<p>My college freshman D told me that she has started drinking a can of Diet Coke each afternoon to help her stay awake for her afternoon classes (last class ends at 4 PM). She was an athlete in HS and never drank any soda. I gave up drinking soda about 4 years ago and we just don’t have it in the house. D would prefer not to start the soda habit, but doesn’t see any other alternatives.</p>
<p>D doesn’t drink coffee (even though she works as a barista), but does like tea. She says that drinking a cup of tea in the afternoon doesn’t give her the energy boost she needs. She also says that energy drinks do weird things to her body.</p>
<p>Does anyone have a suggestion for an healthy alternative drink, or maybe a food that could help?</p>
<p>2 extra-strength Excedrine? Has caffeine but I don’t know about the longterm effects on stomach of daily use (ulcers, ick).</p>
<p>I always thought most teas have less caffeine and release it more slowly than coffee (gradually over 6 hours, compared to a punch 10 min later). I see why you and she don’t welcome starting up with DietSodas.</p>
<p>Can she go natural and try for a cold splash of water washing her face, or a cool shower mid-afternoon…perhaps even a 20-minute mid-afternoon power nap? </p>
<p>Maybe 2 or 3 fresh oranges right then would give her a natural sugar boost; no calories, taste good. I think that only carries over for the next hour but maybe by then she’ll be into her own second-wind.</p>
<p>I think tea has quite a caffeine punch (at least for me). If she does start the soda-thing, the “white” sodas are somewhat preferable (Mountain Dew has caffeine) with less impact on bone density than colas.</p>
<p>I will look into the Penguin Mints - they sound promising. My H use to drink Morning Thunder back in the day! I can pick up a box to see if she likes it.</p>
<p>The Excedrin and No Doze probably wouldn’t work for her as she is the type that avoids taking pills (pain relievers) even if she needs them - but I appreciate the suggestions.</p>
<p>Minority viewpoint: What’s wrong with Diet Coke? I would say if she likes Diet Coke, why not drink it? The other alternatives don’t seem notably healthier.</p>
<p>I have given up soda too and will go to tea if I need an afternoon boost. Black tea is stronger than green tea. Steep it for a long time. Add some energy food like almonds or peanuts. Dark choc is a terrific idea but I’m not sure it has enough caffeine. </p>
<p>I can see why you want to try to get her off this stuff before she makes it a habit.</p>
<p>Please, please do not even suggest to your D to use Excedrine as a caffeine source (p3t, you were obviously kidding :))! If she wants tablet-formulated caffeine, it is freely available without pain medication additives. I keep a pack in my car to keep me alert during long stretches of driving on long-distance trips, and it works.</p>
<p>Chocolate and tea are the other natural sources of caffeine besides coffee. A cup of tea and a cup of coffee have comparable amounts of caffeine. I suspect that a can of diet Coke has more caffeine than a cup of coffee, so your D needs a bigger dose which pills can definitely provide, as long as she is careful and does not over-use them. It is harder to OD on Diet Coke than on caffeine pills.</p>
<p>OK, thanks! I do not drink Coke, so I was going to look it up. Does it mean that the Diet Coke has a “placebo” effect on the OP’s D since the caffeine in tea (which has more caffeine than her Coke) fails to work?</p>
<p>What about a short walk outside right before the classes?</p>
<p>I love drinking coffee, but I don’t even think it works once you start drinking it regularly and I see no reason to recommend getting addicted. Maybe she just needs to eat a better breakfast or get more sleep.</p>