Though not frequent, we do meet people who do not like coffee and end up giving up on the golden taste we love. Nevertheless, coffee alternatives do exist and are considered by some as healthy options - an extra advantage apart from feeling socially included in particular occasions where coffee is kind of a 'must'.
One of the alternatives I would like to portray is GINSENG. This is an alternative to coffee which instead of a bean for production, a root is used so as to give us a blend which is slowly becoming a popular demand.
Ginseng coffee, a healthy alternative
The Ginseng is a plant which has been around since time immemorial and was always considered as important for its benefits. This plant is one of the east-west bridges where the very popular west culture of coffee is linked with the eastern culture of the use of plants and roots for health benefits.
The Ginseng root has been considered for centuries as a source of energy which not only with a short term effect but also a long term anti-ageing effect as well as an aphrodisiac. Eastern cultures use the Ginseng mostly for cooking and also raw consumption (mostly chewing). Yet the western infiltration of this plant is mostly in coffee.
The Ginseng root which is used to produce its coffee element
The final product of Ginseng coffee is milk-like-coffee (though milk is not suitable to add) with a sweet taste. When ordering, there are two options: small of larger cup. Yet Ginseng is not versatile, thus not suitable to produce as macchiato, cappuccino or latte. However, garnish can be added such as chocolate flakes and or coffee beans.
Main benefits of Ginseng are stress and fatigue relief while improving memory, moods and concentration. Also, Ginseng is a well-known anti-oxidant used also to level blood sugar and boost the immune system. To date, no contraindications have been recorded.