A good friend of mine recently gave me this Tonika coffee creamer to try and it has absolutely revolutionised my morning! Going beyond an addition to a spice up your classic cup of coffee, it also makes my morning cup of tea (black, chai or rooibos) not only absolutely delicious, it is so chock full of goodies it made my naturopathic heart sing!

The brand is built around plant-based adaptogenic ingredients which translates to increasing non-specific resilience, whether that’s increasing stress tolerance – improving the ability to respond to and recover from stress without adverse effects, modulating cortisol levels, boosting energy and concentration and supporting the immune system which can often be suppressed under high stress states.

This means the following benefits: Neuroprotection (from anxiety, depression, and disease states such as Alzheimer’s disease), anti-fatigue, nootropic, increased mental work capacity, reduced mental exhaustion and enhanced attention span.

Here is a summary of the potentially unrecognised ingredients within this little beauty… as I don’t think cacao needs any introduction…

Ho Shou Wu: One of the most popular traditional Chinese herbs for conditions ranging from liver injury, inflammation, cancer, diabetes and preventing neurodegenerative disease. Therapeutic actions include anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-ageing and antioxidant.

Further Ho Shou Wu has shown to be able to modulate lipid levels in the blood favouring HDL good cholesterol in favour of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol and reducing triglycerides.

Withania is arguably one of the most important adaptogenic herbs in Ayurvedic medicine protecting physical and mental health through improving memory and promoting reproductive, immune and thyroid health. Uses range from anti-ageing,  aiding depression, constipation, insomnia, and relief from nervous breakdown and stress induced disease showing to significantly reduce cortisol levels.

Chaga is a medicinal mushroom with wide traditional use ranging from easing gastric upset, haemorrhage and cancers.  Further actions of the mushroom include promoting lipid metabolism improving cardiac health, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Reishi is known as the mushroom of immortality. Renowned for immune enhancement its actions also include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-allergenic, anti-tumour, antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial.

Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) have been used to overcome metabolic and digestive insufficiencies for decades including fat malabsorption and pancreatic insufficiency. They are a type of fat readily absorbed to efficiently generate energy and reduce body fat production whilst showing protective effects to the cardiometabolic system. Adding MCT to a morning coffee/tea can maintain the ketosis state of an overnight fast whilst also negating blood sugar spikes (and crashes!) of a morning cup of coffee on an empty stomach. This can aid weight loss efforts whilst also keeping the mind clear, calm and focused to get your day off to a great start!

Further to this MCT has shown a beneficial effect on the microbiome, not only reducing numbers of species that promote obesity but though also being able to reduce inflammation, leaky gut and associated liver injury and metabolic syndrome, improving gut health and integrity.

Finally, Maca has been used medicinally in Peru for over 4000 years with actions ranging from increasing sperm count and sexual desire, blood sugar regulation, lowering blood pressure, enhancing memory and mood, improving energy levels and reducing inflammatory markers. Many of the mood improvements were due to the influence maca has on the serotonergic and GABA pathways in the body which can also negate symptoms of anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Beyond all of the above the product adds flavour without too much sweetness which makes me usually shy away from products like this as I’ve traditionally been a black tea/coffee drinker.

For anyone trying to give up dairy as well it is hands down the best option out there!

Need I say more really… It’s pretty obvious why I’m excited!!