Caffeine is not your friend...

1. It is a stimulant. All forms of caffeine including green & black tea, matcha, chocolate/cacao and coffee aggravate the light and airy Vata dosha which in excess causes insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue, constipation, bloating and arthritis among other things.

2. Caffeine also aggravates the hot and fiery Pitta dosha which causes excess heat and inflammatory conditions in the body like acidity, skin rashes, acne, loose stools, frequent UTIs, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, etc.

3. It is addictive

4. It is Rajasic i.e. causes an imbalance at the level of the mind. (Read more about it here)

5. It might be helping you “go” but it’s dehydrating you further which just perpetuates the problem. It also accelerates the aging process.

6. Using it for energy is like using a credit card when your bank account is empty 🤯 (need I say more..?)

The thing with caffeine is, it is having an effect - in EVERYONE. The only difference is how quickly it causes an imbalance in you. If you have a strong constitution, you might get away with it longer but eventually it will catch up.

And there are so many wonderful alternatives to caffeine, that putting a stimulant in your body which aggravates the nervous system, causes digestive & so many other problems just doesn't seem worth it.

Of course there are studies about the health benefits of green tea/matcha, coffee, etc. Even Ayurveda says that EVERY substance on the planet has some useful qualities or can be useful in the right situation, but when it comes to health I find it more important to look at the negative effects a substance has on you before you decide to consume it.

Having it once in a while shouldn't be a problem. But if you need it on a daily basis, it might be helpful to look deeper into the "why."