Ariane Resnick - Wake-Sleep What to Eat and Do for More Energy and Better Sleep

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IF YOURE ANYTHING LIKE 90 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF the United States, your day begins with a caffeinated beverage. Caffeine helps us wake up, but thats only the beginning of its many benefits. Numerous scientific studies have revealed that caffeine enhances mood, improves focus, increases muscle stamina, and prevents weight gain. Beyond that, there is even evidence that caffeine can decrease chronic inflammation, stimulate hair growth, reduce risk (and symptoms) of fatty liver, ward off Alzheimers disease, and even increase sperm count.

Our love of this stimulant isnt anything new, either. To cite just a few examples of our age-old crush on caffeine: the consumption of tea dates back nearly five thousand years; the leaves of the coffee plant were used medicinally in Africa in the 1100s; and ancient Maya drank cocoa as a part of their wedding rituals. The Wake portion of this book is devoted to our enduring love of caffeine, with 26 food, bevvie, and DIY recipes that will really perk up your mornings. As a certified nutritionist known for my wellness work, its incredibly important to me that these recipes also contribute to your health, rather than take away from it.

Caffeine is a chemical compound that stimulates your brain and central nervous system. It helps you stay alert by blocking the effects of adenosine, the neurotransmitter that makes you feel sleepy. Adenosine is produced when your body uses up its supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the chemical compound needed for cellular energy. When you stop adenosine from being effective, you stop the subsequent sleepiness that would otherwise ensue. Because of the way caffeine antagonizes the adenosine receptors, it has been studied for potential use in treatments for illnesses such as Parkinsons and epilepsy. It does this through its neuroprotective properties, meaning that blocking adenosine can slow down, stop, or even reverse negative changes in your nervous system, as well as help to manage motor deficits.

As you probably already know, caffeinated foods and beverages include tea, coffee, and chocolate; but did you know its also in kombucha? There are countless ways to enjoy caffeine beyond just brewing some tea or cocoa. A cup of morning joe or a mug of your favorite tea is unarguably a great thing, but half the fun of life is in switching things up! Because caffeine is used so functionally, most people dont think about the fact that there is so much more that can be done with caffeine beyond however we take our usual cup. This book will not only look in depth at the caffeinated foods and drinks we know and love, it will offer new and interesting ways to use them. There are plenty of additional plants with stimulating effects, such as kola nut, guarana, and blackbrush, but they can be a bit hard to come by, so well stick to the simple options. We want waking up to be easier, not more complex.

To make sure youre truly motivated to take this book right into the kitchen with you, all the recipes Ive provided are lightning fastor at least moderately quickto make. They can also be created without chef-level culinary skills or access to elite ingredients. I believe in focusing on whole foods that can be found at neighborhood grocers, with methods that rely on adding flavor by way of quality ingredients. Thats why all my Wake recipes are organized around a few readily available, whole-food ingredients: coffee, kombucha, tea, and cocoa. My motto is that eating and drinking well can, and should, be joyful, and there is no easier way to put that motto to good use than with an ingredient selection that naturally brings joy!

Im an advocate of caffeinated food and drink because caffeine has so many health benefits. It also just plain makes you feel good, which counts for a lot. However, that doesnt mean every preparation of a caffeinated item is an intelligent one. Im looking at you, syrup-laden mocha frappuccinos made with factory-farmed milk and corn syrup. Any caffeinated drink or treat from a mainstream cafe that tastes too good to be good for you probably is not good for youeven if it is matcha green and has a healthy sounding name.

As is my signature style, the recipes in this book are all gluten-free, can easily be made sugar-free (if they arent already), and are focused on whole-food ingredients. With few exceptions, theyre also paleo friendly, grain-free, and either vegan or come with a vegan version. I also never use starches, gums, or products that contain preservatives, because who needs em? Its amazing how much flavor there is to be found in single ingredients, and how much delicious buzz you can add to your day!

Wherever possible, I provide the option for you to sweeten to taste because desired sweetness is so individual. In testing these recipes, I opted for stevia or Swerve (an erythritol-based sweetener with prebiotics added) wherever possible, because I just dont like consuming a lot of actual sugar or recommending that others do so. You can also use monk fruit, a.k.a. lo han, though I dont tend to find it sweet enough. Some naturally caloric sweeteners are used, mostly in the forms of honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar, and when they are liquid, the recipes require that quantity of liquid. Feel free to experiment with combos of caloric and non-caloric sweeteners that best serve your own health and taste buds!

In baked goods, unless butter is being used, I typically call for a neutral oil. This means a cooking oil that doesnt have any inherent flavor of its own. (An example of a non-neutral oil would be olive oil, which has a strong taste.) There are countless neutral cooking oils on the market, some of which are healthier than others. I recommend avoiding low-quality oils, such as generic vegetable oil or sunflower oil, as these are high in inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. Instead, opt for grape seed oil as your cheapest option, or avocado oil if your budget allows for it.

You know your body best. Chances are that if you picked up this book, you enjoy caffeinated foods and are excited to use them in inventive, new ways. However, if youre sensitive to caffeine, make sure you only choose the recipes that use less-caffeinated items, such as kombucha, or try first playing around in the DIY chapter, which features pick-me-ups that are not ingested. If you have any health issues that make caffeine questionable for you, check into that thoroughly with your medical professional before trying any recipes.

Always listen to your body to make sure youre comfortable with caffeines effects. If you find yourself too caffeinated because you tried too many