A Healthier and Natural Energy Alternative to Coffee and Caffeine
Does Coffee and/or Caffeine provide your body with Energy?
Technically, it doesn’t provide you with energy. Caffeine is a stimulant that works by blocking the receptors of adenosine, which is the neurotransmitter that makes us feel sleepy. With the adenosine blocked by the caffeine, the result is the sudden feeling of wakefulness many consume caffeine for.
Caffeine also stimulates the production of adrenaline, which increases your heart rate, opens your airways and gets your blood pumping – much of the reason why caffeine is popular with endurance-based athletes. The production of adrenaline then makes the liver release glycogen, which raises your blood sugar levels and temporarily gives you more energy.
Caffeine also affects dopamine levels by stopping it from being reabsorbed in the brain, which makes you feel happier.
Is Caffeine good for me?
Throughout the nutrition world, there are mixed views on whether drinking caffeine is good for you. More recent research provides strong evidence that caffeine actually has a variety of health benefits - this is why we use it in some of our blends. Any negatives of caffeine consumption generally come from consuming too much of it – both per day and in one go. These negatives manifest in jitters, headaches, difficulty sleeping, and many more. That’s why at Mission, we make sure to provide the right amount of caffeine, as well as the right type - more on this below.
What's a caffeine crash?
This is the big slump in energy you feel after a big hit of caffeine. As the caffeine wears off, those adenosine receptors it is bound to, become available again. There is a whole load of adenosine that was unable to bind, waiting to find something to attach to. So, it does, all at once! You will get a sudden hit of fatigue as a high amount of adenosine binds to receptors and exhibits its effects. Remember, adenosine is the neurotransmitter responsible for making you feel sleepy - so that is not something you want flooding into your brain during the day!
Can you feel tired from Caffeine?
Caffeine consumption impacts different people in different ways, with some on one end of the spectrum almost unchanged by it, and those on the other end who can’t take it at all.
You won’t feel tired from the caffeine itself, but if you take on a big hit of caffeine (>80mg) all at once, you’ll notice feelings of fatigue as that all wears off.
Replacing Coffee with Yerba Mate
Yerba Mate (pronounced yer-bah mah-tay) is a popular replacement for caffeine, because the ‘caffeine’ it contains is released much more slowly than that of coffee. This is thanks to the amino acid it contains, called theobromine. A slower absorption of caffeine means that its effects are felt over a longer period, and in a more sustained way. Rather than getting a big spike, and subsequent crash in energy levels, you will benefit from a steady boost in wakefulness. This makes it perfect to take before or during performance in the gym or at your desk, producing long lasting, sustained energy.
The Health Benefits of Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is native to South America. It is by far the most popular drink on the continent and is often referred to as 'Bebida de los Dioses' or 'Drink of the Gods'. Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., plus more recently Paul Pogba and the England football team, all swear by it due to its abundance of health benefits. Not only does it provide sustained energy levels, it is rich in key vitamins and minerals, packed with antioxidants and shown to support gut health by supporting functions in the digestive tract.
What Makes Mission's Yerba Mate Different?
Yerba mate is traditionally bitter in taste, so many people find it hard to drink. That’s why at Mission, we have blended it. Combining it with sweeter ingredients like Spearmint and Lemongrass (in Perform), Peppermint and Liquorice (in Focus) or Orange and Maca (in Hydrate) helps to mask the bitterness. You can enjoy all the benefits it has to offer in a delicious, refreshing hot or cold brew. Learn more about the health benefits of Mission’s Yerba Mate here.
