Banana Okana

Sunday morning, it's sunny outside, you feel the good vibes but you need a good reason to get out of the bed. 

Open the window, bring some fresh air in, put on a chill music, why not a record if you have one! 

Now, you want to treat yourself with something good for the mouth, body AND mind. All three, you want holistic wellness but with a cool and original thing to make today special.  

Check in your kitchen if you have bananas, some dairy alternative, like Almond or Oat milk, a pouch of Okana, Agave syrup and some vanilla extract. 

All boxes checked? Perfect! Let's do this:

First of, chop the banana before putting it in your favorite blender. Pour your dairy alternative in. Grab your pouch of your favorite coffee alternative to bring in some cool flavors of cinnamon, ginger and licorice, and put one spoon of it along with another spoon of the Agave syrup. 

Mix. I know, it's always satisfying to see all the ingredients blending together. Enjoy. 

Pour the smoothie in your go to glass or jar, don't forget a couple of drops of vanilla extract. 

You're good to go. Sip it, enjoy it - your ready for a wonderful Sunday. 

When the Ultimate Coffee Alternative meets a Banana Smoothie

We at Okana love a good party. Like, a really good party. You know the kind – lots of friends, lots of people, good music, good drinks, making out with strangers, watching the sun rise. 

Social activities, nightlife, and prolonged periods of fun are extremely important for our well-being. As they say, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." I don't know who the f*** this Jack is, but this phrase couldn't be truer. Don't be dull. Go have fun. 

However, this comes with some disclaimers. Big parties and festivals aren't exactly the best for our health: lack of sleep, alcohol, poor food choices, drugs, smoking. We all know the pitfalls and negative aspects of a weekend of heavy partying. 

We've all come up with silly ways to prevent and cure things like exhaustion or dehydration or general sickness. Pedialyte before bed, coffee and pancakes in the morning, Tylenol in between, water. I've even been known to chug some pickle juice to resupply on electrolytes. There are even services in Las Vegas that bring a nurse to your room after a night of partying to give you an IV of vitamins and nutrients! 

But what if I told you that drinking Okana when you're on a bender is the perfect way to keep up the energy for a night of dancing, and also to feel good when you wake up in the morning? Well, you'd have to believe me. Because I'm writing to you on the internet. And it's very safe to believe everything that you read on the internet. 

Ok, let's be clear: we definitely do not suggest that you pump Okana into your veins through an IV. We also won't claim that drinking Okana will magically cure your hangover resulting from 1.5 hours of sleep and a pint of tequila. But!...Okana is undoubtedly a perfect ally to help you during your wild weekends. 

How is that? It's simple, really. The first thing that you're going to need to survive your rave, your Halloween party, your bachelor party, or your trip to Coachella is energy. Especially when you cross the bridge into 30 or, dare I say, 40. Okana is full of healthy, slowly-diffused, and long lasting caffeine to give you the energy that you need to stay up through the night. And that's important, because who wants to miss the headlining band, miss the sunrise, miss the late-night/early-morning escapades, miss the girl or guy looking to make out with you, or miss any of the turpitude that might come from tomfoolery with the mates.  

Drinking Okana, especially if it helps you to cut out a bit of the heavy drinking, can help you be your healthiest to exalt life to the maximum. Sometimes, the best time's come from having a clear mind. I mean, it's always best to remember the good times that you have, no? So perhaps one or two fewer beers and one or two more cups of Okana. 

Then there's the morning after. Or, perhaps, the afternoon after, depending on how late you sleep in. Your body and mind are going to be desperate for some healthy reinforcements. Maybe even lots of healthy reinforcements. What better than superfoods and adaptogens? Okana's blend of reishi, lion's mane, yerba mate, cinnamon, ginger, ashwagandha, ginseng, lucuma, and licorice will give your body exactly what it needs after you wake up at noon…face-down in a gutter on Las Vegas Boulevard…without your pants…and with a raccoon snuggled up to your rib cage. Where's my wallet? This is why Okana is more than just a dose of caffeine; it's also full of theobromine, ginsenosides, polysaccharides, and other fancy-sounding-but-natural perks that improve your well-being (hence, recovery). 

Okana was developed first and foremost to give you natural, healthy energy. But we also developed it to give your mind what it needs to be focused, and give your body what it needs to be its healthiest. A heavy night – or weekend, or week – of partying is the perfect time to suck down some Okana. Before the night begins, and after the night ends.

