The 10 best coffee alternatives for energy without the jitters

For many, breaking up with coffee isn’t about giving up a morning boost – it’s about finding a different way to manage energy and stay focused throughout the day.

From mushroom-based brews to adaptogenic lattes, today’s coffee alternatives offer more than just a caffeine-free fix. These drinks blend traditional ingredients like chicory root and matcha with functional mushrooms, herbs, and superfoods, creating drinks that support wellness without the jitters and afternoon crashes.

Whether you’re looking for low and caffeine free coffee alternatives or simply want to expand your morning options, here’s a breakdown of some of the best options on the market.

Beam Dream and Super Latte

Beam created its signature Dream hot chocolate to support better sleep. Its research-backed formula combines CBD (though non-CBD options are also available), reishi mushroom, magnesium, L-theanine, and melatonin, with clinical studies showing 93% of users achieved improved sleep quality.

Beam also offers Super Latte, a coffee alternative that delivers sustained energy with just one-third the caffeine content of traditional coffee, helping you to avoid the dreaded caffeine crash. Super Latte combines adaptogens, nootropics, and functional mushrooms to provide focused energy without the typical coffee jitters, reflecting the brand’s focus on effective, natural solutions for daily wellness needs.

MUD\WTR

Created as a mindful alternative to regular coffee, MUD\WTR was founded when Shane Heath sought a more balanced approach to energy and focus. The 100% organic mushroom coffee-type blend marries masala chai with cacao, creating a rich, spicy flavor profile that provides steady energy without the typical coffee jitters.

With just one-seventh the caffeine of coffee, MUD\WTR’s signature blend supports natural energy through its carefully selected functional ingredients, including Lion’s mane for mental clarity, chaga and reishi for immune support, and adaptogenic herbs for overall wellness. This combination makes it a perfect morning or afternoon beverage, allowing drinkers to maintain focus and productivity while still getting restful sleep at night.

Mateina

Born from its founder Nicolas’s experiences in southern Chile, Mateina began with a simple mission to share the unique benefits of yerba mate with the world. The brand’s connection to tradition shows in its classic Argentine yerba mate, sourced from a family farm in northeastern Argentina that practices organic, fair-trade agriculture.

Mateina now offers both traditional loose-leaf mate and a ready-to-drink line. Its signature loose leaves feature a traditional ‘con palos’ cut that includes stems rich in naturally sweetening theobromine, while its convenient canned beverages deliver 120mg of plant-based caffeine for an energy boost with minimal sugar and zero preservatives, making the centuries-old energy source accessible for contemporary lifestyles.

The brand also recently unveiled Yerba Sticks, a convenient powder format of its signature drink that includes electrolytes for enhanced hydration. The Yerba Sticks offer a cleaner, more sustained source of energy than traditional energy drinks.

Golde

Founded in 2017 from a Brooklyn apartment, Golde started with a single product and a simple vision from co-founder Trinity Mouzon Wofford. The brand’s first offering, the Original Turmeric Latte Blend, laid the foundation for its approach to accessible wellness through superfood beverages.

Golde’s Cacao Turmeric Latte Blend combines seven essential superfoods, featuring anti-inflammatory turmeric and mood-supporting cacao. With just 2mg of caffeine per serving, this warming blend offers notes of chocolate, cardamom, and cinnamon, while black pepper and coconut are included to enhance turmeric’s bioavailability. The versatile mix can be enjoyed on its own with hot water or milk, added to coffee for a superfood mocha, or incorporated into smoothies and baked goods.

Four Sigmatic

Founded in Finland, Four Sigmatic was inspired by its founder Tero Isokauppila’s connection to his mushroom-rich homeland.

Four Sigmatic creates functional beverages that blend mushrooms and adaptogens with familiar drinks like coffee, matcha, and lattes. Its Think Matcha combines ceremonial grade matcha with lion’s mane mushroom for focused energy, while the Happy Gut Golden Latte pairs golden milk (turmeric) with gut-supporting herbs for a creamy, caffeine-free alternative.

