Teeccino: A Coffee Alternative?

For those of you who aren't aware, I stopped drinking coffee about a year and a half ago. (OK, I've only had one slip-up since then, too, but that's because I went to a Starbucks event with my boss at one of my internships. You can't say no to coffee at a Starbucks event, and it was only a sample, not a full cup.)

I gave up coffee for a lot of reasons. The biggest reason is probably health. Coffee isn't bad for you if you're just drinking coffee in moderation. I was not drinking just coffee nor was I drinking in moderation. Those stupid sugary drinks are so good. On campus, there was a coffee shop, The Daily Grind, that had these delicious drinks called Grasshoppers, which was were full of sugar, mint and cream, etc. Ugh! So delicious! The second reason was (surprise!) the money. These drinks cost about $5 (if I remember correctly) and Starbucks drinks are just as if not more expensive.

So I started with my alternative: tea. Honestly, I love tea. I'm currently addicted to Twining's Green Tea with Mint. I make a pitcher's worth and stick it in the fridge and presto! a nice, cool drink for the summer.

This is my tea shelf. There's loose-leaf tea behind these boxes, too.

But I was recently reading Glamour's blog Vitamin G and saw this "coffee alternative." It's called Teeccino and it's a blend of herbs, nuts, fruits and grains. You apparently make it just like you'd make regular coffee in a Mr. Coffee (or coffeemaker of your choice). There are a lot of benefits, too, like it being high in potassium, soluble fiber, inulin. (If you must know more, click here.)

Great news, right? Well, there's a downside, too. This "herbal coffee" has no caffeine. Now, I know I gave up coffee, but I did not give up caffeine. Sure, I have a few herbal teas, which are nice before bed, but I also still have my black and green teas chock-full of caffeine. So this wouldn't be the best choice for those coffee drinkers who should really just invest in a caffeine IV.

Regardless, I generally always like trying new things, so I signed up for a free sample of "Original Teeccino." I kind of wanted to try the chai, but when I first try things, I like to try the original first. Apparently Teeccino is sold at Whole Foods near me, so if I like it, maybe I'll be interested in trying the other flavors.

The free sample should arrive in 4-6 weeks, so once I test it out, I'll let you know how it goes! But if any of you have tried it, please let me know what you think. Or feel free to share your coffee alternatives if you have any!