Do you crawl out of bed craving for a cup of coffee, or is the whole world blurry to you till you down that strong mug of tea ?  Are you brain numb till that hot liquid drips down your throat, all while  you are blissfully unaware that your stomach acids are acting over time.

Here is a small insider on what happens if you are either an early morning coffee or tea drinker-

Caffeine Cravers–

1. It will jumpstart the stomach’s production of acid, and if you haven’t already eaten something, the acid could damage your stomach’s lining . This will eventually give you indigestion and heartburn , if not immediately , get ready for a lifetime supply of ulcer medication. The same process occurs even if you are consoling yourself with a “de-caf” coffee excuse.
2. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach may give you an initial jolt of energy but will eventually give you jitters, shakes,  anxiety issues and other withdrawal effects.

Chaai Seekers-

1. The ‘bed tea’ culture can affect your health in more ways than one. Celebrity Nutritionist & Food Guru Pooja Makhija clears the air, “Never start your day with caffeine – be it coffee or tea. Caffeine should not be the first thing that you give your body on an empty stomach. You need to line your stomach with some solids before you take caffeine else it may trigger the stomach acids and wreck havoc with your digestion through the day. Pick up that glass of fresh juice or even better a bowl of fruits or simply sip some warm water to kick-start your system.”

2. 90% of the tea drinkers in India, are the “ Chaai – biskoot” types. I cannot think of what is worse, the chaai ( which is black tea boiled endlessly with milk and sugar till all the anti oxidants in the tea are lost ) or that supposedly sugar free, oats or multigrain biscuit. Lets be honest, all of us like a cup of good tea, just make sure you don’t drink it on an empty stomach and definitely not more than twice a day.

So what can you have the first thing in the morning?

There is no clear cut answer when it comes to this , there are many options and none of them are wrong, just figure out what works best for you, and most importantly , consistently for you.
Stomach produces acid to digest food and even at rest or in the fasting state, the pH of the stomach is between 1-2 i.e. acidic. Once the last meal of the day is digested and absorbed, the pH returns to the fasting state. The first thing consumed in the morning after the overnight fast should be such that it helps to neutralize the acidic environment of the stomach rather than increase acid production. So make sure what you have on an empty stomach is alkaline in nature , improving your gut health is of prime importance to ensure the entire system works well.

Here are your options –

1. Apple cider vinegar ( ACV ), honey and hot water– Tried and tested by millions of people all over the world. ACV is alkaline and regulates the Ph level of your system , maintains blood sugar level, supports heart health and even aids weight loss. Just make sure you are using the raw, organic, unfiltered variety with the “mother” ( naturally connected strand like chains of protein enzyme molecules ) , or it is totally pointless. The gold standard is the “ Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar “ , wholesome and as good as it could come. Again make sure the honey you use is organic and raw, avoid mass made brands and opt for locally made ones which can be procured from farms.

2. Hot water, lime and honey
This is again a no brainer for those who may complain that they have no time and resources to spend on a bottle of ACV. Lime, while containing citric acid may appear acidic, but has a very high content of the strongly alkaline minerals potassium, magnesium and sodium. Down this magical liquid and get ready for an energising day ahead of you.

3. Eat a fruit
Within 20 minutes of waking up is the ideal time to eat a fruit if that is all the time you can manage. Opt for local and seasonal fruits available, like an apple or a banana. While this is not the ideal way to start your day, it is a great option for those who are trying to break away from the tea- biscuit habit . The high mineral content of fruits makes them alkaline in nature. Fresh fruit consumed as a whole will give the added advantage of fiber to help smooth bowel movement.

4. Herbal tea
These are different from green tea or regular tea as they are prepared from different kinds of leaves like lemongrass or condiments such as cardamom, clove, cinnamon, or spices such as ginger, black pepper, etc in a water base. These are warm liquids that can be soothing for the fasted stomach and are devoid of the caffeine.

5. Dry fruits
Dry fruits such as dried apricots, figs, dates , almonds or raisins/currants can also be consumed first thing in the morning despite having lower water content than fresh ones. Their high fiber content will facilitate bowel cleaning and being energy dense they can satisfy hunger after an overnight fast.

This is how my day begins !

A bit of flashback first.
I had to have a steaming cup of strong tea ready for me as soon as I got up, or all hell would break loose- literally. There have been episodes when I fought, cried and lost my head because I didn’t get it on time or exactly the way I wanted it in my favourite mug ( cringing with shame now !).
However, I am glad ( and so is my body and mind) that over the years I have developed a system that has become my ritual now. It didn’t happen overnight and I didn’t start everything at once ( nor should you try it that way ), it just kept adding on and now I am pretty much set with this pace and quantity .