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." I don't know who the fuck this Jack is, but this phrase couldn't be truer. Don't be dull. Go have fun.

The Ultimate Alternative For Festivals: Why Okana Is Great To Drink While On A Bender

We at Okana value healthy habits and espouse the virtues of exercise. For some reason, we divide people into two categories: those who are fit, and those who are smart. You know the stereotype. It probably started in high school, where you had the jocks and the nerds, and mixing the two was blasphemy. Even traitorous. The smart kids looked at the athletes as dumb meatheads, and the jocks looked at the smart kids as lowly dweebs. 

We are here to put an end to this stereotype. Or, at least, put an end to it again. Going all the way back to ancient civilizations in Greece and Rome, society put value on being both mentally and physically fit. Yes, some of Ancient Greece's smartest philosophers, rulers, and mathematicians believed in the value and virtue of keeping physically fit. And this notion carried throughout the medieval worlds and the early modern periods. Until, strangely, we decided that intelligence and physical fitness should be separated. Can't be fit if you're smart. And can't be smart if you're fit. Or some shit like that. 

While we at Okana are huge fans of mental health and intellectual pursuits, this article will focus on physical fitness. Because, let's be honest, heaps of research has shown that physical activity isn't just good for your body, but also for your mind. Okana is all about holistic health – choices and activities that improve your overall well-being, from the ground up. (Why do you think we want you to choose Okana over coffee? For your health!) 

Physical fitness is no exception. And Okana can play a role in that. 

If you've ever been a physically active person, you might have relied on supplements, powders, elixirs, and energy drinks for not only recovery, but also performance enhancement. No, we don't mean steroids. We're talking about pre-workout bars and gels, energy drinks, recovery products, etc...

Well, you might be surprised to learn that one of the most prominent ingredients in many pre-workout drinks is caffeine. That's right – run-of-the-mill caffeine, just as you'd find in a cup of coffee. Why? Because it's an effective nootropic that enhances your cognitive functions and physical performance. There's a reason why industrialists of the 19th Century started giving their employees coffee, and why the coffee break ultimately became a common demand for unions across the country. Caffeinated people work better. And the same could be said about people who workout. 

Although drinking a cup of coffee before a workout has become a more common piece of advice for those desiring a simple pick-me-up before a trip to the gym, it isn't necessarily the most effective means of delivering that caffeine. You might have heard that consuming carbohydrates is a good way to supply your body with energy before a cardio workout. That doesn't mean that you should drink beer before a workout. But why not? Beer is full of carbs. Well, beer isn't the most effective delivery means for carbs, just like coffee isn't the most effective delivery means for caffeine. 

What about all the different powders, gels, and drinks available as a pre- or during-workout energy boost? While they are undoubtedly full of caffeine, they are also usually full of chemicals, additives, and processed bullshit. So, what to do? 

This is where Okana comes in. A single cup of Okana has all the benefits of a cup of coffee or pre-workout powder, and none of the negatives. That's right – Okana is the perfect choice to fuel your workout! The reason is simple. 

Coffee, while full of caffeine, delivers too much caffeine in a short period of time, resulting in a crash. And for many people, coffee has a host of other nasty side effects: indigestion, poor sleep, anxiety, heart palpitations, ulcers, stained teeth, and bad breath. Sounds like a bad way to ruin otherwise healthy choices. 

On the other end of the spectrum, many of the pre-workout supplements available on the market are full of all kinds of shit that you may not want to put into your body, unless you're really careful about which products to choose. And don't even get us started on all the crap in energy drinks. 

Okana, meanwhile, provides your body with a natural boost of caffeine, but does so with a slowly-diffused and long-lasting spike of energy. This is because Yerba Maté, a key ingredient in our Ultimate Coffee Alternative, delivers caffeine in a way that is milder and more sustainable, and still no less effective than coffee or workout supplements. You get the boost of energy that you need, but without the short-lived explosion of caffeine provided by coffee. This means more fuel to keep you going over longer periods of time. 

Perhaps more importantly, and unlike coffee and energy supplements, Okana comes with more than just caffeine. It's also full of some of the world's most potent superfoods and adaptogens, like licorice, ashwagandha, lucuma, ginger, ginseng, reishi, lion's mane, and cinnamon. When you finish a workout, your body needs the kind of ingredients that can help it recover. And what better than ingredients that have been prized around the world for thousands of years for their ability to enhance your overall health and well-being? 

