Caffeine-Free Strategies: Tips for Overcoming Coffee Jitters

As Jeremy Clark neared his 40s, he started to feel morning anxiety. Thinking caffeine was the culprit, he gradually cut back on coffee from multiple cups to just one, shifting first to black tea and then to green tea.

These days, he often relishes a chicory root latte in the mornings or sometimes treats himself to a hojicha latte, a roasted Japanese green tea with lesser caffeine. “The anxiety has diminished to nearly unnoticeable levels, so I feel it was worth it,” says Clark, an engineering professor based in Montreal.

While many Americans are still hesitant to eliminate caffeine entirely, an increasing number are investigating alternatives to the traditional coffee cup, mindful of caffeine’s impact on their sleep, mood, and energy.

Consumers are becoming more conscious of “energy management” when selecting their beverages, according to Daniel Jhung, president of the coffee and beverage division at Nestlé USA. For some, this translates to enjoying coffee in the morning while limiting caffeine intake in the afternoons.

Read: Your cup of coffee is already expensive …

An 8-ounce cup of coffee generally contains 96 milligrams of caffeine, according to Mayo Clinic data. In 2023, Nestlé introduced a half-caffeinated Starbucks Coffee at Home House blend for its K-Cup pods, along with Starbucks Refreshers Concentrates, which match the caffeine level found in green tea.

Earlier this year, Peet’s Middle Ground half-caffeine coffee and K-Cup pods also made their debut.

Formats are changing, as younger consumers favor cold, canned beverages over traditional hot coffee. This trend is reflected in the swift expansion of energy drinks and moderately caffeinated options.

Sales of refrigerated, ready-to-drink decaf coffee and tea saw an almost 15% rise in the 52 weeks ending March 22, while coffee bean and cocoa sales fell nearly 10%, per market research by Spins.

Caffeine-free sodas experienced a 4.1% increase in dollar sales, and ‘decaf’ labeled drinks surged by nearly 37% during the 52 weeks ending May 9, according to NielsenIQ.

Read: Coca-Cola posts best sales growth since 2024

Here’s a glimpse into the factors fueling this minimalist caffeine trend:

1. Replacing alcohol

With a decline in alcohol consumption, some people are searching for evening alternatives that won’t disrupt their sleep patterns. Michael Ricci, a 45-year-old communications strategist, opted to cut back on caffeine for Lent while also skipping alcohol on weeknights.

Living in Maryland, he couldn’t part with his morning coffee but did eliminate energy drinks. At the grocery store, he discovered Coca-Cola Zero Zero, which contains neither sugar nor caffeine, and now stocks up on multiple cases.

“Enjoying the signature sweetness of Coke Zero without the caffeine repercussions makes it the perfect nightcap,” he asserts. Coca-Cola recently updated the design of its Coca-Cola Zero Zero can in Europe after research showed that around 60% of adults there monitor their caffeine intake in the evening.

Read: Why these are sobering times for alcohol companies

2. Clean-label living

Recent trends in health and wellness have prompted many consumers to scrutinize ingredients closely, aiming to reduce artificial colors, added sugars, processed foods, and occasionally caffeine.

Tiffany Henriques, a lifestyle and wellness content creator in South Florida, switched from coffee to iced matcha lattes following a bout with strep throat.

“What I value about matcha is that if I skip it, I feel perfectly fine,” states Henriques, 27. For her, the change was about incorporating a wellness routine into her mornings rather than merely cutting down on caffeine.

Adriana Gindlesperger, a 38-year-old from Malvern, Pennsylvania, found that drinking decaf during her pregnancy eased her anxiety, leading her to avoid returning to regular coffee.

“It’s simply not the right energy for me,” she explains. In her quest for an enjoyable taste, she and her husband Christopher launched Lowkey Coffee this year, featuring two types of canned decaf cold brews.

Read: How to transform your coffee into a wonder drug

3. Wearable technology

Modern personal health-monitoring devices, like the Oura Ring, Apple Watch, and Whoop, allow individuals to track the impact of lifestyle changes on their sleep and caffeine intake.

Lakeisha Allen, who transitioned from the corporate environment to a longevity coach, helps clients enhance their health and nutrition. After using an Oura Ring, she realized caffeine was disrupting her deep sleep.

“I often felt tired yet wired due to typical afternoon slumps,” says Allen, 39, who is currently in Portugal.

She has since removed caffeine from her afternoons and enjoys a small matcha in the mornings, which has improved her deep sleep and overall energy levels.

4. Energy moderation

Many individuals prefer to decrease their caffeine intake instead of eliminating it altogether, leading to various new products that support moderate energy levels. For instance, PepsiCo launched Pure Leaf Mental Focus, a sparkling iced tea containing L-theanine—a tea leaf amino acid—and 69mg of caffeine sourced from black tea.

Tamar Date Coffee offers blends that reduce caffeine by mixing coffee beans with roasted dates.

A new energy drink from Liquid Death has 100mg of caffeine, comparable to a cup of coffee and about one-third of what is found in energy drinks like Reign Total Body Fuel and Bang Energy.

“Our observation was that the category had become a bit caffeine-crazy,” states Liquid Death CEO Mike Cessario. “We aim to position ourselves as the light beer of energy drinks.”

Nick Bergantine, a substitute teacher from Portland, Oregon, switched to a lower-caffeine energy drink after realizing he needed to adjust his routine due to excessive anxiety from previous choices.

Read: US to urge Americans to cut down on added sugars in new diet guidelines

5. Novel formats

Caffeine is now available in various formats beyond beverages. In recent years, consumers have discovered caffeinated gummies, lollipops, mints, gum, pouches, and trail mix featuring caffeine-infused chocolate.

These products clearly indicate the caffeine content per serving—like 35mg in an espresso-flavored Alert Pop lollipop, for instance.

Friss Labs released a new line of caffeinated pouches this year that contain doses of 75mg and 100mg.

“Rather than a sudden jolt, the energy build-up is gradual and dissipates over two hours,” explains company founder Abel Santa.

The choice to eliminate caffeine may baffle those who don’t share this shift. Jack Reeves, a 37-year-old speechwriter in Austin, notes that no one flinched when he cut back on alcohol.

His morning transition from coffee to bone broth has given him steadier energy, though it has raised eyebrows among friends.

“It’s almost like saying I’ve stopped drinking water,” he chuckles. “People ask, ‘Why?’”

Read: The boom in beer driven by health-conscious drinkers

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