[This is something I wrote for Get Fresh magazine a while ago, and somehow it never ended up on my blog permanently, so I’m reposting it again—slightly updated/tweaked. Full disclosure—since I originally wrote this, I think a couple years ago, I slid back to coffee yet again, and more than once, always thinking, OK, this is just temporary because I’m having to get ABC done, asap, getting no sleep, and under XYZ pressure, but I’ll definitely stop… tomorrow. So, then of course I start to feel really gross and yet again need to stop. Someone suggested adaptogens, which are meant to be energy boosting and helpful for stress. I started taking them and actually noticed feeling much better. So we added Mega Food Adrenal Strength to the site. Yay!]
It’s been six years now that I’ve been a mostly raw-vegan, most of the time. In my books, blog, and elsewhere, I openly admit to being relatively open-minded when it comes to what I eat. But sometimes being very relaxed about it—particularly in the context of stress and other distractions—leads to the formation of habits before we even realize what’s happened. My own example of this: coffee! What a hypocrite I am. A whole page in my first co-written book Raw Food Real World is devoted to how bad coffee is.
My transgressions started a few summers ago as one of my early oneluckyduck.com collaborators was frequently drinking coffee around me in my office. I wasn’t sleeping much then and particularly freaked out about a lot of things going on, and the smell of it was very appealing! First I’d ask for a sip, then I’d have a few sips, then I’d just grab the whole cup from him and he’d have to go get another for himself. Before I knew it, I was hooked again. It was that easy.
I felt like an addict with a secret. I’d run to the coffee shop for an iced coffee, then head back towards the restaurant thinking that I really shouldn’t walk in this neighborhood drinking coffee! What if one of the regulars from our juice bar/takeaway saw me! What then? Making it easier for me, my assistant at the time became my “enabler” offering to fetch me a fresh iced coffee anytime I wanted. I truly felt like a “user” when I finally bought my own ground coffee. At least now it’s organic, I rationalized. Still, alone in my own kitchen filling the filter (made of unbleached recycled paper, of course!) with the aromatic grounds, and waiting for the water to boil, I felt like a crack-head with the spoon and lighter.
My conflicted and tumultuous on and off relationship with this substance has led me to a few conclusions. I simply do not do well on coffee at all, tempting as it is. Not to mention, it gives you yucky coffee breath if you don’t brush your teeth right away. I also have a theory that it makes me sweat and in an odd funky kind of way. Not sexy! But the worst issue is the dependency and crashing. I might feel uplifted for a bit, but then before long sluggishness sets in. Is it not also widely known that it dehydrates you and inhibits the absorption of iron and many other minerals, and is acidic in your body? Further, it must certainly be the case that when you get to the point where a massive migrane is the consequence of trying to stop suddenly, something is really wrong with this very popular habit.
Luckily, I finally feel I’ve weaned myself off for good. If I get very little sleep and crave a sweet and creamy jolt, I mix in my VitaMix some raw cacao powder, nut milk (or, heaping tablespoon of cashew or almond butter + water = milk), stevia or agave nectar, vanilla, ice, and some frozen banana if I have any, and pour it over more ice. So refreshing, much better than iced coffee, and its breakfast too. There also seems to be something magically energizing about the combination of goji berries and raw cacao. My favorite breakfast is One Lucky Duck chocolate crispies with a handful of raw cacao nibs and goji berries, maybe some sliced banana, and hemp or nut milk. It’s crunchy cereal power breakfast.
Superfoods may be a very overused term these days. I love goji berries and they seem to keep you full for hours. A famous New York cosmetic doctor was quoted in a fashion magazine years ago saying that the goji berry is the number one anti-cellulite food, because of how loaded they are with antioxidants. I read this and immediately wanted to hoard them as I expected a sudden worldwide surge in demand and subsequent scarcity, but luckily they still seem readily available and affordable.
I also love and drink a lot of green shakes. I’ll always love green juice, particularly when I don’t want to get really filled up. But when I want to get filled up, I make a green shake. Fresh cucumber in the blender makes an excellent base, to which I add grapefruit or pineapple, lemons and limes, sometimes a little mango. To that I add a whole bunch of fresh cilantro, kale, chard or spinach, sunflower sprouts if I have them, along with stevia, a pinch of salt, and a splash of vanilla. Shakes are also convenient because they make for the ultimate superfood party. Sometimes I’ll add a splash of aloe vera juice, a spoonful of tocotrienols, a shot of liquid blue green algae, maybe spirulina, some green tea extract, and yes, maybe some more goji berries—which blend easier than you might imagine if you have a VitaMix.