When you're preparing yourself for a heavy set of squats, or for a grueling marathon, your body is going to need a ton of things to prepare and ultimately recover: good sleep, stretching, healthy diet, water, to name a few. But there's a new workout supplement that you can count on for maximum performance and recovery during your journey to peak performance: Okana. The ultimate source of energy in caffeine, the ultimate source of recovery in superfoods and adaptogens, and the Ultimate Coffee Alternative. 

Now get your ass off the couch and into the gym! Just be sure to grab that cup of Okana before you do.

We at Okana value healthy habits and espouse the virtues of exercise! This article will focus on physical fitness...

Black water --> Superfoods and Adaptogens

Modest consumption of coffee undoubtedly comes with mid health benefits. Coffee has, for example, anticarcinogenic properties. But let's be honest, you're not drinking modest amounts of coffee. You're quaffing it like you're stuck in the Arabian Desert and coffee is a bucket of water. 

Why drink something with neutral and even negative health benefits when you can drink something with the same – or better – benefits as coffee, and with a host of positive health benefits? 

Okana is plumb full of Yerba Maté, Licorice, Reishi, Lion's Mane, Ginseng, Ginger, Cinnamon, Lucuma, and Ashwagandha. This means that you get not only the energy and focus boosting benefits that you need, but also the health boosting benefits that you want. So put down your cup of black water and raise a cup of health. 

Most varieties of coffee have a high acid content. Not only naturally, but the brewing process releases nine major acids that contribute to its unique flavor profile. While this is generally harmless to most people, consuming high amounts of coffee – especially for those with certain pre-existing conditions – can lead to some negative health effects. 

The most common side effect is coffee's ability to act as a laxative. Yes, running to the bathroom after your cup of coffee is normal. No, that's not normal in general. Coffee can also trigger or compound indigestion, acid reflux, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome. 

None of these triggers or risks are necessary. Okana has a low acidity level, which means that you can drink as much as you'd like without risking an unexpected bathroom run in the middle of your meeting, or feeling the burn in your throat at the gym. Remember, low acidity is better. Unless you're trying to become an acid-spewing villain in a Marvel movie. 

Coffee is one of the world's most popular beverages, and is easily the world's most popular high-caffeine beverage. People drink it for good reason: coffee is a known nootropic that helps with physical energy and mental focus. But this comes with negative outcomes. 

Coffee, like a drug, attacks the central nervous system. It also triggers your adrenal gland, which is the source of stress production in your body. Over time, our body adapts to its effects. Like anything else in life, we need a little bit more to experience the same benefits. One more sip, one more cup, one more pot. 

Even worse is that coffee delivers highly concentrated amounts of caffeine in fast bursts. This means that you FEEL LIKE SUPERMAN/WOMAN for a couple of hours, and then come crashing back to reality. Then comes the mental fog, the yawns, the crash – the need for more coffee. 

Unlike coffee, Okana gets its caffeine source from Yerba Maté, which is perhaps the world's most efficient caffeine delivery vehicle. There is less caffeine overall in Yerba Maté, compared to coffee. But the diffusion and absorption of caffeine is more drawn out. This provides you with a more sustainable and longer-lasting burst of energy and focus. 

Yerba Maté is also full of theobromine. This is a compound found in the Yerba Maté plant, and it is known to provide many of the same benefits as caffeine, but without the negative side effects. 

To further regulate your body and energy source, the adaptogens and superfoods have a soothing effect on your body, allowing you to benefit from increased energy and focus, without any of the stress caused by an oversaturation of caffeine. 

Bad Breath/Stain Teeth --> Good Breath/Pearly Whites

Coffee's burnt, acerbic flavor can leave a nasty odor in your mouth. Also consider that coffee consumption can lead to dehydration (a known cause of bad breath), and you've got a recipe for one stinky mouth. 

You could of course mask these effects by brushing your teeth at the office, sloshing some mouthwash between meetings, or popping gum throughout the day. Or, you could switch to Okana to get the same nootropic benefits of coffee, without the stinky mouth. 

In fact, Okana is full of breath-freshening ingredients like cinnamon, ginger, licorice, and lucuma. Licorice, in particular, is well known to freshen breath, as it's a common ingredient in toothpastes, mouthwashes, and gums. And even better, theobromine (see above) is known to strengthen teeth. 

