Coffee contains antioxidants, but it also has as much as 200 mg of caffeine per cup. Coffee also is acidic, and even decaffeinated varieties can cause stomach upset. Substituting green tea for coffee gives you the antioxidants you need with less than half the caffeine of coffee. Green tea also is less acidic and less likely to cause stomach upset. You can replace coffee with green tea, but if you drink a lot of caffeinated coffee, do so gradually.
Step 1
Switch from caffeinated coffee to one-third caffeinated and two-thirds decaf on the first day. This will lower the caffeine content of each cup and get you accustomed to the lower caffeine levels in the green tea.
Step 2
Substitute a cup of green tea for your morning cup of coffee on the second day. If you normally drink coffee all day, continue the reduced caffeine mixture for the rest of the day.
Step 3
Substitute green tea for your morning cup of coffee and second cup on the next day. Continue drinking the reduced caffeine mixture for the rest of the day.
Step 4
Continue progressively substituting green tea for each cup of coffee each day until you have eliminated all coffee.
Step 5
Take an over-the-counter headache remedy with caffeine if you experience a caffeine withdrawal headache.
Things You'll Need
- Caffeinated coffee
- Decaffeinated coffee
- Green tea
- Over-the-counter headache remedy with caffeine
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