Aside from being so nutrient dense, what I love about these crazy concoctions is that they taste really good. Sometimes I add strawberries or blueberries, or nectarines or white peaches. And if I don’t feel like having it in a glass, then I’ll chop a fuji apple into a bowl, pour my amped up green shake over it, sprinkle it with bee pollen and some whole goji berries and eat it with a spoon like cereal – superfood cereal. When this is what I’m eating, I feel like I could not eat for days and would feel fine. As if I’ve truly nourished myself and am a well oiled machine.
With so many variables, it’s always tricky to evaluate how something specific is affecting you. I have given up coffee only to fall back into the habit enough times that the overall conclusion is clear to me. I might crave that initial high and the flavor, but it’s a quick fix that can very quickly makes you dependent. Interestingly, I would slip back into drinking coffee with a full awareness of feeling very unclean about it, and I think in some way that was part of it – I was being almost rebellious, or thinking that I just needed it to get me through a particularly sleep-deprived and work crazy period of time. Now, when that urge for a cup of coffee – even just one – starts to gnaw at me, I take a deep breath and think about the characters in Trainspotting. That always does the trick.
Thank you for being so open about your coffee use. I think coffee and alcohol are both substances that many living foods adherents have a hard time kicking and it may make it easier for folks to give it up now that they know you struggled with it too. I appreciate your honesty and your advice. I’m with you on the cacao smoothie for breakfast. Cheers!
Girl, you just described me as if you were living inside me. The one sip slope with all the subsequent rationalizations and contorted efforts to cover it up! I laughed so hard. I always have a hard time facing up to the fact that I am human. I can’t thank you enough for your courage in sharing this because it reminds me to be humble and have a sense of humor. A wise person told me once, if you aren’t afraid to share and respect your weaknesses, they will become your strengths. You are a brilliant example of just that. xo
Greetings Sarma,
Your coffee blog is hilarious. I can relate. I remember when I was hooked on coffee. I used to wait in front of this cafe before it opened. I must’ve appeared as Pavlov’s dog salivating from the mouth as I waited with urgency. It was awful. But now that I look at it in hindsight, I laugh uproariously. You should’ve seen the looks of disgust on the cafe employee’s faces: “Oh no! Here she goes again!” LOL!
So no need to stress about your regulars; we all know that you’re human.
Peace,
Adanze
Sarma,
Your honesty, and willingness of being so open on that subject is thrilling. Admitting our weaknesses it part of anyone biggest challenge, at least it is mine. My sister, and I, just open an online raw food store( we live in California), and for us integrity is so important, but not easy of course.
Thank you!
Gosia
http://www.VirginRaw.com
(still under developement)
I love your honesty! I sometimes have coffee in the morning and sometimes don’t. I eat mostly raw vegan, have lots of green juices, practice yoga and feel great! I think we make up WAY too many rules for ourselves, and should practice allowing & accepting. It is almost as if we want something to feel shameful about?? I don’t drink alchohol because I naturally lost all desire for it. I trust my body, and it all works out great!
Peace,
Anne
Waah, I can’t stop drinking coffee, waah =P
Sarma, I see that you and I are both struggling to get through yet another morning without ‘live’ humor on the radio =) A good laugh helps keep those endorphins up.
I am far from being a vegan, but I’m also a believer in the benefits of raw foods.
However, I’ve become such a huge coffee fiend because of my morning gym routine and late night tv/internet addiction (avg 4-5hrs sleep =(). I could never make it through the workday without coffee. I didn’t realize the negatives that come with drinking it. In fact, it seems I’ve been inundated with so many positive studies associated with coffee in the media lately that I haven’t bothered to do more research on the negatives myself. I’ll have to read the part in your book about coffee when I visit my girlfriend up in MA again. Thanks for mentioning it.
Another big problem I have is that I work remotely quite often here in NYC and Boston, always looking for places with a wi-fi connection. Well, for the most part they’re cafes! A healthy alternative would be nice.
