Cutting back on caffeine, in your 40s? Keep a drink you look forward to

You look forward to that cup: the familiar mug, the few minutes to yourself, the taste. Lately, though, you may be wondering whether your usual coffee still suits you—especially if sleep has become less predictable.

If you’re reviewing caffeine as part of looking after yourself in your 40s and beyond, it helps to have a choice you can understand and enjoy. Bare Cacao is a rich, luxurious drink made from roasted ground Peruvian cacao nibs. You brew it in a cafetière, giving you a familiar preparation ritual with a different flavour.

What would actually be in your cup?

Our independent laboratory result reports 4.5mg of caffeine in the prepared liquid from one tablespoon (15g) of Bare Cacao brewed with 200ml of water. That figure relates to the drink, rather than the dry cacao.

Decaf coffee on average contains 5 - 15mg per 100g, a standard americano will contain anything between 63 - 125mg of caffeine.

Therefore Bare Cacao contains trace amounts of caffeine and this will be fine for those sensitive to caffeine, but if you want to cut it out entirely you'll need another alternative. Knowing the amount for a defined preparation gives you something more useful than guessing from a product name, although your own bodies response and the rest of your daily intake still matter.

Why review caffeine around perimenopause?

Sleep difficulties can be part of perimenopause, although being in your 40s does not by itself explain a change in sleep. If you’ve noticed a change, reviewing the amount and timing of caffeine is one practical part of looking at your routine.

The NHS suggests reducing potential triggers such as caffeine and hot drinks when managing hot flushes and night sweats. These triggers vary between people. 

How does 4.5mg compare with decaf coffee?

Decaf is a useful option for many people, and it still contains some caffeine. The FDA gives a typical range of 2–15mg per approximately 237ml cup.

Expect a brewed cacao drink with a chocolatey flavour. It is ground cacao nibs that you filter, rather than an instant hot-chocolate powder. You can enjoy it as it comes or prepare it to your taste.

The method is simple:

1. Add one tablespoon (15g) per mug to your cafetière.
2. Pour over 200ml of hot water.
3. Leave to brew for five minutes.
4. Stir, gently press and pour.

Start with a cup at a time of day that suits your routine. 

And what about cortisol?

Cortisol is a normal, essential hormone whose levels change through the day. Caffeine can increase cortisol in experimental studies, but that does not establish what will happen to your hormones after a particular cup at any given time, everyone is different and its wise to listen to your body, monitor how you feel after and before coffee, cacao and any pre-workout or supplements you may be taking.

A controlled study of caffeine and cortisol used repeated 250mg caffeine challenge doses. 

Make one manageable change

If you decide to cut back, start by noticing your usual caffeine sources and when you have them. The NHS recommends reducing gradually if you want to cut caffeine out completely. Sudden changes can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches and extreme tiredness.

Persistent sleep problems or symptoms affecting daily life deserve a conversation with a proffessional. A drink is one part of a routine, and it does not replace care for perimenopause or another condition.

Find out whether cacao belongs in your routine

If you’re looking for a dark chocolate tasting drink, packed with essential minerals and antioxidents to brew while being more deliberate about caffeine, our 225g pack is a straightforward place to begin. At £9.95, it lets you explore the flavour and preparation before choosing a larger pack.

Try Bare Cacao 225g — £9.95

Already a regular cacao drinker? Explore the 700g pack.