The best coffee alternative if you want to wean off traditional coffee: Roasted fig
If fig coffee isn’t already on your radar, we have some pretty good reasons why it should be. First of all, figs are full of vitamins and minerals, like potassium, iron, vitamins A and E, and alkaline. They’re also naturally caffeine-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and processed-sugar-free, which makes fig coffee a smooth, rich, and healthy substitute for traditional java.
If you’re trying to wean yourself off the latter, Coffig, a company that exclusively creates fig-based beverages, has an entire program dedicated to precisely that. It’s called the Coffig Replacement Program (CRP). The process begins by mixing a 20:80 ratio of Coffig to coffee for three days. Then, the ratio increases to 50:50 of each beverage for the next three to four days. After a week passes, a ratio of 80:20 of Coffig to coffee is used for two to three more days. At about the 10-day point, you might find that you’re finally able to ditch coffee for good, says William G. Paúl, cofounder of Coffig.
So, what’s the secret ingredient? As it turns out, the only thing in Coffig is, well, roasted figs—more specifically, certified organic 100 percent roasted black mission figs. (Unless you buy the “Gold” version, which also contains chickpeas, for those who want a nuttier flavor.) Oh, and the brewing process? A breeze. You can make this stuff in virtually any coffee maker, although Paúl recommends using a French press. One thing to keep in mind: Fig coffee can be pretty concentrated—almost twice as much as regular coffee—so keep that in mind while brewing.