Hmm.. Pure Juice & Takeaway with wifi sounds appealing. nudge nudge
On another note, any evidence out there to suggest that spirulina, or green foods in general, help with acne? I’ve been taking a protein supplement with greens and my face has stayed noticeably clear for awhile now. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it has something to do with it. I’m loving the pre-workout sludge even more now!
I also recently stopped by to have a nick’s#7 shake and a VERY tasty lemon cookie. While there I noticed that you sell maca powder, but in capsule form. My girlfriend has a bag of maca powder that I mix into the sludge. Any chance you carry this? So hard to find.
Sorry for going off track, but yes, weening myself off coffee is quite the challenge! Appreciate your transparency when it comes to this stuff.
I’m about 3 weeks off coffee (again). After the first 5 days of headaches etc the time I most miss coffee is now on Saturday mornings. So tomorrow morning I’m going to try your coffee alternative recipe. Thanks for sharing this!
Another woman after my guilt-ridden coffee drinking heat!! Thanks Sarma for being upfront, I’ve been on the off again, on again train with coffee for years. Nice to know I’m not alone.
[...] conflicted coffee adventures « Sarma Raw oneluckyduck.com/sarma/?p=156 – view page – cached #Sarma Raw » Feed Sarma Raw » Comments Feed Sarma Raw » conflicted coffee adventures Comments Feed Sarma Raw My Summer Adventures in Juice Cleansing What Are We Missing? — From the page [...]
Great post! I’m at least half raw, vegan and also struggle with coffee. It’s my one vice and I’m continually giving it up once and for all (again). Much support and solidarity .
xoxo
Eco Mama
check out ener-chi cafe: http://www.vivaherbals.com/ener-chi-cafe.html. It’s delicious!
[...] conflicted coffee adventures [...]
Although you won’t get the caffeine kick from it, my husband and I also love Teeccino. We miss the “hands around a mug of black warm stuff” from the former coffee days and the maya blend organic Teeccino really helps.
Cheers XOXO,
Kristen
I’m going to try that Teeccino stuff… just looked it up. Thanks!
The best prescription for consistent and reliable energy is good sleep and avoidance of coffee, tea, etc. The reason why coffee provides a boost of temporary “energy” is one is actually treating a withdrawal from caffiene. Coffee provides the energy because your last cup was the day before, often 15 hours before. One is simply treating a withdrawal and of course this becomes a cycle. The more you drink, the more you need it. If you don’t consume any caffiene, then you wake up in the morning (provided you have a good night of sleep) and you feel fine. No need for an energy boost. You may think you need it, psychologically but you don’t.
My recommendation is you don’t need any of it. You don’t need the fake coffee or decaf or any “superfood.” Everyone in the world needs a good night sleep, less stress, etc. Usually when I prescribe this, inevitably most people reply with, “but my life is full of stress and I don’t always get a good night sleep.” Well, why would one go through the hassle of avoiding tobacco, eating vegetarian or vegan and then harm their body by not getting sufficient sleep? Sleep is as important as what we put in our body! Unfortunately, even those who adhere to a raw or vegan diet do not practice consistent proper sleep.
As far as goji berries are concerned, they will not erase cellulite. I’m sorry ladies. It’s simply another berry like blueberry or raspberry.
hmmmmmmm…….. Try applying ‘don’t need’ theory to anything when you are surrounded by delicious temptations! i find that when the caffeine/coffee habits creep back in a great way to banish them is by using decaffinated coffee to trick myself!
like the trainspotting visuals!
[...] into the coffee monster. I figure, of all my vices, coffee is the least offensive. (Sarma wrote an interesting piece on coffee recently, that did remind me that I want to quit it, though…) I do plan on cutting [...]
[...] conflicted coffee adventures [...]
Hi Sarma, Very interesting post!
One *analogy* that comes to mind is that about your facial skin… Sometimes the skin seems oily so we put drying agents on it. But what is actually happening is an over production of sebum *because* the skin is dry. When if we simply moisturized the skin with non drying agents or left it alone, we wouldn’t have that massive oily effect.
Ingesting more cortisol & adrenaline producing agents on top of our stress is only going to compound the problem and lead to longer term dysfunction. We should keep it simple and just have a nap, extend a deadline, eat something healthy, have some quiet time and practice patience.
And if you still want a decaf coffee someday when you aren’t overwhelmed with stress, I say go for it. It’s all about the relationship, in my opinion.
