Photo by Chelseagirl.

Take a second to count the number of cups of coffee or black tea you drink a day. Now consider this: these caffeine-containing beverages have zero nutritional value. Caffeine, which is immensely addictive, is found in chocolate, some sodas and many over-the-counter cold, cough and pain medications, where it’s valued for its stimulating effects.

Caffeine can elevate the mood, energize, delay fatigue, and stimulate the central nervous system. It can also cause hands to tremor and the heart to palpitate. So, why is caffeine our national drug of choice?

I think coffee shops can be special places when people sit together and enjoy conversation, slow down for a moment, read, write, think. But when people go in for a fix, there usually isn’t much time for conversation–it’s a quick stop for a to-go order before you rush off for your next appointment. 

Caffeine feeds our cultural addiction to speed and our fast-paced lifestyles. There are numerous reports on this topic, all of which you are welcome to sift through on PubMed. I suggest you take your time and sit down at coffee shop (with a nice cup of herbal tea), as you will need a lot of time and most of them offer complimentary Internet.

Effects on Central Nervous System:

• Caffeine affects the central nervous system, and can result in nervousness, irritability, insomnia, “restless legs,” dizziness
• Caffeine can exacerbate anxiety and lead to panic attacks

Effects on the Heart:

• Caffeine raises the blood pressure
• Caffeine can cause or aggravate heart rhythm disturbances

Effects on Digestion:

• Caffeine aggravates ulcers and heartburn
• Caffeine stimulates acid secretion in the stomach
• Caffeine has a laxative effect on the body and can create a dependency

Effects During Pregnancy:

• Caffeine crosses the placenta and effects the fetus.
• Caffeine can also be found in breast milk

Effects on Vitamins & Minerals:

• Caffeine is a diuretic substance by nature, and causes loss of key nutrients, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc
• Caffeine reduces absorption of iron and calcium

Next time you are reaching for a latte, consider a cup of herbal tea instead. One of Dr. Nishant’s favorite is a roasted dandelion tea, here is a simple recipe to try.

Dr. Igor Schwartzman practices naturopathic medicine with a strong emphasis in women's health, hormone imbalances, and thyroid disorders at Whole Family Wellness Center in Portland, Oregon. He is a co-founder of WellWire.com.

Photo by zoyachubby.

It would take me an entire day to write an ode to tea. I love it so much that I start and end each day with a version of this fascinating beverage. While I’m sure you’re all familiar with its health benefits, don’t forget that the curative elixir is as practical as it is healthy:

Tea goes from morning to night. Tea is so much fun that I sip on it all day long. It’s refreshing in the morning and relaxing in the evening. Coffee can be a great pick-me-up but I find that I crash after a strong cup of good coffee in the morning. I find that tea is a much more laid back source of caffeine and its affects on my body are much more gradual. Tea helps me sleep better, too. A nice herbal mixture like chamomile and jasmine helps soothe and warm up my body for a good night’s rest.

The Starbucks substitute. Tea is cheap and reusable. Once you’ve brewed those coffee ground can you reuse them? Well, maybe if you’re really desperate but it’ll probably taste gross. Those grounds are ready for compost. You can re-steep those tea bags for up to five times before you compost them. True story!

Tea in your backyard. You don’t have to work too hard to cultivate your own tea. You’d be surprised to find some flavor-rich, edible leaves and flowers in your backyard or kitchen counter. There are only three things you need to remember when making your own tea: flavor, appearance and aroma. For flavor, choose bold, savory leaves, such as parsley, basil or sage.

If you like fruity flavors like I do, cherries, apples, strawberries and lemon are great flavor choices as well. For appearance, find edible flowers like rose petals, hibiscus and jasmine to add texture and color. Remember, you eat, or in this case, drink, with your eyes first. And finally, for aroma, look into your cupboard for chives, cinnamon, mint, or marjoram. Depending on your taste, combine each of these together, steep, and enjoy!

My favorite combination is ginger (for flavor), hibiscus (for appearance) and lemon zest (for aroma). It’s spicy, pink and smells like summer. Learn more about the superfood ginger here.

So, what’s your cup of tea?

Karla Mercado lives in New Mexico and is the author of Balancing Tenderfoot. She is passionate about human medicine, nutrition, and writing.