It's also important to note that our main source of caffeine (Yerba Maté) is also a white tea. This is great for preventing stains, and you will notice that your coffee mug, over time, will lack the same permanent staining that is prevalent with coffee. No stained mug = no stained teeth. 

Smile big, and smile bright. No more stains, and no more bad breath. Just some damn healthy energy and focus, and a healthy mouth to go with it. All thanks to Okana. 

An overconsumption of – and a reliance on – caffeine can negatively impact your sleep. If you already suffer from insomnia, drinking coffee can make things worse. But it also impacts those of you who normally sleep ok. Sleeplessness, anxiety, frequent nighttime awakenings, and overall poorer sleep quality are problems that may arise from drinking too much caffeine. 

Okana uses a more effective delivery system for its caffeine – Yerba Maté – and also relies on theobromine for much of the energy that you get from each cup. Lower levels of caffeine and a more sustainable burst of energy means that you will require less caffeine to get through your day. 

If that weren't enough, many of Okana's other superfoods and adaptogens have a calming effect on your body. Ashwagandha in particular is known to regulate your body's stress and hormone levels, providing you with a keen sense of calm, despite the burst in energy and focus. We chose these ingredients to sooth, relax, and comfort, as well as their abilities to boost your immune system. So every sip of Okana will provide your body with the homeostasis that it needs to not only be at peak performance, but peak relaxation. (Try not to drink any form of caffeine after 4pm anyway!)

Coffee VS Okana, we walk you through the different reasons why we crafted Okana in the first place and how it works.

Five Reasons You Should Reduce Your Coffee Addiction and Switch to Okana

Okana is an invitation to travel... and to play! We believing that magic happens when you mix, blend, combine, etc. Here, we mix Okana, Strawberries and Coconut Milk. 

Stew until you obtain texture and juice.,

Whip coconut milk with 2 spoons of Okana until you get a nice foam,

Turn your Okana Coffee Alternative into a Strawberry Coconut milk

Okana Ice Latte

Add some sugar or Agave Syrup (or any refined sugar alternative). 

Like latte? We do too, here's how to treat you with an Okana Latte!

For millions of people around the world, coffee is the go-to – almost default – beverage for a number of occasions: waking up, energy, relaxing, first date, after dinner. And for millions more, it's undrinkable because of a number of health reasons, including those with an elevated heart rate, anxiety, arrhythmia, and even women who are pregnant. 

But many people have no idea why they shouldn't be drinking coffee. Or, at least, why they should be drinking less coffee. 

Here are 10 reasons why coffee doesn't love you as much as you love – or want to love – coffee:

It has addictive qualities – The caffeine in coffee effects your central nervous system. This makes it potentially addictive. No, it's not as dangerous as cigarettes or drugs. But it has the same impact on your body. And while you won't be convulsing and shivering in a heap on the floor when you skip a day of coffee, you may find yourself to be particularly anxious or grumpy without it. While the danger level of addiction is low, it is still present. Reducing our reliance on any substance is always a good idea. 

Crash – Caffeine gives many people a happy little high. Sometimes, it gives us a false sense of energy and efficiency. This can be effective when we're really struggling. However, because of the hard spike of energy, there's also a hard crash. It's not uncommon for people to feel lethargic and groggy after the initial high of caffeine dissipates. 

Bad breath and stained teeth – There's not much more to say about this. But yes, you smell like burnt beans after your cup of coffee, and over time, the tannins in coffee will allow color compounds to stick to your pearly whites. The old adage is true: if it can stain your clothes, it can stain your teeth. Meeting someone for a coffee is often seen as a safe and easy idea for a first date. When that date goes well and you lean in for the first kiss, locking lips will taste like the discarded coffee grounds from your americano. Sexy. And yellow teeth are never a good first impression on a first date, no matter what you're drinking. 

Ethical reasons – Coffee is a strain on local ecosystems, and the environment in general. Many farmers plant mono-crops, which have a negative effect on local wildlife diversity. On top of that, its resource intensive, and is usually shipped long distances (Europe, North America, east Asia, and Australia are major coffee consuming regions, and none of them produce coffee locally). Adding further insult to injury is that, much like other tropical products (think chocolate), there are countless examples of exploited labor and corruption in the industry, which makes finding ethically sourced product difficult. Simply reducing our consumption can have a net positive impact on the environment and the people who grow it. 