The brand has a range of black and herbal teas.

joey

Started as a quest to create a better morning beverage joey is a unique coffee alternative that combines single-origin cacao and gluten-free barley with chicory root, creating a rich, robust flavor profile that offers notes of mocha with a hint of spice.

With just one-fifth the caffeine of coffee, joey enhances its natural energy boost through a thoughtful mix of functional ingredients. The formula includes adaptogenic mushrooms like cordyceps and reishi, stress-supporting ashwagandha, and L-theanine for focused clarity, designed to provide sustained energy without the typical coffee jitters and afternoon crash.

NOT COFFEE

NOT COFFEE packs 16 organic mushrooms, herbs, and adaptogens into each compostable pouch. The blend delivers clean, stable energy through a modest 33mg of natural caffeine from guarana – less than a third of what’s found in regular coffee.

This award-winning beverage combines functional mushroom extracts with over 85 minerals to support energy, focus, and immunity without the typical coffee jitters or afternoon crash. The unsweetened formula can be prepared simply with hot water and customized with any milk or sweetener, offering a straightforward approach to a more balanced daily ritual.

TruBrain Morning Mushrooms

Led by UCLA neuroscientists in their quest for optimal brain function, TruBrain developed Morning Mushrooms as a science-backed coffee alternative. The brand combines four powerful mushrooms – Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, and Reishi – each selected for specific cognitive benefits, including memory support and stress defense.

Morning Mushroom’s organic, USA-grown blend pairs functional mushrooms with natural flavors like cacao, turmeric, and chai spices. Created without added sweeteners, Morning Mushrooms reflects TruBrain’s scientific approach to brain optimization, particularly through Lion’s Mane mushroom’s demonstrated ability to stimulate Nerve Growth Factor production for improved cognitive function.

Clevr Mocha SuperLatte

A modern take on the classic mocha, Clevr’s Mocha SuperLatte transforms instant coffee into a functional beverage designed for both wellness and indulgence. Each serving combines adaptogens and probiotics with a microdose of caffeine, delivering steady energy and stress relief in a rich, chocolatey blend.

The instant mix features a signature blend of oat milk and coconut milk for a creamy, barista-style finish – just add water and froth. Backed by clinical studies showing reduced stress levels and improved sleep quality, this 80-calorie latte proves that convenience doesn’t have to compromise on taste or benefits. The vegan formula brings together notes of chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon, while maintaining just 2g of sugar per serving.

Chicory coffee

A traditional coffee alternative with roots in 19th century New Orleans, chicory coffee blends roasted chicory root with or without coffee beans for a rich, slightly sweet beverage. The root’s natural compounds create a deep, earthy flavor profile similar to coffee but without caffeine, while providing prebiotics that support gut health.

A couple of chicory coffee options include Banyan Botanicals Bitter & Bold and Cafe Du Monde Coffee Chicory.

What about teas?

Several tea varieties offer compelling options for those looking to cut back on coffee while still enjoying a warm, satisfying ritual.

• Black tea offers the highest caffeine content of true teas (40-70mg), providing sustained energy through L-theanine, which helps avoid coffee’s typical crash.
• Green tea delivers gentle energy with about half the caffeine of black tea, plus antioxidants called catechins that support metabolism and brain function.
• Matcha tea (or matcha green tea) concentrates green tea’s benefits by consuming the whole leaf powder, delivering more caffeine than regular green tea plus high levels of L-theanine for focused calm.
• Rooibos provides a naturally caffeine-free option rich in antioxidants, with a smooth, slightly sweet taste and none of the tannins that can make other teas bitter.
• Herbal teas aren’t true teas but rather infusions of flowers, roots, and herbs – each offering unique benefits from chamomile’s calming properties to peppermint’s digestive support.
• Oolong sits between green and black tea in oxidation level, offering a complex flavor profile and a moderate caffeine content that pairs well with L-theanine for balanced energy.

Why people are seeking coffee alternatives

While many people switch to coffee alternatives to avoid jitters or improve sleep, research suggests these beverages may offer broader health benefits. For example, both chicory root and dandelion root contain inulin fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Additionally, adaptogenic mushrooms like reishi support a balanced nervous system, potentially offsetting the strain that excessive caffeine can put on heart health over time.