tbsp. chia seeds
● 2 tbsp. Greek or Skyr yogurt, plain & full fat
● ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
● ½ scoop Whey isolate

Toppings

● 2 tsp. bee pollen
● ¼ cup fresh blueberries
● 1 tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
● 1 tbsp. slivered almonds

Directions

1. In a bowl or mason jar, add all the ingredients (not the toppings).
2. Stir to combine.
3. Seal with a lid, and store in fridge for 3-6 hours or overnight.

*Add desired toppings, and enjoy cold.

Special diet: contains nuts, contains dairy, gluten free (if gluten-free oats are used)
Tip: No need for morning coffee or tea when you make this breakfast. You have your complex carbohydrates, high-quality protein AND non-acidic caffeine delivered in every bite.

3. Matcha Chai Pistachio Balls

Recipe type: snack, treat
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: 24 balls

Ingredients

● ½ cup raw, shelled pistachios
● ¾ cup cashews, dry roasted
● ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
● 20 pitted dates, soaked in water for 20 minutes
● 1 scoop Matcha Chai Latte
● 1 tsp coconut oil (for rolling)
● ½ tsp. Himalayan salt

Toppings

● ⅛ cup pistachios
● ⅛ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
● ½ scoop Matcha Chai Latte, powder

Directions

1. Add all ingredients (except the toppings) to a food processor. Do not include the excess water from soaking the dates. Drain first, then add the dates.
2. Pulse until well combined, about one minute. Transfer “dough” from food processor to a small ball. Pulse the pistachios for topping in the food processor.
3. On three small plates, add each one of the three toppings.
4. Coat your hands with coconut oil, for easier rolling. Roll each ball about 1” thick, then roll into topping. Set on a clean plate. Continue making about 8 balls for each topping.
5. Set in freezer for 20 minutes, then enjoy! Stays well in fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

Special diet: vegan, dairy free, gluten free, contains nuts
Tip: Enjoy as a portable snack into between meals with a positive pick me up from the caffeine in the green tea!

The post Matcha Tea Benefits: The Optimized Green Tea appeared first on Onnit Academy.

OK, maybe not goodbye forever, coffee. You’re delicious, and we love you. But, we want to take second and give some attention to one of our favorite teas in all the land. Matcha green tea, which you may have seen popping up everywhere lately, is one of our favorite ways to get that caffeine in our veins, and there’s nothing quite like the smooth stimulation of a matcha latte. Derived from the same plant, matcha is harvested a little different than other green teas.

Three weeks before harvest, the tea bushes are covered to prevent direct sunlight. The shade slows down the rate of photosynthesis, stimulates an increase in chlorophyll levels, turns the leaves a darker shade of green, and results in the production of l-theanine, an amino acid linked to improved cognitive function. It’s believed that this also contributes to a calmer alert feeling compared to some other jittery, heart-palpitating caffeine sources.

Matcha has at least three times the amount of the phytochemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as regular green tea. Studies have shown that EGCG is a powerful antioxidant, promotes the death of cancer cells, and could be effective against age-related degenerative disease.

This is no ordinary matcha. Blended with chai spices, turmeric, MCT oil, coconut milk, this recipe checks all the boxes. Next time you need a break from coffee, this matcha latte has your back.

Matcha Latte Recipe

Yields: 1 matcha latte
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Matcha Latte Ingredients

● 1 scoop Matcha Chai Latte
● 10 oz. unsweetened coconut milk
● 1 tbsp. vanilla emulsified MCT oil
● 1 cup ice

Matcha Latte Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender. Pulse until combined.
2. Pour over a cup of ice, and enjoy!

The post Goodbye, Coffee. Hello, Matcha Latte. appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Matcha Chai Storm Shake Recipe Ingredients

● 1 scoop Matcha Chai Latte
● 1 scoop Whey grass-fed protein isolate
● 1 scoop Powerfood Vitality
● ½ banana, frozen
● 2 cups organic spinach
● 1 tsp. fresh ginger or ½ tbsp. ginger powder
● ½ tsp. raw, unfiltered honey
● 1 tbsp. coconut emulsified MCT
● 16 oz unsweetened coconut milk
● 1 ½ scoops of ice

Matcha Chai Storm Shake Recipe Directions

1. Add everything to a high-powered blender.
2. Pulse until smooth.

Special diet: gluten-free, contains nuts, contains dairy
Tip: Matcha Green Tea is a great caffeine alternative to coffee. Not only are you getting the fat-burning benefits of the green tea, but tea also alkalizes the gastrointestinal tract, whereas, coffee is generally more acidic (harsh) on digestion.