During my 100% raw food detox, my mission was going without tea w/milk. I chose to do it, and I did it with no withdrawal-related problems. However, about 6 years ago when I stopped drinking coffee, I phased it out with decaf because I was addicted not just to the caffeine. I like the scent and flavor of freshly brewed coffee, and I think the placebo effect transferred the need of caffeine to the flavor in the decaf. After a week or so I stopped the decaf as well. I could drink decaf every now and then socially after that with no real attachment. I don’t though since I’m just not interested in it for many reasons.
Creating rules we’d rebel against and then feel guilty about is worse (psychologically), in my opinion, than damage we can do to our body by having that decaf coffee every now and then…There are ways to change the relationship dynamic. I think it is important to change the relationship dynamic when you also take a look at similarities in hormones released into the body with both guilt/stress & caffeine flight-fight physiological states. I think knowledge about eating well can be incorporated therein.
What about as a treat to yourself on a variable interval schedule, mixing a cup of room temperature decaf coffee into a banana almond-milk smoothie or some other combo? Or just having a cup of decaf joe as a treat not a pseudo-fix. Maybe you could phase out that way if you like the flavor? Additionally, I think if you treated yourself freely in moderation with something like this, you’d generate healthy feelings towards coffee and create a nice balance that would offset the extreme relationship involving guilt & rebellion; I bet you’d not even realize the day you don’t even think about having a cup of coffee on a day you’d previously “need” it and go back to it.
My tea story is a little different…After two weeks not having a tea w/milk with no problem while on my raw detox, I’m at peace with the fact that I will enjoy my tea w/milk when I desire it which isn’t every day
I don’t feel guilty; I feel wonderful because I know I’m quite healthy, and put a healthy, holistic value on that tiny cup of tea. – When I don’t have the tea, I don’t feel like I’m in withdrawal with a headache and such. In other words, I rely on other forms of energy, even for a psychological quick-fix.
I’m consuming at least 75% raw and 25% other Dr Agatston friendly foods on any given day, and I get tons of sleep. I’m so happy with that. That’s just me though…I realize everyone has their own standards they aim for which are based around all we know and share about our physical, mental & spiritual health.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
Ha! I often wander around Union Square with a cup of java worrying that a blog reader or fellow raw-ie will notice. Then I think — hey, my love of coffee every now and then is part of who I am, and damned if people know! Way to talk about it with openness
[...] into the coffee monster. I figure, of all my vices, coffee is the least offensive. (Sarma wrote an interesting piece on coffee recently, that did remind me that I want to quit it, though…) I do plan on cutting [...]
Hi! I love your site. So, funny… I was reading the other day, and stumbled across the Eating for Your Blood Type book. If you have Type A blood, coffee is actually beneficial, and acts as a medicine. None of the other blood types get this luxury. I am type A, and had given up coffee for a while eating raw, but since I read that, I have become more liberal with my warm drinks to include some coffee. Yum. Oh, another favorite of mine, is the Amaretto flavored agave nectar. Mmmm…
Have a great day!
Coffee with cashew milk in the morning helps me detox ( empty bowels- very important) and I could not fast all day without the help of coffee and tea – fasting and calorie reduction (and a raw diet of course) are the only scientifically proven ways to stop ageing – I don’t want to count calories, so I just fast once a week, thanks to my organic coffee and tea (you can brew coffee without boiling by soaking it in water overnight – it makes delicious coffee with less acidity – Also, before a serious workout at the gym coffee or tea really helps! ) I think coffee really enhances my raw foods diet, it fills my stomach when I crave sweets – by the way, agave nectar is still a form of
sugar and many vegans eat way too many sweets and pastries, and coffee and tea helps avoid these! Also, how about all the studies bout the anti-oxidant and memory improvement qualities?
Reform our national health care, outlaw fast foods! (bumper sticker)
Thanks for this post… it’s something I struggle with often! I feel like you stole pages out of my food journal.
I visited your store a few weeks ago and it was like a dream come true! Thank you for doing what you do and loving what WE do!
can’t wait for the next visit!
-Sophie
I know this is really boring and you are skipping to the next comment, but I just wanted to throw you a big thanks – you cleared up some things for me!
“With so many variables, it’s always tricky to evaluate how something specific is affecting you.” story of my LIFE.
Awesome post. I’d like to hear more about your bad experiences with coffee and the negative adrenal symptoms you had… in an ideal world of course
i know you’re busy!