Oral tradition traces coffee origins back to modern-day Ethiopia. That being said, there is limited evidence of the consumption of coffee before the 15th century. 

Our earliest record of the cultivation and consumption of coffee dates back to the 15th century when coffee plants were transported from Ethiopia to Arabia. 

That being said, an old legend attributes the discovery of coffee to an Arabian goatherder from 850 CE. According to the legend, the goatherder noticed his goats acting strange, so he sampled the berries from the plants they were feeding on.

After sampling the berries, the goatherder experienced a surge of exhilaration and discovered the first coffee bean! 

Regardless of how coffee originated, it quickly became the third most popular drink in the world, right behind water and tea.

It’s no surprise that coffee first gained popularity due to its caffeine content and energizing effects. However, coffee continued to increase in popularity over time for various reasons.

For example, coffee became extremely popular in religious circles because devotees were allowed to drink it, as opposed to alcohol and other off-limits beverages. Sufi monasteries in Yemen even went so far as to employ coffee as an aid to concentration during prayers.

In addition, because of its stimulating effects, coffee quickly became a social drink. Coffeehouses became the most popular meeting places. Today, many people get work done or meet at coffee shops for a productive and stimulating atmosphere. 

Whether you like it for its taste or for its stimulating effects, coffee is here to stay! That being said, how does drinking coffee on a day-to-day basis affect the health of those aged 55 and older?

I'm glad you asked. Keep reading below to find out.

The coffee bean is chock-full of caffeine, making coffee one of the most stimulating beverages to drink. But how does coffee interact with your body after you drink it, and how does it make you more alert? 

I'm glad you asked. Let's take a look at the effects of coffee on the body after consumption. 

According to Healthline, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. In other words, when the caffeine in coffee reaches the brain, it makes drinkers feel more alert, focused, and energized, no matter how old they are.

The stimulating effects of coffee can be extremely beneficial to go-getters who want to maximize their productivity and get sh*t done. 

That being said, daily coffee consumption can have some negative side effects over time like energy crashes, dehydration, nausea, and withdrawal symptoms, especially if you are a senior.

In addition, the more coffee you drink, the more your body develops a tolerance to it. This means that your body will need to consume more coffee over time to feel alert throughout the whole day.

Thus, even though drinking coffee on a day-to-day basis can help you stay alert throughout the day, do the pros of being a daily coffee drinker outweigh the cons? 

Keep reading to find out.

Let’s go over some more side effects of drinking coffee daily, so you can decide if it’s worth it to consider looking into some coffee alternatives.

When it comes to drinking coffee every day, additional side effects include:

• Increased blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Restlessness
• Upset stomach
• Nausea 
• Vomiting
• Increased heart rate
• Increased breathing rate
• Dependency 

While drinking a minimal amount of coffee is not too harmful if you are 55 years of age or older, drinking coffee in high amounts can be detrimental to your health.

If you're a senior who drinks more than one cup of coffee per day, you could experience headaches, nausea, anxiety, restlessness, and heart palpitations. 

That's why it is generally recommended to avoid consuming more than 2-4 cups of coffee per day. If you are consuming more than 4 cups of coffee per day, you may be increasing your risk for heart disease and other health issues.

That being said, the side effects of being a daily coffee drinker entirely depend on caffeine tolerance. Caffeine tolerance is determined by gender, age, height, weight, and other factors. 

Still, the general side effects of over-caffeinating can last for several hours after consumption.

According to Healthline, caffeine's effect on our bodies peaks within 30-60 minutes of consumption, which is when you're most likely to feel jittery. 

As you can see, coffee can leave us with some unwanted negative side effects, especially when consumed on a day-to-day basis. 

So, how can seniors benefit from switching to a coffee alternative? Let's discuss this below.

Recent studies have shown that quitting coffee can help seniors lower anxiety!

In addition, quitting coffee can help lower cortisol levels in the body.

Cortisol is a steroid hormone that tells the body to store belly fat. In other words, quitting coffee can help seniors who might need to lose a few pounds. In addition, it can lower your blood pressure by several points. 

And it doesn't stop there. Additional health benefits for seniors of quitting coffee include:

• Reduced anxiety
• Improved mood
• Improved sleep quality
• Improved cortisol level regulation
• Improved vitamin absorption
• Improved mineral absorption
• Improved blood pressure
•  Improved heart rate
• No dependency

As you can see, quitting coffee can benefit our health in many ways. But what should we drink instead?

Is there a stimulating beverage that can help us stay alert throughout the day, without the pesky side effects that come with daily coffee consumption?

Yes, there is! Let's discuss them below.

When it comes to staying alert all day and getting sh*t done, coffee has been an important part of our morning routines. On the other hand, there are plenty of morning beverages out there that can make us feel just as alert as coffee can without the negative side effects.