Digestion/Ulcers – No, coffee alone will not cause ulcers. In general ulcers and associated digestive track issues are caused by a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori. This bacteria will, over time, cause open sores in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Coffee, however, because of its high acidity, can make the effects of ulcers worst, since the acid can penetrate these open sores and cause pain. If you have stomach problems, drinking coffee may make them feel worse. 

Anxiety – Caffeine itself will not make everyone who drinks to feel anxious. It can, however, worsen anxiety in people who already suffer from GAD (generalized anxiety disorder). This can manifest in many ways, including headaches, shakiness, irritability, fast heartbeat, and an inability to concentrate. 

Sleep issues – Caffeine is a stimulant, so it's easy to see how it can impact your ability to both fall asleep and get a good night of sleep. For people who already suffer from sleep irregularities, the cause and effect can be even worse.  High consumption of – and reliance on – caffeine throughout the day can delay your body's sleep rhythm, make it difficult to fall asleep, and can deprive your body of slow-wave sleep – the kind that the body needs to truly feel rested. Ever notice how your dog sleeps a lot throughout the day? That's because dogs don't get the same kind of slow-wave sleep that humans do, and therefore need daily naps. Missing out on deep sleep will make you sleepy the following day, and in search of coffee to compensate. This is what we might call a vicious cycle. 

Increased blood pressure – This is especially true for people who already have hypertension, and for people who consume high amounts of caffeine (the equivalent of 4 cups or more per day). Either way, coffee – much like smoking, alcohol, and salt consumption – can worsen and even initiate signs of hypertension. 

Headache – If you already have a headache, coffee is known to alleviate the associated pain because caffeine has vasoconstrictive properties (headaches are caused by a swelling of vessels around the brain, and caffeine restricts those vessels). However, when coffee is consumed regularly, the body becomes dependent on the effects of caffeine. When you stop drinking coffee, its vasoconstrictive properties dissipate and cause a swelling of vessels around the brain. Therefor causing a headache. 

Cost – Whether you're drinking cheap coffee or expensive coffee, the true cost of coffee can add up. Most people drink coffee for the energy. Over time, like most drugs, our body adapts to the neurological and physiological effects of coffee, therefore requiring higher doses to feel the same benefits. In other words, we need to drink more and more to get the same alertness and energy. This, for the clueless, is how addiction works. Before you know it, you find yourself clamoring for several coffees throughout the day. While drinking a cup for breakfast at home isn't going to break the bank, people with higher dependency on coffee (especially since the coffee “high” is short lived) will find themselves buying overpriced coffee throughout the day. Before you know it, you're spending hundreds of dollars a month – on coffee, for a quick high. You might be thinking, “I don't spend that much.” Well, you might be surprised. 

Caffeine is an effective and proven nootropic to help you focus and stay energized throughout the day. The problem for many people is caffeine's most popular delivery system: coffee. We at Okana have developed the ultimate alternative to coffee. One that gives you the savory taste and comforting ritual of coffee, but one that is also full of superfoods and adaptogens (like ashwagandha, lion's mane, reishi, and ginger) for maximum health benefits. The result is a drink that provides longer-lasting, slowly-diffused energy, without all the negative effects of coffee. 

Sometimes we love something – or want desperately to love something – but it doesn't love us back. You might be thinking about your ex from a few years ago, but we're talking about coffee. 

10 Reasons Why Coffee Doesn't Love you Back

We all like the tropics. Sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, brightly-colored cocktails, out-of-office emails, and – wait a minute... I think we're talking about a different kind of tropics. 

We're talking about nootropics. What, you ask, are nootropics? They are defined as: “(of a drug) used to enhance memory or other cognitive functions.” Hmmm. Drug? How peculiar. 

That's right. The cup of coffee in front of you is classified as a drug, since the caffeine in it  stimulates the central nervous system. In fact, caffeine is the world's most consumed drug, legal or otherwise. But how did we get to this point, obsessively and almost neurotically consuming coffee for mental enhancement? Let's take a trip down memory lane. 

Imagine that you're a goat herder in Ethiopia hundreds of years ago. You know the land around you, and you know your herd of goats even better. Daily life is more or less the same. You wake up, you move your goats around, you eat, you go to sleep, you repeat.

One day, it's 2:00am and your normally sleepy goats are active. More than that, they're wild. Jumping around, prancing, bleating, playing. You wake up dazed and confused and wonder, “What the fuck are my goats doing?”

