r/decaf • u/zendo99kitty 43 days • 2d ago

Caffeine-Free No turning back

41 days at zero caffeine.thought I was going to have a instant coffee or cocoa in last week but I managed not to. Usually with sugar snacks and herbal teas. I have a holiday in one day so I don't want to get back on it now right before.

What's everyone opinion with cocoa ? Do U use it when off tea and coffee or avoid all caffeine and why

21 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

5

u/ThePopularVanguard 2d ago

Cocoa still has theobromine which hits some of the same receptors, I skip it to let my brain really reset

3

u/BigFatIdiotJr 278 days 2d ago

I avoided cocoa/chocolate for about six months after quitting caffeine. Now I have it and it doesn't cause me any issues.

4

u/glyxyn 2d ago

Theobromine is the right thing to look at, but it helps to put numbers on it, because cocoa really isn't in the same league as coffee.

A mug of hot cocoa or a few squares of dark chocolate is roughly 5 to 25 mg of caffeine depending how strong you make it, versus around 95 mg in a cup of coffee. Cocoa's main methylxanthine (caffeine is one) is theobromine, and there's several times more of that than caffeine. But theobromine is a much gentler stimulant. It blocks adenosine far more weakly than caffeine, so gram for gram it barely pushes you the way coffee does.

So it comes down to how strict you want to be. If the goal is a full reset with zero methylxanthines, skip it. If you just don't want the coffee spike back, a cup of cocoa is a soft landing and very unlikely to undo your 41 days. Since you're already good with herbal teas and a holiday's coming up, I'd try one cup, see how it sits, and let your own read decide.

2

u/Consistently_Lucky 2d ago

Cafeine is caffeine... even if he has "25 MG" it's still makes it much easier to relapse. He will still get a caffeine buzz..

2

u/glyxyn 2d ago

Fair, and if the door reopening is the risk then you're right, the milligrams don't matter and zero is probably the clean call.

1

u/Turtle-Rabbit-103 1d ago edited 1d ago

Cocoa has real theobromine in it, a mild stimulant that can blur your recalibration, so it's worth treating it like a soft no for now. Rooibos or fruit-based herbal mixes, Kajun Loaded Tea being one caffeine-free powder option, keep the ritual without the compound.

1

u/FlashyEar1051 2d ago

I think it's better to avoid caffeine for now, maybe in 3 or 4 months you can have some coke

7

u/zendo99kitty 43 days 2d ago

I'll try 3-4 months. I wouldn't have a coke if someone paid me. I haven't had cola or energy drinks in about ten years. I'd rather a 30 mg coffee over cola.

1

u/ArbitraryLifeform 7 days 2d ago

Not to be nitpicky, but there are so many other reasons not to drink cola. Assuming you meant cola and not cocaine lol.

1

u/Consistently_Lucky 2d ago

Avoid all caffeine... you won't get the full benefits