Amazing Caffeine-Free Liver Detox Tea for Sensitive Souls
What Inspired the Creation
I created this drink after a difficult transition coming off birth control pills. After two years post-pill, my body still didn’t feel normal. Because of this, I researched which herbs can naturally support me during this transition. As a result, I created this drink to nourish my mind, body, and soul with hopes that it’ll help you too! Not to mention, I think it’s more delicious than any coffee substitute I’ve tried :)
Why Caffeine-Free?
You probably have your personal preference and experience with caffeine. So if it works for you, heck yes keep goin’ for it! And then there’s times when it doesn’t work for you, for whatever reason. Your body, your lifestyle, and nutritional scientific research continue to evolve so I think it’s important to check-in with your body daily to see what’s best for YOU. For me personally, I recognized a time when caffeine didn’t serve me, so I created this cozy drink to add to my daily ritual. I created this to help me heal from the many signs of hormone imbalance after going off birth control pills, which I wrote about in-depth here. So when I dove further into research on how caffeine affects your body, I was surprised to find these 6 things:
Research studies are mostly done on the male body, not on the female body.
Everyone’s different and I believe there’s some definite perks to caffeine when you enjoy it in moderation. However, many benefits you read about are done on the male body, not the female body. So I think it’s beneficial to consider your unique relationship with caffeine and to listen to how it affects your mind, body, and spirit. If you’re sensitive, or if you have any hormonal dysregulation (PCOS, endometriosis, painful menstrual cycles, anxiety, depression, thyroid issues etc.) then read some of this info to help you make an informed decision for yourself.
Caffeine can increase estrogen levels, leading to estrogen dominance.
Signs of estrogen dominance are acne along your jaw/chin/neck, abnormal menstruation, painful and heavy periods, PMS, headaches, decreased sex drive, mood swings, anxiety, depression, bloating, breast tenderness/fibrocystic breasts, fibroids, hormonal weight gain, fatigue, irritability, and anger outbursts.
Since caffeine (and alcohol) can raise estrogen levels, it may exacerbate or contribute to some of these issues listed above. When I work with clients, I look at the whole picture, so what you nourish your body with may just be one piece of the puzzle to consider.Caffeine can cause your body to produce extra cortisol.
Cortisol is the “stress hormone”. So if you feel depleted or over-worked, check-in with yourself to see if caffeine is currently on your side or against you.
Caffeine may deplete essential vitamins and nutrients.
I mentioned in my last article how food is significantly less nutrient-dense compared to 100 years ago. This is from pollution, soil depletion, use of pesticides, and certain modern farming practices. Therefore, many of us already lack essential minerals and vitamins.
So I think it’s helpful to be mindful of your current well-being and when you consume your caffeine. If it’s directly after a meal, you might deplete your body further of B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and iron. This is important to be aware of when you’re in a state of healing, grounding, or transitioning where optimal levels of minerals and nutrients really help you out.Women metabolize caffeine slower than men.
The female body is designed to conserve energy. This conservation of energy helps women to be efficient at growing little humans in their bodies. Therefore, the female body retains fluids longer and takes longer to metabolize. And this means the caffeine stays in your body longer. This can then contribute to hormone dysregulation, increased stress, increased fatigue, and poor sleep.
It can worsen PMS symptoms.
If you struggle with any signs of PMS like I did, caffeine might not be your friend at this time. The healing journey is a lifelong commitment, so listen to your body’s current state and make the best decision for yourself.
Benefits of Each Ingredient
Dandelion root-helps to detoxify the liver and helps with skin and eye problems. (So if you have any signs of red eyes, dry eyes, irritated eyes, or skin problems then your liver might need some support!)
Chicory root- this helps provide a delicious and earthy flavor. It gives the tea a dark color which may remind you of coffee. It also acts as a prebiotic to help form a healthy gut, promote healthy digestion and improve blood sugar control.
Coconut oil- adding healthy fat creates a fun frothy texture while keeping you full longer. It also helps improve cognitive function, metabolism, skin health, and hair health.
Cocoa powder- this makes the drink so delicious! It also helps with mood regulation, hearth health, cholesterol, cognition, and delivers antioxidants.
Filtered water vs unfiltered water- our current water supply is pretty questionable. According to the EPA, treatment to our water supply can remove many contaminants, but it can also leave behind byproducts. And these byproducts can be harmful. Water can also be contaminated after it enters the distribution system. So it may be helpful to have a water filter to catch some of these potentially harmful contaminants.