The post Matcha Chai Storm Shake Recipe appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Matcha Overnight Oats Recipe Ingredients

● ½ scoop Matcha Chai Latte powder
● ¼ cup steel-cut or whole rolled oats
● 1 tbsp. chia seeds
● 2 tbsp. Greek or Skyr yogurt, plain & full fat
● ¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
● ½ scoop plant protein powder

Matcha Overnight Oats Recipe Toppings

● 1 tsp. bee pollen
● ¼ cup fresh blueberries
● 1 tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
● 1 tbsp. slivered almonds

Matcha Overnight Oats Recipe Directions

1. In a bowl or mason jar, add all the ingredients (not the toppings).
2. Stir to combine.
3. Seal with a lid, and store in fridge for 3-6 hours or overnight.

*Add desired toppings, and enjoy cold.

Special diet: contains nuts, contains dairy, gluten free (if gluten-free oats are used)
Tip: No need for morning coffee or tea when you make this breakfast. You have your complex carbohydrates, high-quality protein AND non-acidic caffeine delivered in every bite.

The post Matcha Overnight Oats Recipe appeared first on Onnit Academy.

Matcha Chai Pistachio Balls Recipe Ingredients

● ½ cup raw, shelled pistachios
● ¾ cup cashews, dry roasted
● ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
● 20 pitted dates, soaked in water for 20 minutes
● 1 scoop Matcha Chai Latte powder
● 1 tsp coconut oil (for rolling)
● ½ tsp. Himalayan salt

Matcha Chai Pistachio Balls Recipe Toppings

● ⅛ cup pistachios
● ⅛ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
● ½ scoop Matcha Chai

Matcha Chai Pistachio Balls Recipe Directions

1. Add all ingredients (except the toppings) to a food processor. Do not include the excess water from soaking the dates. Drain first, then add the dates.
2. Pulse until well combined, about one minute. Transfer “dough” from food processor to a small ball. Pulse the pistachios for topping in the food processor.
3. On three small plates, add each of the three toppings.
4. Coat your hands with coconut oil, for easier rolling. Roll each ball about 1” thick, then roll into topping. Set on a clean plate. Continue making about 8 balls for each topping.
5. Set in freezer for 20 minutes, then enjoy! Stays well in fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

Special diet: vegan, dairy free, gluten free, contains tree nuts
Tip: Enjoy as a portable snack into between meals with a positive pick me up from the caffeine in the green tea!

The post Matcha Chai Pistachio Balls Recipe appeared first on Onnit Academy.

If you’re just drinking it because you happen to like coffee and enjoy the way it tastes and don’t care at all about caffeine, you can stop reading now. But if you (like me) drink coffee because you’re dead tired, then you’ll benefit from knowing when you should down your java to raise you from the bed.

If the first thing you do in the morning is get up and drink a steaming cup of coffee, stop. The best part of waking up is not coffee in your cup. Or, it shouldn’t be.

When you first wake up in the morning, often your first thought might be to run to the coffee pot to get some caffeine in your system to wake you up. But there’s already an internal process occurring that’s working toward the same goal.

When you first wake up, your cortisol levels are shooting through the roof. So instead of stumbling around like a zombie on the way to your Mr. Coffee, get your morning routine out of the way.

Go to the bathroom, brush your teeth, take a shower, get dressed, do a kettlebell workout etc. Do everything you’d do normally. Just wait an hour before you drink your coffee.

But wouldn’t it be some like super-powered awesome way to wake up if your cortisol and caffeine worked together?

Sure. if they worked together. But they don’t.

When is Coffee Most Effective?

Caffeine and cortisol are like humans and zombies. They’re not friends and they have absolutely no intention of getting over their differences. Though, caffeine does increase your cortisol levels.

