Cutting Back on Caffeine!

In this week's AAY! Newsletter, we listed several reasons to cut back on caffeine for overall health, as well as for weight loss.

Of course, we know this is very rough for many people, so we've compiled some tips here to help you transition away from caffeine.

1. If you drink multiple cups of coffee throughout the day, cut down slowly. Have your morning cup as usual, but then try replacing the rest of your coffee with green tea, herbal tea, or iced water.

2. Try green tea. Green tea has many health benefits and has about a third of the caffeine that coffee has. An 8-oz cup of coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine, while green tea has 20-30 mg, oolong tea has 25-35 mg and black tea has 40-50 mg.

3. Try some delicious caffeine-free herbal teas. We like Vanilla Hazelnut, Mint, Chamomile and Good Earth's Sweet & Spicy herbal tea. Add a splash of milk or almond milk to make it a treat.

4. Stay away from fancy, high-calorie coffee drinks. If you really want the caffeine, have a plain coffee and add a dash of nonfat or low-fat milk. Avoid added syrups, sugar, whipped cream, caramel, chocolate, etc. If you really want a latte, request nonfat milk.

How much caffeine do you drink? Do you have any tips for others who are looking to cut back?