10 caffeine-free hot drinks to enjoy all day long

Choose your own caffeine-free hot drink from our 10 ideas

1. Rooibos

And no, rooibos contains no caffeine or theine because its leaves come not from the tea plant but from the Aspalathus linearisa shrub in the broom family. Rooibos is drunk as an infusion in simmering (not boiling) water. Allow about 10 minutes for infusion. Enjoy it on its own, or with a quarter of a lemon or a cinnamon stick for those with a sweet tooth. No need for sugar, it’s naturally sweet. Left for 30 minutes with a vanilla pod, it can also be drunk as an iced tea, for added pleasure and refreshment!

2. An herbal infusion or tisane

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. For a caffeine-free hot drink to enjoy throughout the day, you can simply infuse herbs (like a tea after all) in simmering water for at least 10 minutes and enjoy in a large mug. Which herbs exactly? Mint, delicious sweetened or unsweetened, or thyme, lavender, rosemary, lemongrass…

3. A fruit infusion

An alternative to the above: infuse pieces of fresh fruit. Lemon, orange, grapefruit, and also pineapple, mango, watermelon… All can be infused in simmering water (10 minutes), or they can be left for several hours in cold water, then removed and reheated.

Finally, consider mixing fruit and herbs for a tastier infusion.

4. Infused ginger water

We take the same and start again… Except that here, no fruit, no herbs: just a piece of ginger.

Ginger has a very pronounced taste, and may displease some. But you can adjust the dosage to suit your palate (it also has many health benefits). Use between 3 cm and 10 cm of fresh, peeled ginger for 25 cl of water. Leave to infuse for 5 min. You can also add 1 slice of lemon to tone down the ginger flavour, or 1 spoonful of honey (or both!).

5. Hot cider (non-alcoholic)

Spiced apple juice can also be enjoyed hot throughout the day… Need a recipe? Cut 8 to 10 apples into large chunks, place in a saucepan, cover to the brim with water and add 4 cinnamon sticks. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour. Simmer for a further 2 hours. Remove the spices, mash the apples and strain. Enjoy cold, warm or reheated for a delicious caffeine-free hot drink.

6. A plant-based drink

It’s common to hear “almond, oat or soya milk”, but this is a linguistic error… These vegetable drinks are not obtained in the same way as milk. They are made from cereals, oilseeds or pulses. These plant-based drinks made from almonds, soy, rice, oats… are natural and lactose-free. And between you and me, they’re delicious hot (sweetened or not, by the way).

7. Cocoa

Here, we’re not talking about chocolate diluted in milk… but a West Indian cocoa stick called gwo kako. Less sweet than conventional chocolate, 100% natural, it’s also very tasty. The idea is to grate about 3 cm of cocoa over the equivalent of a cup of vegetable drink (20 cl). For added indulgence, you can add cinnamon and vanilla. Delicious, and lighter than a traditional hot chocolate.

8. Carob powder

Carob powder has been drunk in the Middle East for years… But what exactly is it? The carob tree produces bunches and then brown pods once dried. Inside are seeds, similar to cocoa seeds but with fewer calories. Dried then crushed, the seeds are eaten as a powder. Carob powder has a slightly sweet taste, and can be drunk all day long mixed with water.

9. Caffeine-free coffees

Yes, caffeine-free coffee… and we don’t mean decaffeinated. Spelt and barley coffee, for example, are produced from roasted cereals. They have a texture, a black color and even a “smell” almost similar to coffee, but… are caffeine-free. Barley coffee is the most similar, while spelt coffee is lighter. There’s also dandelion coffee, made from the plant’s roots. Drink at breakfast or throughout the day.

10. Chicory

We’ve saved the best for last… Chicory can be enjoyed all day long, because it’s natural, and caffeine-free ! Our recipe? Visit organic soluble chicory can be consumed with a vegetable drink (almond-based, for example). But to enjoy it all day long, dilute it in simmering water; for the ingredients, count around 5 g of soluble chicory for 250 ml of water. And enjoy!