There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of a freshly brewed cup of coffee, is there? It’s a delicious and all-pervasive scent that we look forward to each and every day… but as much as we love the delightful coffee bean, it doesn’t always love us back in the same way and all too often we find ourselves feeling a little anxious and jittery, or even dealing with a few stomach cramps after sipping on our morning cup of Java Joe. So what alternatives are there that we can enjoy just as much as coffee, that will give us a bit of a kick we’re looking for first thing but which won’t give us any of the nasty potential side-effects that come with caffeine? Here are just a couple of ideas to help get you started with your new caffeine-free routine! Mushroom coffee If you don’t want to turn your back on your favourite beverage entirely, what about substituting it for mushroom coffee every now and again? This is somewhat similar in flavour to actual coffee since it’s just coffee with mushroom extract in it, so it could help you bridge the gap from caffeine enthusiast to caffeine-free. It even looks like your typical ground coffee beans, since the mushrooms have been dried and extracted to get all the compounds out, before they’re blended into regular coffee. And even better than that, there are all sorts of potential health benefits to be reaped by increasing your mushroom consumption, so give it a go and see what you think! Peppermint tea Another alternative is a delicious and refreshing cup of peppermint tea. How dainty! It’s thought that peppermint can help give you an energy boost and tackle fatigue and sleepiness, so if you do struggle to get going in the morning, this could be the new tipple for you. Chicory coffee Or what about giving chicory coffee a go? For this coffee iteration, chicory root is dried, roasted and ground up to make a healthy drink that’s similar in colour to coffee but is sweeter (so no need to add extra sugar!), nuttier and less bitter than traditional coffee. It may not give you the intense morning energy boost you’re after, but research suggests that the inulin found within the root (which is a prebiotic fibre) can support the gut microbiome and promote good bowel health, so there are other potential benefits to the drink.