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The mid-day slump hits you – hard. But you can’t succumb to this sleepiness; there’s still so much work to do! In your state of grogginess, you might reach out for a good old cup of coffee for that caffeine boost. The issue with this? While caffeine can elevate alertness, long-term consumption could bring about serious health issues. Only … is there a caffeine alternative available? Good news: yes. And it’s known as ginseng.
Below, we pit the two options against each other (i.e., caffeine vs. ginseng), so you can see how the latter triumphs over the former in nearly every aspect.
Over time, the human body can become less responsive to caffeine’s stimulant effects. Meaning? You’ll gradually need to consume increasingly large amounts of caffeine to keep the sleepiness at bay.
Caffeine has a similar chemical structure to adenosine – a substance that causes you to feel tired. When you drink caffeine, the molecules bind to the receptors in the brain that are usually “reserved” for adenosine. Essentially, what this does is “trick” your brain into thinking that you’re not tired (because of the apparent lack of adenosines). This, unfortunately, doesn’t last.
According to research, the regular consumption of caffeine increases your body’s production of adenosine receptors, which increases the likelihood of adenosine going where it’s supposed to. In turn, explaining why you’d need a higher dose of caffeine to beat the fatigue over time.
Worse still, this need for increasingly large amounts of caffeine may lead to psychological or physical dependency. This means you may find yourself struggling with withdrawal symptoms if you go without coffee for even a day. Some of the most common symptoms include “bad mood”, depressed mood, irritability, headache, nausea, and muscle pain. Now, imagine what you’d do when you run into these symptoms. That’s right: get caffeine into your system – ASAP. But, imaginably, doing so only feeds a vicious cycle of caffeine addiction.
Ginseng also exerts stimulant effects like caffeine; it enhances working memory, fights fatigue, and promotes better well-being. Naturally, this begs one question: “Should you also be worried about building a tolerance to ginseng?” Ans: no. There doesn’t appear to be any risk of developing a tolerance to ginseng. As such, this highlights one of the biggest pros to using ginseng as a caffeine alternative. You don’t run the risk of addiction.
Looking for more reasons you should turn to ginseng as an alternative to caffeine? Well, consider the following potential adverse health effects of long-term caffeine consumption:
When it comes to the question, “Caffeine or ginseng?” the answer is clear. Ditch the caffeine; opt for the best alternative instead: ginseng.
So, instead of reaching for a cup of coffee in the afternoon, opt for ginseng tea instead. You could even chew on a slice of ginseng if you wish. Whatever your preferences for ginseng, you can be sure to find them right here on Grace Mountain. We only carry the best, highest-quality ginseng available – from powder to slices, from tea sachets to whole roots.