STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Teresa · Kate Spade

coffee

jacks435 · Kenneth Cole

While I do think coffee is an acquired taste to some degree, if you absolutely hate it, maybe you could find some caffeinated alternatives. What about soda, energy drinks, even hot chocolate or some teas?

If you're set on coffee, I think Starbucks is the way to go. I don't like straight coffee, but I love most of their drinks. Try a white chocolate mocha (I like them with a shot of raspberry syrup) -- you'll barely taste the coffee. It's more like dessert! Vanilla lattes are also pretty sweet, as is their cinnamon dolce latte (SO good). Or try chai tea lattes, which have caffeine without coffee.

Just reread what you wrote -- is the issue that you don't like sweet drinks, either?

lynnie · Chanel

i think it can be an acquired taste- I like black coffee now and never did when I was younger.

I don't think you should try to get your body addicted to caffeine though. I've stopped drinking coffee these past couple weeks and feel SO much more well rested. And i LOVE the taste of coffee. I really like Teas Tea (or something) in the the RoseGreen flavor (i've tried other flavors and didn't like them). Its iced tea that they sell at nice delis. It has some caffeine (50mg in 16 oz), but it doesn't have sugar and tastes really refreshing and light. I feel good after i drink it. Their website is www.itoen.com (copy/paste not working for me)

penguininaboat · BCBG

Without sugary crap, I would say some skim milk is the best (kind of obvious though). I didn't trick myself into liking coffee, but over time I got used to it enough to drink most forms black. However if you don't like coffee, I would put in a vote for black tea, that's what my boyfriend does (he hates coffee also).

NCshopper · Hermes

Coffee has a pretty strong flavor and if you don't like it, I don't know that forcing yourself to drink it will make it better. And adding sugary stuff to it only adds calories and will only make the subsequent blood sugar crash negate the whole caffeine effect.

I think you're better off drinking tea. Black teas and green teas have caffeine. I have a ton of different teas in my cupboard and alternate between black and green for my morning tea. I think the caffeine in tea provides a better caffeine rush than coffee too--it's a more sustained and mellow buzz that I get instead of the shaky feeling I get from coffee. I find that a big cup of tea in the morning is all I need to jump start me for the day.

ILoveChoo · Hermes

when I was younger and hated coffee, I still loved those super sweet cappacunios (either the powder kind of from the machine at the gas station)

There are so many alternatived though- try energy drinks, juice (maybe just the sugar wil help and its so much healthier than pumping yourself full of chemicals)...I'll admit that when I needed to pull late night studying in college I was known to take an occasional caffeine pill.

mikacat · Coach

it is a hard addiction to break---maybe tea like the other posters said, or just a soda instead or a shot of expresso.
those dark chocolate covered expresso beans are pretty good and loaded with caffeine or they make those energy ball candies. they are kind of expensive but taste like tootsie rolls.

jacL · Coach

I grew up drinking latte- and mocha-type drinks, but never warmed up to actual coffee until I started college. I really enjoy my coffee but even now I need to add a little cream (half & half, usually the fat-free version) and sugar (I try to use Splenda). If you don't like coffee, try a latte (1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk) or cafe au lait/misto (1/3 coffee and 2/3 steamed milk) .

Teresa · Kate Spade

okay, so if i drink ANY kind of green or black tea it will give me energy unless it says decaf on the package? (thanks girls!)

NCshopper · Hermes

collegegirl5858 wrote:

okay, so if i drink ANY kind of green or black tea it will give me energy unless it says decaf on the package? (thanks girls!)

Yup! Black and green tea are caffeinated, unless it says otherwise.

If you're interested, Tazo teas available at Starbucks are good, as is the Republic of Tea brand that you can buy in some grocery stores, as well as World Market/Cost Plus and some Borders stores. Trader Joes also has a lot of good tea.

ETA: Anything that says "herbal" or "tisane" is not caffeinated.

-- Edited by NCshopper at 18:14, 2007-02-25

Teresa · Kate Spade

Thanks gals!