You do a little bit of investigating and find out that your goats had eaten a nearby plant that you've never seen before. This plant, it seems, is giving your goats tons of energy. 

I know what I'm thinking if that were me: “Hey goat, let me hit that shit.” 

According to legend, that's exactly what this shepherd did. He gathered a bit of this magical plant, tinkered with it for a while, and coffee was born. And of course, there are several other fun legends, including one that originates in Yemen. 

Fast forward a little bit, and the Muslim Empire comes knocking on your door. They ask, “Give us some cool shit –  like gold or slaves or women or horses. If not, we'll take it, violently.” You notice the scary soldiers with big swords and sharp spears and think, “Better give them something.” So you hand over some of this liquid elixir and guarantee that they'll love it. 

The Muslim traders and conquerors think, “This is kind of a weak-ass gift, but whatever,” and they take the coffee back to the center of their empire. They soon realize how awesome it is and introduce it far and wide. Suddenly, coffee is all the rage. 

Some say that the introduction of coffee to the Middle East had a positive impact on society and helped usher in the Muslim Golden Age. Sure, conquering and incorporating people across the known world had a big impact, giving the empire access to history, literature, innovations, and thinkers in Persia, Greece, Egypt, Rome, and more. But it's easy to see how caffeine consumption might have played a role in the great advancements made in mathematics, science, astronomy, and philosophy. Anyone who has stayed up late at college while writing a paper on the differences between 17th Century French and British philosophy can attest to the powers of caffeine. 

While daily life in western Europe was tethered to the rising and setting of the sun, great minds in the Muslim Empire could burn midnight oil, so to speak, by consuming tons of caffeine, in the form of coffee. 

Fast forward some more, and the Muslim army is at the doorstep of western Europe. I mean, literally at the gates of Vienna during one of the great sieges in history. Presumably, the Muslim army made it this far because they were hopped up on caffeine. 

Vienna was destined to collapse, providing the Muslim army an ideal launchpad to conquer the rest of Europe. But at the 11th hour, after decades of inaction and infighting, the Europeans mustered a relatively small coalition and, thanks to the famous Last Hoorah of the Winged Hussars – the largest known cavalry charge in history that later inspired J.R.R. Tolkien (thanks Poland) – the Muslim army was repelled. In fact, they were utterly defeated and sent fleeing without a moment to pack up. 

The victorious Europeans decided to rummage through the Muslim encampment and discovered a strange, dark bean-like product. Just like that, coffee was introduced to Europeans. (The Polish diplomat Jerzy Kulczycki and his trusty Serbian servant Dorde Mihalović managed to escape the besieged Vienna in the dark of the night and warned other European leaders of the city's impending collapse. Much of the looted bounty in coffee was gifted to Jerzy by King Sobieski of Poland as a gesture of gratitude. I imagine that Jerzy received the giant pile of coffee and thought, “What the fuck do I do with this?” Well, also according to legend, Jerzy later opened the first café in Vienna and was immortalized with a statue in downtown Vienna. While the legend is likely untrue, the statue does, in fact, exist.) 

Fast forward even more to...Wisconsin? Yeah, Wisconsin. It's here that the modern coffee break allegedly originated, with the wives of Norwegian immigrants. I know, WTF? Well, the town of Stoughton still celebrates this today with the annual Stoughton Coffee Break Festival. 

The idea came from the fact that overburdened workers in the Industrial Revolution needed a short break in the day to gather themselves mentally and physically. Coffee producers capitalized on this need and proposed the idea of a coffee break, even coming up with the slogan “Give yourself a Coffee-Break – and get what coffee gives to you.” The coffee break was subsequently written into union contracts across the nation, becoming one of the major examples of nootropics being used to improve efficiency in the workforce. 

And this brings us to the crux of our story. The reason that companies acquiesced to these demands is simple: they noticed that their employees worked better, harder, and longer with the support of this caffeinated beverage. 

Caffeine (and in particular coffee) has since become the world's most popular drug – and beverage – of choice, including for Americans. It's an ideal stimulant/nootropic to help everyone from factory workers to police officers to teachers to graphic designers get through their day at maximum performance.  

So why the hell – you might be wondering – would we want to replace coffee with a coffee alternative? 