What drinking coffee during that first hour will do is dilute the effects of the caffeine since cortisol is already working hard to wake you up. Eventually, you may build up a tolerance and then you’ll have to drink more and more coffee to wake up.

So if there’s a long line at your Starbucks in the morning (I do not endorse Starbuck’s. My favorite way to get my coffee is in a Velvet Rocket). maybe instead of getting mad about it, secretly thank the people for helping your daily dose of caffeine be that much more effective.

Your cortisol levels typically peak between 12-1pm and 5:30-6:30pm. Not everyone is the same though. Just listen to your body. If you feel coffee isn’t working as effectively as it does in the morning, try drinking it a half hour later the next day. Experiment. To get the most out of your coffee, avoid drinking during your peak cortisol times. Instead, ride your natural wave of cortisol and then supplement with coffee when the ride is over.

How Long is Coffee Effective?

The popularity of coffee in the modern world is indisputable. According to the National Coffee Association’s Coffee Trends Study conducted in 2013, 83 percent of Americans surveyed claim to have had coffee within the last year, while 63 percent said they drank coffee every day.

Coffee contains a chemical stimulant called caffeine. A stimulant has several biological effects that “rev” up the body, which is often the reason people drink it. However, coffee drinkers may want to know how caffeine affects the body and how long it exerts its effects.

Caffeine Concentration

The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee varies significantly by the type of coffee and the preparation technique.

According to the International Coffee Organization, the automatic drip method produces a beverage containing an average of 115 milligrams of caffeine per 5-ounce cup, while instant coffee delivers significantly less — an average of 65 milligrams per 5-ounce cup.

Percolator methods, such as the French press, yield an average of 80 milligrams per 5-ounce cup. However, the amount of caffeine varies widely from cup to cup even when taking these factors into consideration.

Physiological Effects

Caffeine’s stimulant effect on the central nervous system is dose-dependent; the more caffeine consumed, the stronger the stimulant effect. It blocks a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which is a central nervous system depressant and has a calming, slowing effect on the brain.

When adenosine is blocked, the adrenal glands begin secreting adrenaline, which is the chemical associated with the body’s “fight or flight” response. This response is characterized by increases in heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. When caffeine blocks adenosine, it also leads to increased dopamine levels, which are associated with an elevation in mood.

This response is characterized by increases in heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. When caffeine blocks adenosine, it also leads to increased dopamine levels, which are associated with an elevation in mood.

Onset and Duration

It takes approximately 15 to 45 minutes for caffeine to reach its peak levels in your bloodstream. Caffeine has a half-life of approximately five to six hours, meaning that it takes this long for its concentration in your bloodstream to reduce by half.

So, if you have a 10-ounce cup of coffee at 7 a.m. containing approximately 250 milligrams of caffeine, by 1 p.m. your body will still have 125 milligrams of caffeine in circulation. For smokers, the half-life of caffeine in the bloodstream is only three hours, which may offer insight into why heavy smokers are often also heavy coffee-drinkers.

For smokers, the half-life of caffeine in the bloodstream is only three hours, which may offer insight into why heavy smokers are often also heavy coffee-drinkers.

Timing of Caffeine’s Effects

Amounts of caffeine up to 250 milligrams show very few ill effects and may help individuals feel more alert. Doses exceeding 1,000 milligrams may affect sleep and cognitive performance. Side effects of quitting caffeine appear roughly 12 to 24 hours after cessation of coffee consumption and may include headaches,

Side effects of quitting caffeine appear approximately 12 to 24 hours after termination of coffee consumption and may include headaches, irritability, and constipation. If you are consuming high levels of caffeine, University of Michigan’s Student Health Services recommends reducing caffeine intake gradually to avoid withdrawal effects.

If you are consuming high levels of caffeine, University of Michigan’s Student Health Services recommends reducing caffeine intake gradually to avoid withdrawal effects.

How Caffeine Effects Sleep

Caffeine can prevent people from getting a good night’s sleep1, which means that even more caffeine is needed the following morning to feel functional.

This can become a vicious cycle if a caffeine user isn’t careful.

