Dr Oz: Chis Kilham Natural Energy Boosters
Dr Oz welcomed to his show Chris Kilham, who recently got back from a trip to the Amazon. He brought with him natural energy boosters he found deep within the rain forest, and Dr Oz wanted to know if the drinks could replace your morning cup of coffee. There’s one plant, called Yerba Mate, which is a staple throughout Latin America. It’s rich in flavor, so when it’s made into a tea, it provides an energy boost that tastes great.
Dr Oz talked to Chris Kilham about three natural sources of energy he found while exploring the Amazon rainforest. (Ferumov / Shutterstock.com)
Then there is Guayusa, which is another tea South Americans have sipped for centuries. Third was Cocoa, which packs a punch of flavor as well as a burst of energy and an increase in mood.
Dr Oz wanted to show where the plants stacked up when compared to other energy sources we use in this country. Chris explained that guayusa comes right after coffee, because it’s quite high in caffeine, and yerba mate goes in between guayusa and soda. Cocoa comes in last, because it has caffeine, but very little.
Dr Oz: Yerba Mate As Coffee Replacement
Chris shared that Yerba Mate could actually replace our morning cup of coffee. Chris explained that yerba mate has enough caffeine to stimulate you and is rich in beneficial compounds. He said yerba mate is a good choice hot or cold. Dr Oz said there have been some studies that show if people drink liters of yerba mate a day as well as smoke, they’re more likely to get cancer, so he felt the need to issue a word of warning. He said to drink it in moderation.
Dr Oz: Guayusa Benefits
Dr Oz and Chris then looked at guayusa, which has more caffeine than yerba mate, but is also rich in L-theanine, which is a tranquility-promoting amino acid. Chris said they call it “night watchman” because you can drink a lot of it and you get a “nice lift” rather than the jittery shaky feeling. He thinks it’s on its way to becoming a superstar. It’s pretty new, but you can find it in health stores.
Dr Oz said he would probably still go with coffee though, because it’s so new and there’s not a lot of information out there about the risks.
Dr Oz: Benefits Of Cocoa Powder
Finally, they looked at cocoa, which is called the food of the gods. The ancient Mexicans actually said their god made humans part cocoa. It has more differences in flavors than wine does, so it’s incredibly versatile. Dr Oz said you can’t just pick up regular cocoa powder. Chris said you want to get pure cocoa powder, not cocoa powder with sugar, because you can always sweeten it. He also prefers organic and suggested looking for cocoa powder that is not alkalized or dutched because the process reduces the antioxidant value.
He also said cocoa is mood-enhancing as well. If you’re buying chocolate, you should look for chocolate with high cocoa content, around 85%, so that it’s low in sugar. He said it’s the single healthiest food in the world, smoking all the other superfoods.
Chris makes his own hot chocolate using 85% cocoa, vanilla almond milk, vanilla extract, and raw sugar or honey. He said he likes to use a lot of cocoa, like a couple tablespoons worth. He also likes to combine the drink with a strong cup of coffee.
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