Amp Up Your Drinks With These 3 Healthy Alternatives

What type beverage do you start your day with? Do you nestle up with a hot cup of coffee, swig a shot of an energy drink, or do you blend a few kinds of fruit together and take a smoothie on the go? Before the workday begins, a small dose of caffeine never hurt anyone, right?

If you're downing a cup first thing in the morning instead of slowly sipping it at a trendy café, you're probably doing it for the caffeine. Coffee has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages.

Coffee is a diuretic. This means, you will use the restroom more often than usual after drinking it, causing dehydration. It also stimulates the adrenals (the tiny glands on your kidneys), to release adrenaline, placing stress on them and wearing them out.

If you avid coffee drinkers are wondering how you're going get in your daily dose of caffeine without the beloved bean, don't panic. There are natural, tasty, and efficient ways to get your day started on the right foot.

Read on for three things you can add to your morning beverage to make it healthy and energizing.

Lemons

To kick the caffeine habit without quitting it cold turkey, try drinking lemon water in the morning instead. Lemons are full of vitamins and nutrients that are sure to wake you up and keep you going.

Make Your Water More Interesting

If you think a glass of good ol' H20 in the morning sounds boring, think again. You can make your water more interesting by adding herbs such as mint, or infuse it with fruit. Not only will it taste better, it will add nutrients as well.

Try Tea Instead

If you're thinking, "coffee has much more caffeine than tea," you're not wrong. However, drinking caffeinated tea has the ability to give you a jolt of energy without the health-related issues. In fact, tea can actually help your body, not hurt it. Matcha, green, and black tea are common types to start with.