Here’s how you can be sure not to let caffeine rob you of your precious sleep.

How Caffeine Prevents Sleep

Caffeine primarily prevents sleep by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is the neurotransmitter that signals the brain that the body is tired and in need of rest.

Caffeine fits nicely into these receptors and prevents adenosine from doing its job. As long as there is a steady supply of caffeine flooding the receptors, sleep will be hampered.

Some may still be able to fall asleep even though caffeine is still blocking the adenosine receptors, but this sleep is usually shallow and restless.

Caffeine Disrupts Circadian Rhythm

Not only does caffeine block adenosine receptors, but if it is consumed too close to bedtime, it can throw a person’s entire circadian rhythm off.

Researchers from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology7 in the UK found that when study participants were given 200 mg of caffeine 3 hours before bedtime, the caffeine delayed their normal circadian sleep pattern by 40 minutes.

Participants who also were exposed to bright light along with the caffeine had their sleep cycle delayed by 105 minutes.

Not only does this affect how well you fall asleep but also how good you feel the next morning.

Why Sleep Is Important

For humans, sleep is a necessity.2 Sleep is when much of your body’s repair and rejuvenation processes take place. Adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep a night and children still developing should get 9+ hours of sleep each night.

In fact, one of the main reasons excessive caffeine isn’t recommended for children is because sleep is so vital for proper brain development and caffeine can interfere with the duration and quality of sleep a child needs to get.3

Lack of quality sleep is also linked to obesity, mental illness, high blood pressure, and stress.4 Therefore; it is crucial that you get plenty of rest if you want to be in the best health that you can be.

How To Stop Caffeine From Stealing Your Sleep

Unfortunately, caffeine and lack of sleep all too often form a vicious cycle. People often consume caffeine because they don’t get enough sleep and then caffeine prevents them from getting the amount and quality of sleep they require to feel awake and energized.

However, there are some steps that you can take to break the cycle and still get adequate sleep while using caffeine. Heavy caffeine users may benefit from a caffeine detox before these steps to reset their tolerance to caffeine.

First, don’t consume caffeine too late in the afternoon.5 If you want to get to bed at 10, then you should probably avoid caffeine after 12 noon. If at noon you consumed 200 mg of caffeine, based on caffeine’s half-life of 5.7 hours, you would still have over 50 mg in your system at 10 pm.

Plus, this doesn’t account for any caffeine you consumed earlier in the day, which is also still being processed. If you have a high sensitivity or low built up tolerance to caffeine, you may need to stop your consumption even earlier.

Secondly, know your personal safe daily dose of caffeine and avoid having more than that. You can find this by using our caffeine calculator, but for most people, it is between 300-400 mg per day. Insomnia is one of the leading caffeine overdose symptoms and can prevent you from getting the sleep you need.

Finally, don’t consume caffeine as soon as you wake up in the morning. Research shows6 that caffeine works best when taken 1-2 hours after waking. When we first wake up, our bodies are in a natural awakening state.

If you wait and consume caffeine after this awakening state is wearing off, it will be much more effective in helping you feel alerted and productive. Additionally, it will help keep you from consuming too much caffeine, which would interfere with your sleep the following night.

Note: The herb rutaecarpine can help your body metabolize caffeine quicker and thus get more caffeine out of your system before bedtime.

Signs Caffeine is Preventing Sleep

If you aren’t sleeping well and aren’t sure whether caffeine is interfering with your sleep or not, here are some things to look for:

● Do you have trouble falling asleep?
● Do you fall asleep but wake back up shortly after?
● Do you sleep but wake up often throughout the night?
● Do you toss and turn a lot while you sleep?
● Do you often use sleeping pills to help you get to sleep?

These all can be indicators that the caffeine still in your system is preventing you from sleeping properly. If you can identify with any of these, you should take the steps mentioned above to manage your caffeine consumption more properly more properly.

While caffeine can be useful for helping us be more alert and productive during our busy lives, it can interfere with our sleep. By practicing a little caffeine hygiene, you will be promoting better sleep hygiene as well.

On a side note, Recent research conducted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that caffeine does not help with multiple days of sleep deprivation.

