Coffee is, for many, the go-to beverage when it comes to a late-night writing session. It keeps your energy level high and your writing going. In fact, coffee and more specifically coffee shop atmospheres can boost your creativity. Thus, it’s easy to see why you might be opting for a freshly brewed cup when you sit down with your notebook or laptop.
Not to sound blasphemous here, but… there is more than coffee. If you don’t want to foster your caffeine addiction, however, read on for some great alternatives!
Beverages Perfect For Writing
Caffeine is addictive. This is – for many coffee lovers, sadly – a fact. Thus, you should consider switching out the one or other cup of coffee for another beverage. Following, we will list some drinks that are not only healthy but will also keep you energized for your writing – may it be NaNoWriMo, for an essay or even for a study session!
And if you are missing the atmosphere of a busy coffee shop or the sound of a coffee maker grinding beans for a fresh brew, check out how to make a coffee shop ambience yourself.
1. Water
The most basic suggestion you could, possibly, get, but it’s nonetheless an important one. It’s a basic fact that being dehydrated – aka lacking water – is causing you to become tired and unfocused. Thus, simply fulfilling your body’s need for hydration in itself is an energy boost.
Water is the healthy choice here. It does what it is supposed to do, namely hydrating you. This is not only battling fatigue but is also helping you to look fresh and healthy along with maintaining the health of your kidney, skin and other intestines. Besides, water contains no calories or sugar, which makes it a great drink for when you are keeping track of a healthy diet.
2. Tea
Tea, especially green tea, is often seen as the rival to coffee. We don’t agree. We think that you can enjoy both, coffee and tea, on different occasions.
Tea can also contain small doses of caffeine, depending on the kind of tea you are drinking. Thus, the obvious effects of caffeine we all know from drinking coffee apply here as well. However, many teas come with additional health benefits that coffee cannot compete with. There is, after all, a reason why we drink tea when we feel sick, have a stomach ache or need to improve our bowel function.
Green tea, in particular, can lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as prevent cancer according to wisegeek.
Thus, if you need the feeling of a warm cup of something in your hand to warm you up between writing, why not exchange your cup of coffee with a cup of tea.
3. Juice
Not as low on calories as water, fruit and vegetable juices are still a great way to stay hydrated and focused. Furthermore, they are high in nutrients and offer you more variants of taste than just plain water could. The glucose inside the juice, however, is what gives you the little boost in energy you need to stay focused on your writing.
However, if you want to stay on the healthy side, do not go for the highly sugary juices you can find in every supermarket. Check the nutrition labels and find a juice that is more natural than laced with artificial flavors. Freshly pressed juice from fruits and vegetable is, of course, the best alternative.
4. Smoothie
There is a reason why smoothies became so widely popular over the past years. They are tasty, nutritious and healthy. And they are fun to make. In general, making smoothies yourself comes with many advantages over store bought ones:
- You decide what’s inside. Your favorite fruits, vegetables, seeds, spices, water, milk, yogurt, …
- No artificial flavors
- No unnecessary additions of sugar
- Low calory intake
Basically, you can mix your own personal treat, containing bananas and chia seeds, or apples and cinnamon. The limit is your imagination – and your taste buds.
5. Milk
Milk doesn’t have to be a mere side-ingredient in your coffee, tea or smoothie. As a standalone beverage, milk makes sure that your supply of calcium, vitamins A and B, magnesium, protein and other important minerals is secured. It fights dehydration just as well as water, neutralizes spicy food and makes sure that your skin, bones, and teeth stay healthy and strong.
If milk alone is not cutting it for you, as mentioned above, you can use it with other beverages as well, or add some spices and flavors to make it more appealing. Cinnamon and vanilla can add a tasty note, and warm milk with honey is also great to warm your hands and treat a sore throat.
6. Cocoa/Hot Chocolate
Another “fan favorite” of the hot beverages is, of course, hot chocolate. This feel-good drink is not nly great for children, but also those that want to treat their souls instead of their need for caffeine.
As with smoothies and juices, however, one should make sure to check the ingredients of the hot chocolate powder used. They can be laced with a lot sugar as well. Make sure to grab a healthy variant for carefree enjoyment.