Breakdown of the ingredients in this morning ritual –

1. Wheatgrass –
Wheatgrass is best had fresh, which means that drinking it in juice form (“shots” as they’re called) . However if you don’t have a regular supply the second best option is the powder form. One of the most noticeable (and important) nutrients in wheatgrass is chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll is a natural liver cleanser and detoxifier, acts like an antioxidant to reduce free radical damage, is a blood strengthener (it has a similar chemical composition to that of haemoglobin,) and can help give you a boost in energy.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, hair pigmentation is influenced by the quality of blood and the strength of the kidneys. If your hair has gone grey, your kidneys and blood need to be strengthened. Foods that accomplish this include wheatgrass and any food with high chlorophyll content.

Shop – Organic India Wheatgrass Powder

2. Spirulina
3. It’s a blue-green algae powder – absurdly healthy but often overlooked or misunderstood. Spirulina is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, E, and K. Vitamin A is really important here because it has been specifically correlated with longer lifespan. Spirulina has the highest concentration of protein of any known food. It’s 65 – 71 % protein by weight. The key is that it’s a complete protein (meaning that it contains all 8 essential amino acids necessary for human health.
Note- Please be warned that if you are using spirulina for the first time, DO NOT SMELL IT ! I almost passed out – it smells like the dirtiest fish tank and you feel like you have just drank stagnant pond water. But like everything in life- you just get used to it !!
I buy the Conscious Food brand of Spirulina powder.

3. Triphala
Triphala is a combination of three ayurvedic fruits: Amalaki, Bibhitaki and Haritaki.
*Amalaki is a fruit that supports intestinal repair.
* Bibhitaki pulls the old mucus off the wall.
* Haritaki strengthens the intestinal muscles to contract more efficiently when the bowels need to move.
A superb cleanser of the digestive tract Triphala is a rejuvenative which increase red blood cell count, nourishes the bones and contains large amounts of Vitamin C. Its antioxidant qualities strengthen and cleanse the liver, while maintaining and nourishing new tissue growth.

You can consume Triphala in powder or capsule form, however studies have shown that the powder gets absorbed better by the digestive tract.

You can buy Triphala powder from Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala ( India ) or Organic India(in both capsule and powder form)

4. Moringa –
I don’t think I can sing its praises more, I have a blog post entirely devoted to this super food powder.
Read it here.

5. Collagen powder–
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, especially type 1 collagen. It’s found in muscles, bones, skin, blood vessels, digestive system and tendons. It’s what helps give our skin strength and elasticity, along with replacing dead skin cells. Our body’s collagen production naturally begins to slow down as we age. We can thank this degenerative process for signs of aging, such as wrinkles, sagging skin and joint pains due to weaker or decreased cartilage .

Please note that collagen powder must be consumed with some form of Vitamin C for it get synthesised in the body, or it is just going to get flushed out. Thats why I add it to lime water.
Also it is a non vegetarian source.
I use the Neo cell Super Collagen Type 1 and 3 and buy it on Amazon.

6. Turmeric paste
Here in India, we have access to fresh turmeric almost through the year and why not make the most of it?
Turmeric benefits include so many healing properties that currently there are over 10,000 peer-reviewed articles published proving turmeric benefits, especially one of its renowned healing compounds, curcumin.
It has the amazing ability to reduce inflammation, heal wounds, improve skin health, protect cognitive abilities, and ease menstrual difficulties. Turmeric also helps eliminate depression, alleviate pain and slow the aging process.
I usually buy a 100 gms of fresh turmeric, peel and grind to a paste with a few spoons of water. It lasts me for a week to 10 days. ( I store it in an air tight container, refrigerated )
Feel free to use it in powder or capsule form if you can’t access fresh turmeric, just make sure it is organic and pure.

I guess this picture makes it look a bit elaborate, its all really simple though!

1. I squeeze fresh lime into a mug of hot water, and then add in the collagen powder and turmeric paste.

2. In a separate bowl, I mix all the powders together- wheatgrass, spirulina, moringa and triphala.

3. Pour in half of the liquid into this bowl with mixed powders and thoroughly stir so that there are no lumps.

4. Gulp down the green liquid and immediately take a glug of the lime liquid, keep alternating till both the liquids have been consumed entirely.
I must admit that gulping down this liquid does take practice and some amount of gag reflex in place. I started with wheatgrass and graduated to the other ingredients over a period of two years.

Also – all my morning ingredients have been placed beautifully on a platter for artistic purposes only , nobody has the time or energy in the morning to arrange this for you!