If you haven’t been sleeping, don’t get behind the wheel of a car or try some other focus required task even if you’ve had coffee or some other source of caffeine. There is no substitute for a good night’s sleep!

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And if you’re anything like me (statistics show about 50% of you are), you have a rough time gettin’ started in the morning without your cuppa joe, too.

The good news is, research on coffee pretty much proves it’s the best thing ever. In addition to turning zombies into functioning human beings, the modern form of black gold helps boost metabolism, improve athletic performance and prevent chronic illnesses – including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

But that’s not an excuse to head to Starbucks and load up on the latest quadruple shot frappuccino topped with extra whipped cream and caramel. In fact, that’s pretty much the best way to undo coffee’s positive benefits. As amazing as coffee’s caffeine and antioxidants are, you can still drown out the good with added sugars and trans fats.

A lot of people love adding butter to coffee, but there are other ways you can hack your coffee routine and amp up your health. If coffee by itself is good, consider this your blueprint for coffee 2.0.

Hack Your Coffee With a Light Roast

If you’ve never thought twice about the roast of your beans, now’s the time to start. Studies have shown the more you roast, the more they’re toast. In other words, dark roasted coffee beans end up with lower levels of antioxidants than lighter roasts (and may end up with less caffeine content, too).

According to Dr. Peter Martin, the director of the Vanderbilt University Institute for Coffee Studies (because apparently that’s a thing), the compounds responsible for coffee’s health benefits are chlorogenic acids. With a bit of roasting, the antioxidant power of these compounds improves, but there’s a tipping point whereby they break down again. By choosing a lighter roast, you can ensure a higher antioxidant intake.

Grind Up Some Spice to Hack Your Coffee

Hopefully you’re already skipping sugar In your coffee, but if drinking black joe is killing your morning mojo, give your cup a kick by adding some extra spice. The trick here is to grind the spices with your coffee beans, so when you brew your coffee, the flavors are infused into your java. Try any of the following:

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a health powerhouse packed with antioxidants that helps regulate blood glucose and can even help keep you feeling full longer.

Cardamom: Relatively unknown in the U.S., cardamom is a popular coffee and tea additive in India and other Asian and Middle Eastern countries. It offers a unique spicy-sweet flavor (if you’ve ever had chai tea, you’ll recognize it) that’s perfect for perking up your coffee.

A few spicy cardamom pods go a long way, as they’re packed with the mineral manganese, and have been scientifically proven to improve blood circulation. One study even indicated the spice could help reduce the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer, which pretty much sold me on the spice. I’ve already had two basal cell carcinomas, so if cardamom can reduce my risk of getting more, I’ll take it!

Turmeric (or curcumin extract) and black pepper: If you’re dealing with chronic inflammation, this one-two punch of turmeric and black pepper might be just what you need in your morning coffee.

Turmeric, by itself, is considered a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce the incidence of cancer. Its most powerful compound is curcumin – an anti-inflammatory agent that appears to help with everything from arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease to reduced risk of heart disease and depression.

That said, turmeric itself only has about three-percent curcumin, so to really harness the anti-inflammatory benefits of the compound, you may want to use a curcumin supplement or extract when making your coffee. While you’re at it, go ahead and throw a couple black peppercorns in with your brew. Black pepper helps improve absorption of curcumin in the body by up to 2000%.

Cayenne Pepper: The caffeine in coffee is already a metabolism-booster, but cayenne pepper could be that extra somthin’-somthin’ to take your calorie burn to the next level.

Cayenne pepper boasts the compound capsaicin, which has been proven to boost calorie burn in the two hours following consumption. Plus, it works as a natural appetite suppressant, which could keep cravings under control. Try adding a mixture of cayenne pepper and cinnamon to your coffee for a red hot-like flavor and spice.

Ginger: Ginger, like turmeric, is packed with anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants, which can help reduce muscle-related soreness when used on a regular basis. Also, ginger is known for its ability to reduce nausea and other gastro-intestinal problems, including chronic indigestion.

Whatever you decide to do, you’re bound to enjoy the new flavor and the amped up benefits of your coffee.

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