I gave up coffee for a week. Here’s what happened

Back in college, I could survive on coffee that came in tetra packs and sachets, but when I entered the workforce, I was introduced to the real stuff. I needed it.

I’m a huge workaholic, and to tackle my to-do list, it was ingrained in my brain that I needed coffee. It became the usual thing: I would pull an all-nighter, knowing I had enough coffee to keep me awake for more than 24 hours while I did my work.

When I became a mom and tended to my freelance writing business, my need for coffee simmered down. First, I didn’t want to spend roughly P5,000 a month just to get my "real coffee" fix. Second, I didn’t always have the time to prep my coffee maker. It’s not a fancy one, but it takes about 10 precious minutes just to get my brew. I can't afford 10 minutes just for coffee.

And then I heard of Barlico, a coffee substitute from Egypt that uses Chicory and sprouted Barley, supposed to be high in fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6 content to make up for caffeine.

I was challenged to try it out for a week, and because I’ve already gone without coffee for days before, and actually gave it up during my pregnancy, I was confident I could wing it.

By the end of the week, however, I ate (drank?) my words and came to a handful of realizations.

Day 1

Day 1 fell on a Friday, which I was okay with because it gave me more room to adjust to life without coffee; my schedule wasn’t as packed compared to a Monday. I got up at 5:30 in the morning, made breakfast, and began preparing my first cup of the Egypt-based brand. I went for its 3-in-1 coffee alternative because it tasted a lot like my previous favorite instant coffee, which I had to give up thanks to its sugar content.

Alas, I was only really able to drink it by 8:30 a.m., right before I buckled down to work. Barlico products are made out of Barley and Chicory. Barley is a grain that’s high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and is said to help lower blood cholesterol, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and prevent cancer in the digestive system.

Chicory is said to help your liver function properly and your body absorb calcium, creating healthier, stronger bones. It’s also touted to help in digestion and acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. For me, the best part about Chicory is when it’s roasted and brewed, it tastes like coffee to the point that an avid coffee drinker like myself won’t be able to taste the difference.

After a few sips, I was surprised to feel alert and awake, considering that it didn’t have any caffeine in it. I wondered, is it the sugar and creamer in it that gave me my jolt? Both those ingredients were listed quite high in the ingredient list, though it wasn't the first.

Barlico claims though that the energy you feel from drinking their coffee alternative comes from natural and plant-based sources, which I would like to believe in.

(A tip: The ingredient list shows you which ingredient has the most in a certain product. What's listed first is what the product contains most of. So if you’re buying instant coffee, and the first ingredient listed is sugar with coffee grounds coming second to the last, you’re basically buying a pack of sugar, not coffee.)

By the afternoon, there was a lot of work to be done, and I was worried my “tamad time” (when my brain refuses to work — you have those, too!) — would hit me with a vengeance since I was caffeine-free.

Surprisingly though, I was able to calmly work throughout the day; I was working till dinnertime in fact. I had no trouble getting in bed by 9 p.m.

Day 2

With 8 hours of sleep, waking up on a Saturday shouldn’t have been a problem, but it was. I woke up cranky and sleepy.

I tried the Cappuccino variant, which is still caffeine-free and also made out of Barley and Chicory. While I liked how its consistency and foamy top was much like the usual cappuccino, it wasn’t enough to take my crankiness and sleepiness away.

I ended up taking an afternoon nap. I presumed that my body was going thru a “caffeine withdrawal” — I’ve read about that happening when you give up your coffee. I noticed that I ate more to stay awake — maybe also an effect of my caffeine withdrawal?

Barlico's "cappucino"

Day 3

It’s Sunday and I had another cup of 3-in-1. I wanted to reserve the Barlico “black” coffee for Monday, and the 3-in-1 was turning out to be my favorite among the three variants. I didn’t have a complete night’s sleep, so I made my drink with less water to make it stronger. I felt less cranky, but still not as productive as I wanted to be. But it was a Sunday, I had an excuse to move slowly.

Day 4

Even as a freelancer who can work at any time, I still didn’t like Mondays. Wanting to make the day better, I reached for another 3-in-1, and started drinking it after I dropped my daughter off to school. I nursed it for an hour while working, and I think it’s starting to have a psychological effect on me.

Even if it doesn’t have any caffeine, I felt awake after each sip, and without the shakes. I finished my massive to-do list by 11 p.m. without needing to nap or drink an extra cup, and that’s an accomplishment all on its own.

Day 5

With only six hours of sleep, I was yawning the whole day. I had my first sip of 3-in-1 (yes, again!) by 8 a.m., and took sips in between the gym, writing, and washed down my lunch with it. When I started working in the afternoon, I was still so sleepy that I had to make a Barlico cappuccino, and it got me through my workload. I slept early though to make up for my late night yesterday.

Day 6

Unlike the previous days, I was able to drink my entire cup of cappuccino before 7 a.m. My to-do list was longer than usual, and it crossed my mind to cheat on this experiment and grab an espresso shot to be more productive. That’s when I realized how dependent I am on coffee.

It’s become my trigger—a sip alerts my brain that it’s time to work, and for me, coffee equals productivity.

But I was surprised to see that I got the same amount of, if notmore,  work done even without the caffeine. I also felt calmer, happier, and steadier. I wasn’t snappish like I would feel like before I had my coffee.

After dinnertime, I reached for a 3-in-1 to get me going for the night’s work. It kept me up, long after I finished my work, and I stayed up until midnight to binge watch shows.

Barlico's "black coffee"

Day 7

For the last day of the challenge, I had a full day's work to accomplish, running on five hours of sleep — still no coffee. I decided it was a good day as any to try the Barlico Instant Coffee Substitute granules aka its "black coffee".

It was an exceptionally hot day, so drinking hot liquids wasn’t a good idea. But I had to stay awake, so I kept on sipping. The good thing about the “black coffee” is it tastes so pure and strong that even with a few sips, it gives you a big jolt to wake your brain up.

I was able to interview someone for an article, walk around Manila, drive everywhere, cover an event in BGC, and finish my articles with just my basic black. Perhaps it’s a placebo effect, but I got through everything without being cranky or groggy.

By the end of the challenge, I hopped back on the wagon — so hard in fact that my usual coffee beverage had two espresso shots in it, and I drank an additional black coffee from a fast food joint. I was so happy to feel “fake awake” and alert again, but come the afternoon, I crashed and couldn’t get any work done.

I felt so unfocused and jittery, and was lying down until dinnertime. I instantly knew that my body wasn’t used to caffeine anymore, and it was making me react badly. I haven’t had coffee since that day.

The challenge is over but I still drink Barlico. I feel calmer, happier, and more productive, which is something I haven’t been like in a long time.

Barlico has piqued my interest to look into other coffee alternatives though — I'm even starting to consider tea! — because I’m concerned about the type of sugar and creamer used in the product, though at its launch it was made clear that the sugar they use is natural; its country of origin — Egypt — has very strict food processing laws.

In any case, I'm super happy this challenge has helped me break my coffee addiction. — LA/KVD

Barlico will be available in stores and supermarkets nationwide by September 2017.