Gut Health Weight Management

These Morning Tonics Will Do Wonders For Your Health

Spoiler: they don't include celery juice.

We love a morning cup of coffee as much as the next person but having it first thing can often send our metabolism awry. It can worsen dehydration from our previous night's sleep, spike cortisol, exacerbate anxiety and interfere with our appetite control – not pleasant. For most, coffee is better later in the morning, after we’ve re-hydrated and re-fed, so we’ve pulled together some of our favourite morning tonics that can help you and your metabolism get fired up for the day. If you can’t be convinced to have these first thing, they’re still great as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon pick me up.

BEST FOR: APPETITE + DIGESTION

Cinnamon Water

Cinnamon has amazing medicinal properties, from balancing blood sugar and digestion to anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory benefits. In Ayurveda, consuming it as a morning tonic is thought to help with appetite, blood sugar control, and digestion, making it a perfect way to start the day if your metabolism is feeling a little sluggish. Because it helps reduce our glycaemic response to food, it’s also used to help with weight management by keeping blood sugar more balanced throughout the day.

Ingredients:

Makes enough for 3 servings

2 sticks of cinnamon

1L water

2 inches ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

Method:

Simmer the ginger and cinnamon in water for about 10 minutes. Remove from the burner and set aside to cool. Strain, cover and chill overnight. Enjoy it as a soothing morning tonic or you can reheat it and enjoy it as a warming herbal tea.

BEST FOR: SKIN + ENERGY

Mate Cooler

Yerba mate is a South American herbal tea that is rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It has less caffeine than green tea but is more nutrient-dense, and is touted for its ability to boost energy, mood and concentration. It is a mild appetite suppressant and animal trials have shown that it improves insulin control, so is another great one for a metabolic boost. Finally, it’s thought to inhibit the formation of AGE’s in the body, so if you read last week's article on collagen and are looking to improve your skin, an energising cup of mate can be a great substitute for coffee. Mate comes in tea bags, but we prefer the organic, loose-leaf + root bags, our favourite brand is Yerba Mate Kraus Organic. We add lime for a nice shot of antioxidants and vitamin C (and because it tastes great).

Ingredients:

Makes enough for 3 servings

¼ cup Yerba Mate leaves

To serve -

Juice of ½ lime (each day)

Pinch of cayenne, optional

Ice

Method:

Add ¼ cup of mate leaves to a cafetiere and set aside to let cool. Press the cafetiere and transfer to a bottle or airtight container and chill. Serve over ice with the juice of ½ a lime for a hit of vitamin C and an optional pinch of cayenne to stimulate circulation.

BEST FOR: MOOD + METABOLISM

Energy Elixir

This tonic combines the powerful herbs in our much-loved Energy Fix with a good dose of electrolyte-rich lemon juice to give you a hydrating botanical boost in the morning. With Siberian Ginseng for energy, Gymnema for craving control, and Dandelion for digestion, this is the perfect swap for coffee if your adrenals are already a little strained - and it will help get liver detoxification pathways firing.