One of the most popular coffee alternatives for alertness and energy is tea. Most teas, like green tea, black tea, and matcha tea have all the same stimulating effects as coffee without making you crash. 

In addition, tea can be just as tasty and satisfying as coffee can be! But what's the difference between coffee and tea, and can tea help you stay alert, focused, and productive all day? Here's what we know about the difference between coffee and tea:

Tea has less caffeine than coffee but it also has a lot of L-theanine, an antioxidant that stimulates your brain.

According to Healthline, L-theanine provides anti-stress effects by increasing your brain's alpha waves, leading to a calm, relaxed feeling. 

Counteracting the stimulating effects of caffeine, you'll have an alert mind without feeling drowsy later on. This is why some think tea provides a smoother energy boost than coffee. 

If you don't like tea, not to worry. Additional coffee alternatives for alertness include energy drinks like Monster or Redbull.

But are popular energy drinks any better for you than coffee, or do they have negative side effects too? Here's what we know about the side effects of energy drinks:

When it comes to energy drinks and coffee, one of the most adverse side effects of the stimulating beverages is the jitters. This is a symptom most seniors will definitely want to avoid, especially if they have underlying health conditions.

A standard can of Monster has 160mg of caffeine, which is almost double that of a coffee. That much caffeine can definitely cause the jitters, especially considering some people have more than one can per day. 

In addition, Monster is loaded with 13 full teaspoons of sugar, which equals 54g per serving. Could you imagine shoveling 13 teaspoons of sugar into your mouth? 

Monster is surely going to give you a sugar crash. If avoiding jitters is your priority, Monster is not the drink for you. 

Red Bull actually has far less caffeine than a can of Monster, coming in at 80mg of caffeine. This is also a bit less than a cup of coffee.

Most people won't feel jittery after a single can of Red Bull, but if you have a low caffeine tolerance, even a Red Bull may make you feel jittery. 

Red Bull also has less sugar, coming in at 27g per serving, but it's still quite a lot, so I don't recommend drinking a Red Bull every day.

Additional side effects of consuming energy drinks on a daily basis include:

• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Dizziness
• Sweating
• Increased anxiety
• Heart palpitations
• Dehydration
• Restlessness

Both coffee and energy drinks can cause energy spikes and sugar crashes. Both are stimulating beverages designed to help you get sh*t done.

So if coffee, tea, and most energy drinks available on the market have negative side effects, what should you drink if you're a health-conscious senior?

Did you know that some coffee alternatives like EarlyBird can help you stay energized while actually improving your overall health?

Keep reading to find out the best coffee alternatives for seniors available on the market. These morning beverages will have you ready to take on the day without negatively impacting your health!

If you're a senior, you probably think about your health and how the things you consume on a day-to-day basis can impact you.

There are plenty of delicious and stimulating beverages out there won't negatively impact your health. Some coffee alternatives like EarlyBird can help you stay energized while actually lowering your blood pressure and improving your overall health! 

When it comes to coffee alternatives for seniors, some of the best beverages on the market include:

• EarlyBird Morning Cocktail
• Yerba Mate
• Matcha Tea
• Golden Milk
• Lemon Water
• Chai Tea
• Kombucha
• Apple Cider Vinegar

All you have to do is find the morning beverage you like the best. 

My personal favorite morning beverage is EarlyBird, an all-natural energy drink that will boost your energy while improving your overall health. Keep reading to find out why EarlyBird is the number one coffee alternative for seniors available on the market.

EarlyBird Morning Cocktail is an all-natural morning cocktail made especially for people who want to kickstart their mornings without feeling any negative side effects or impacting their health. 

EarlyBird contains a unique blend of hydrating electrolytes and antioxidants such as L-Theanine and L-Tyrosine. Not only does this all-natural blend help wake you up in the morning, but it keeps you feeling awake and alert all day without crashing. 

In addition, EarlyBird contains zero grams of sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. That's why it's the perfect drink for health-conscious seniors. It’s almost too good to be true!

Drinking EarlyBird is my personal favorite coffee alternative for staying alert all day and getting sh*t done!

EarlyBird combines the benefits of coffee and tea into one awesome way to wake up early feeling great. With the least caffeine of the three, EarlyBird minimizes negative side effects while maximizing health benefits.

For instance, EarlyBird can help you maintain high energy throughout the entire day without making you crash. In addition, EarlyBird is sugar-free, non-carbonated, all-natural, and chock full of electrolytes. 

Not to mention, EarlyBird can lower your blood pressure, improve your overall mood, and is 100% all-natural. What can't EarlyBird do? It's the only morning beverage I'd trust to get my day started and get sh*t done!