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Should You Avoid Coffee During Menstruation?
It's often said that it's best to avoid caffeine during menstruation. Since coffee is a common source of daily caffeine intake, many people around me, including myself, opt for herbal teas instead of coffee during that time. Personally, I try to avoid caffeine altogether. While it may be tolerable if you regularly consume energy drinks, I choose to steer clear of those as well.
The reason why it's recommended to avoid caffeine during menstruation is because it has vasoconstrictive effects (which can help alleviate throbbing headaches for me) and diuretic properties.
While the vasoconstrictive effects can be beneficial for relieving my migraines, it also means that it impairs blood flow when I want to improve it, which can worsen menstrual cramps.
Additionally, the diuretic effect leading to frequent urination can potentially cause dehydration.
Personally, I experience severe PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps. Though I'm better at managing the pain now compared to my student days when I led a sedentary lifestyle and didn't use any painkillers, I still have to continue with my daily routine while visiting the gynecologist regularly.
Low-dose birth control pills were considered as a treatment option, but seeing my friends struggle with them and considering the good compatibility with traditional Chinese medicine, I opted for maintaining a "good feeling" through herbal remedies.
However, it doesn't mean that I completely avoid coffee. If I feel like I need it to function, I'll have a cup. But if I were to become pregnant in the future, I wouldn't be able to rely on coffee as easily. That's why I've been searching for a substitute for coffee, if there's any.
Non-Caffeinated Coffee: Is It Really That Good?
Here's where the problem lies—I'm a coffee addict. Typically, I have a cup in the morning and another when I need a drink during the day, be it from a bottle or as part of lunch. Although it's a small amount, without coffee, I feel like my life lacks excitement.
Especially when I skip my morning coffee, I tend to feel sluggish during the day, and my work efficiency drops.
Having a cup once in a while doesn't have much of an impact, so I drink it when I feel like I "need" coffee. However, if I were to become pregnant in the future, I wouldn't be able to casually drink coffee. If there's something that can replace coffee, I've been eager to find it.
This is where non-caffeinated coffee comes in.
Non-caffeinated coffee, also known as alternatives like chicory coffee or dandelion coffee, have been well-known. They contain no caffeine, making them suitable for consumption during pregnancy. They are plant-based and have minimal stimulation for the body, which has been promoted for a long time.
However, when I tried non-caffeinated coffee in the past, I found it unsatisfying. I once tried dandelion coffee during my period, looking forward to it, but it tasted like slightly stronger barley tea.
If that's the case, I'd rather have barley tea, which is cheaper. So, I gave up on non-caffeinated coffee.
When I researched other non-caffeinated coffee options, I came across reviews that mentioned they tasted similar to strong barley tea or were simply not delicious. These reviews made me lose interest, and I couldn't find any motivation to purchase them.
Tasting "Mayanuts" Discovered at Shibuya Hikarie
Then, around Valentine's Day or White Day, next to an event featuring chocolate sales at Shibuya Hikarie, there was an event showcasing fair-trade food products, mainly chocolates.
It was at that event that I was introduced to "Mayanuts."
Mayanuts refers to the edible seed of the Ramon tree, which has been used for food since the ancient Mayan civilization in Guatemala. The company that handles it in Japan named it "Mayanuts."
It is marketed as a superfood containing all essential amino acids (9 types) and 10 non-essential amino acids.
At the store, I also had the opportunity to taste cookies dusted with Mayanuts powder. However, what particularly caught my attention was the coffee-like beverage made by dissolving Mayanuts powder in hot water.
Until now, I had been troubled by the taste of non-caffeinated drinks that resembled tea. But this non-caffeinated beverage made with Mayanuts powder actually tasted like coffee.
Of course, since it's not made from coffee beans, the taste is slightly different. However, it has a pleasant bitterness, a relatively dark color, and gives me a feeling similar to drinking coffee.
Since I liked it, I bought some to try for a while and have been drinking it occasionally when I want a coffee-like drink during menstruation or at night. I find that I have fewer instances of desperately craving coffee during days when I have menstrual pain. So, I consider it a good purchase.
Continuously Searching for Available Items in Malaysia
While I can bring what I eat and drink in Japan for PMS and menstrual-related issues to Malaysia, my study abroad destination, I prefer to choose items that are readily available there. It's also a fun part of my study abroad preparations to search for these items, which will enhance my vocabulary related to the topic.
I won't be able to try them until I actually arrive there, but I enjoy searching for them as part of my study abroad preparations.
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