The truth is that, while there isn't very much inherently wrong or unhealthy with caffeine if consumed in moderation, there is something very wrong with caffeine's most popular delivery vehicle: coffee. 

We propose that there is a way to benefit from all the positive aspects of caffeine as a nootropic (the focus, the alertness, the energy) without risking any of the negatives (jitters, anxiety, sleep deprivation, heart palpitations, ulcers, bad breath). 

There are other products that have caffeine in them. Namely, chocolate and tea. But the amount of caffeine in each is too minimal to have a noticeable or lasting effect on our bodies and minds. There are also caffeine pills, but they deny us the satisfying warmth and savory flavor of a hot beverage, which is often what we look forward to as much as the caffeine itself. 

Yerba Maté has been consumed by people in South America for centuries. From indigenous people, to rugged gauchos, to corporate fat-cats, to turn-of-the-century debutantes, to Lebanese immigrants. 

Yerba Maté contains less caffeine than coffee. But Yerba Maté has high concentrations of Theobromine. 

What, pray tell, is Theobromine? Glad you asked!

Theobromine is a bitter alkaloid found in many varieties of plants, including Yerba Maté. Much like caffeine, it provides energy and comes with a host of other potential benefits (including: improved cognitive function, healthy heart, reduced inflammation, stronger teeth, and more). 

But there's a very essential difference between theobromine and caffeine. 

Theobromine is not a central nervous system stimulant, and therefore doesn't make you feel jittery or on edge, and is also non-addictive. You can consume as much as you'd like without risking caffeine withdrawals down the road!

Also of great interest to us, the combination of theobromine and reduced caffeine in Yerba Maté means that it provides slowly-diffused and longer-lasting energy. Instead of the fast spike and hard crash caused by coffee, a healthy dose of Yerba Maté will ensure that you not only get your improved energy and focus, but it will last longer throughout the day and will dissipate more slowly. 

Caffeine is a truly wonderful nootropic. Something that can help you perform at your best mentally and physically throughout your chaotic work day, during extensive travel, before your finals, or at the gym. Our goal at Okana is to make sure that you get a jolt of energy and focus, but in the healthiest way possible. 

We invite you to quit coffee for a week and replace it with Okana. The controlled levels of caffeine – coupled with our powerful superfoods and adaptogens like Lion's Maine, Reishi, Ginger, and Ashwagandha – will undoubtedly improve your life. 

Quitting caffeine is tough. But quitting coffee – or at least  supplementing coffee – and replacing it with Okana is quite easy, and will likely do a lot of favors for your overall well-being. 

So take the Okana challenge for a week and see how you feel. We reckon that you'll be back for more. And we'll be happy to see you. 

What are nootropics? The History of caffeine and an introduction to Coffee Alternative!

Nootropics: The Discovery of Caffeine, Its Proliferation in Society, Better Alternatives, and the World's Longest Title

Exalt. What a fancy word. We don't use it enough. 

Well, look at that! We at Okana are bringing it back with the world's best coffee alternative. How serendipitous! 

Ok, maybe this has been planned for a long time. But we are bringing it back. 

Why? Because it's a great word. It's a powerful word. It's a meaningful world. 

Exalt actually has a few definitions. But we're quite fond of one in particular: “Hold (someone or something) in very high regard; think or speak highly of.”

Exalt life? That sounds weird. And maybe it is. But that's because we think life itself is worth exalting. Something to hold up with high esteem, something to praise, something to cherish and enjoy and take advantage of. 

But, you might wonder: does Okana play a role in this? You bet your ass we do. 

We developed Okana Coffee Alternative to give you a healthy, fulfilling, and powerful alternative to coffee. Exalting life is quite difficult when you're rushing off to the bathroom, bogged down by stress, distracted by jitters, or hiding your stained teeth. So instead of coffee beans, we fortify your well-being with superfoods and adaptogens like ashwagandha, lion's mane, reishi, ginger, and more. 

That smile of yours is worth a lot to someone in this world, and your presence means even more. We want you at your best, strongest, healthiest, and happiest so that you can jump head-first into life and live each day with fulfillment and purpose. 

Maybe these words are a bit grandiose for a coffee alternative company. But we mean it! 

Thomas Edison once quipped, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patients in care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” 

We, of course, don't claim to be doctors, or Thomas Edison for that matter. That doesn't prevent us from taking these words to heart, and wanting to help you live your healthiest life so you can Exalt Life. So we give you the best ingredients to help your body combat viruses, disease, and all kinds of stress before you find yourself sick and stressed. 