Maple syrup- sugar gets a bad rep. And for good reason. It’s unnecessarily snuck into most packaged foods and creates lots of problems in modern society. Nothin’ new there. But I personally think maple syrup can be a good option in moderation. It has a lower Glycemic Index, which means it has less of a spike on your blood sugar. It also contains calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and manganese. It also has over 24 antioxidants. So if you eat a lot of natural whole foods and you pair the sugar with fats, then I think it’s okay to enjoy.
Pumpkin spice blend- I’m all about flavor in my food and beverage creations. So I think this spice blend really drives it home. Get a pumpkin spice blend if that’s easier, but for me, I always have cardamom, ginger, ceylon cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg on hand. I personally buy organic and I add a large dash of each spice to the drink.
Ceylon cinnamon- I wrote a whole article for a local wellness company on what ceylon cinnamon is vs regular cinnamon. It also mentions how ceylon cinnamon is helpful for diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, improving brain power, reducing inflammation, and providing antioxidants. It’s also recognized for its antibacterial effects.
Cardamom- according to Healthline, cardamom has antioxidant and diuretic properties that may lower blood pressure. It also has cancer-fighting compounds, has anti-inflammatory effects, helps with digestive problems, may treat bad breath and prevent cavities, may treat infections due to antibacterial effects, improves breathing and oxygen use, may lower blood sugar levels, and may protect the liver.
Ginger- if I was a pioneer discovering new lands and could only bring 10 plants with me, ginger would definitely be one. It has miraculous healing abilities. For example, it’s said that ginger can be more powerful than ibuprofen/advil when treating headaches. It’s also highly effective at relieving nausea. It can also improve circulation, lower blood pressure, help with osteoarthritis, improve heart disease risk factors, help with chronic indigestion, significantly reduce menstrual pain, and help improve brain power.
Clove- clove may improve liver health, help regulate blood sugar, promote bone health, reduce stomach ulcers, and protect against cancer. It also contains important nutrients and is high in antioxidants.
Nutmeg- nutmeg may relieve pain, soothe indigestion, strengthen cognitive function, boost skin health, detoxify the body, increase immune system function, improve blood circulation, and help with insomnia.
Does it Need to be Organic?
I personally use all organic ingredients, but you don’t have to. I’m at a place in life where I choose to pay more for quality brands because I’ve noticed the positive effect it has on my mind/body/spirit. When I buy organic or local, I feel I contribute to better environmental practices, I feed my body with more nutrient dense food, and I put less harmful chemicals/toxins in my body. For me, this feels like the right thing to do right now.
If the price is just too high for you, you can pick and choose which foods are organic. For example, coconut oil doesn’t necessarily need to be organic because coconuts don’t usually have pesticides. You can get this information from EWG’s Dirty Dozen Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce each year. This list tells you which foods contain the highest amount of pesticides (where you want to buy organic), and the list of foods with the lowest amount of pesticides (where you can get away with not buying organic).
I take a LOT of time to research where food comes from, so send me an email (abbyleewellness@gmail.com) or send me a message on social media (Abby Lee Wellness) if you have any questions! I want to publicly share the information and habits that have changed my life. I hope this information can make things easier for you if you want to live a life of peace, harmony, and good health.
How to Make Liver Detox Tea
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon organic dandelion root
1 tablespoon organic chicory root
1 spoonful coconut oil
OR substitute 1/4 cup- 1/2 cup of a delicious fat you have in your kitchen (goat’s milk, nut milk, cow’s milk etc.)
1 spoonful organic cocoa powder (optional)
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1-2 tablespoons of organic maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon of organic pumpkin spice blend (or I add a large dash each of ceylon cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and cardamom. This is what I do since I always have these spices in my kitchen)
Directions:
Place dandelion root and chicory root in a french press or your preferred device for steeping tea.
Boil 1 1/2 cups filtered water.
Pour boiled water over the chicory root and dandelion root.
Steep for 15-20 minutes.
While the tea is steeping, add your coconut oil (or milk), maple syrup, pumpkin spice blend or separate spices (cardamom, ceylon cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg), and optional cocoa powder to a blender. Don’t turn on the blender yet.
Once the dandelion and chicory are done steeping, add the steeped tea to the blender.
Now blend all the ingredients for 10-20 seconds.
Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy your frothy, delicious health tonic.
The Takeaway
This drink nourished me during times of healing. And I hope your mind, body, and soul feel cared for when you add this to your daily routine. I like to sip on it at any time of day. I especially like to have it after my yoga and breakfast routine. You might want to avoid having it on an empty stomach but you can see what works best for you.
Send me photos or tag me on social media if you took time to enjoy this delicious beverage. Find me on Instagram (@abbyleewellness) or Facebook (Abby Lee Wellness). You can also watch a reel on my Instagram of me making this tea. I truly hope this beverage treats you well.
In good health,
Abby Lee