On average, Americans drink about 624 million cups of coffee in a single day. That equates to about 3 cups of coffee per person within the 83% of the population who claim they can’t live without their favorite cup of joe. Like anything else, drinking coffee has it’s advantages and disadvantages. From a health standpoint, caffeine has been shown to reduce the risk of diseases like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia and cancer. But too much of a good thing may not be a good thing, as it can adversely interact with certain medications and health disorders, flaring up symptoms of autoimmune disease, adrenal fatigue, high blood pressure and insomnia. All that said, it is important to remember is that caffeine is a drug, and you can easily exceed the 300mg maximum level that experts say is safe by drinking 2 or more 8oz cups of coffee per day, depending on how strongly the coffee is brewed. If this applies to you, you may want to consider cutting back on your intake of caffeine by weaning yourself of coffee so you can reset your body’s resistance and ensure that you are consuming below that maximum dosage level.

There are a multitude of reasons for making the decision to cut back on your coffee intake, whether it’s due to doctors orders, difficulty focusing at the office, or you simply think you may be consuming too much and it’s effectiveness has all but worn off. Whatever the reason may be, cutting back or quitting coffee entirely is not an easy task, as most people become addicted to the caffeine boost, flavor and aroma and experience withdrawals that can affect your mood and take away from your ability to work accurately and efficiently. If you are considering reducing or removing coffee from your diet altogether, try incorporating these easy tips to get you through withdrawal period and back to your peak performance even faster.

1. Drink Whipped Coffee – Whipping 1 tbsp each of coconut oil and grass fed butter to your morning coffee is a perfect way to start reducing your intake of caffeine. The fats help to slow the release of the caffeine, making it more of a sustained release and dramatically reducing the rise and crash effect of caffeine. This can allow 1 cup of coffee to last you most of the day, reducing the desire or need to go back for another cup (Not to mention, it’s an awesome fat burner!). Find my recipe for Whipped Coffee
2. Quit Cold Turkey – This is for the real bad-asses out there who simply get up one day and decide not to have coffee anymore. The positives of this method is that you rip off the band-aid and you detox from the caffeine dependency much faster than you would otherwise. In addition, it also brings about the strong realization of the effects of caffeine on your body’s function. The negatives of this method is that you will likely experience severe withdrawals that may put you out of commission for a few days, which leaves you more susceptible to caving in at the first smell of coffee. This method is the least recommended, as it is not for the faint of heart. If you do decide to quit cold turkey, it is wise to do so over a long weekend and to discuss your coffee detox with your family and/or colleagues ahead of time.
3. Wean Yourself Off – If you are a business owner who doesn’t have any down time, this may be the best option for you. Wean yourself off of caffeine slowly by reducing your intake by ¼-½ cup each day until you’ve reached your desired amount of coffee. If that seems like too much work, start by swapping out a cup for a cup of green tea, decaf or a half-caf. The positives of this method is that your withdrawal symptoms are lessened and you are more likely to stay productive during the detox period. That said, the detox period will likely be longer and this method requires a little bit more effort while you keep track of your caffeine intake.
4. Break the Habit – The last method is for those who are addicted to the act of drinking coffee in addition to the caffeine boost. Instead of going to buy your coffee, substitute one to two cups for a caffeine pill (200mg). The idea behind this one is that it’s not satisfying to take a caffeine pill, aside from satisfying the addiction to caffeine. So if you take the fun of drinking coffee out of the equation, it will break the habit of needing a coffee cup in your hand, leaving you to slowly stop taking the caffeine pill and quitting coffee altogether.

While incorporating any of these methods will prove helpful while you wean yourself off of coffee, it is wise to give it thought and pick the method that will give you the best chance of success for your unique lifestyle. For more tips on coffee see my blog here.