And this is also why we will strive to bring you inspirational content in our Explore, Excel, Exalt series. 

The exaltation of life helps us strike an important balance, since a sad soul can be just as deadly as a virus or germ. So it's important to jump into the world and enjoy art, music, friends, family, vacations, festivals, hobbies. 

Thus we will bring you exalted content to help inspire you to Exalt Life. To visit a thermal hot spring, to take the side streets and admire the street art, to attend a cooking class, to cheers your friends both old and new, to lose yourself in Rome, to find yourself at Rock In Rio, to enjoy that red velvet cupcake, to sing at the top of your lungs,  to meditate, to savor, to experience, to uplift, and to do it all in good health and with good intentions. 

Life is best enjoyed well-lived. A balance of focused success and lost inhibitions.

So keep an eye out for our Exalt Life content series and get inspired to live your own best life. 

We'd be remiss if we didn't end with another quote, but this time from a French philosopher:

“I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health.” – Voltaire

Ok, enough work for the day. Time to Exalt with a cup of Okana, and to Exalt Life.

Exalt. What a fancy word. We don’t use it enough.

No, not those kinds of mushrooms. I'm talking about edible mushrooms. Wait, hold on. Let me rephrase that. 

What I mean to say is that we're talking about mushrooms in the culinary world. You know the type. These are the mushrooms that don't require candles, music, and bright colors to fully enjoy. The mushrooms that you put into risotto, on pizza, over a steak, and…in your coffee alternative? Ok, let's start at the beginning. 

Humans have been eating mushrooms for a long, long time. (Let's have a moment of silence for the brave souls who took the time to try all the mushrooms to find out which ones were delicious, which ones were disgusting, and which ones were deadly.)

Mushrooms are strange, spongey little things. And for many, they're a tasty topping or star in a number of dishes. I know that you didn't come here for fun fungus tips, but I'm going to give you two fun fungus tips. 

King trumpet mushrooms make an excellent vegetarian or vegan substitute for seared scallops. So the next time you have a cooking date with the vegetarian guy or girl you met at yoga class, you don't have to panic and serve a bowl of raw broccoli.  

There are many great holy trinities. But the holiest trinity is mushroom, shallot, and butter. There are many variations to this combination (switch up the mushrooms), and ways to improve it (garlic and thyme). But simplicity is best.

No matter how you decide to eat your mushrooms, the exciting thing is that mushrooms are good for you. In fact, they're really good for you. Mushrooms contain B vitamins, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, copper, magnesium, and more. 

But what separates mushrooms is their high concentration of polysaccharides, indoles, polyphenols, and carotenoids, which have all shown in studies to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. 

While you should always be wary of grand claims, and should always remember that eating mushroom risotto won't make you live until you're 150-years-old, there is a lot of promising research being done to find out how potent mushrooms really are. 

There is, unfortunately, one major drawback to mushrooms: not everyone likes them. Hard to believe for those of us who love them, but there are plenty of people who think that mushrooms taste like dirt or feet, or dislike the idea of eating a fungus, or simply hate the texture. 

Well, we've got some good news for you. Okana is plumb full of mushroom powders (using some of the healthiest mushrooms, like reishi and lion's mane) and you would never know from drinking a cup. Okana doesn't taste or smell like mushrooms. Seriously! 

It's like mom packing her tomato sauce full of vegetables to trick her kids into eating healthier. Or like dad sneaking medication into a sausage to trick the dog into taking its vitamins. In a weird way, Okana tricks you into incorporating powerful, healthy mushrooms into your daily diet. (Shh, don't let the secret out.)

So raise a mug of Okana to your health. And raise a mug to the magical world of mushrooms. These funny little fungi might prove to help us in a number of ways, from breaking down hazardous waste to providing alternative energy. In the meantime, help yourself and drink your daily serving of mushroom with Okana – the ultimate coffee alternative. 

We're talking about mushrooms that don't require candles, music, and bright colors to fully enjoy! You know, the culinary ones.

Blog & News

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Five Reasons You Should Reduce Your Coffee Addiction and Switch to Okana

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10 Reasons Why Coffee Doesn't Love you Back

Nootropics: The Discovery of Caffeine, Its Proliferation in Society, Better Alternatives, and the World's Longest Title

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The Magical World of Mushrooms