Dandy Blend: An herbal coffee substitute
I haven’t sipped a cup of coffee for years, but I still long for the flavor of coffee and the comfort of a latte on occasion. I’ve also received questions from readers about tips for overcoming coffee addiction. Recently, my friend Genevieve at Mama Natural introduced me to Dandy Blend in one of her videos and I was instantly intrigued.
Dandy Blend is a powdered coffee substitute made with the extracts of roasted roots and grains. It is naturally caffeine free and tastes very similar to a cup of coffee! Here are some things to keep in mind about Dandy Blend:
- Dandelion root is a traditional detoxifying herb with mild diuretic properties
- Dandy Blend is suitable for a grain free diet because the “meat” of the grain – which contains the hard-to-digest components – is left behind during processing, and only the “juice” of at the grain is used in the final product (see below for more details)
- Some people report a laxative effect (which can be helpful if things are backed up!) due to the detoxifying properties of the dandelion, so introduce it slowly
- Even though Dandy Blend is tested to be gluten free, it is possible for sensitive individuals to react to other components of Dandy Blend
Dandy Blend is available here from Amazon and you can also find it at most health food stores.
Is coffee bad?
I don’t believe coffee is inherently bad. As a matter of fact, numerous studies show that it may have a protective effect against diseases including Type II Diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. Coffee agrees with me, and I enjoy it as a morning ritual.
With that said, I don’t think one food is good for everyone. For example, nuts and seeds, including coffee, is excluded from the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol due to the potentially irritating properties of nuts/seeds.
Additionally, you may not tolerate the caffeine in regular coffee due to impaired liver function. Did you know that symptoms such as jitteriness or shakiness after consuming caffeine indicates a lack of liver enzymes in the Phase 1 detox pathway of the liver? (Source)
Is it really gluten free?
Dandy Blend ingredients include: extracts of roasted barley, rye, chicory root, dandelion root and non-GMO sugar beet. Barley and rye? How could it be gluten free?
This is what they say on their website:
Dandy Blend is made of the water-soluble extracts of five ingredients; three roots and two grains (barley and rye), not from the ingredients themselves. The ingredients are roasted separately and then combined in prescribed proportions, placed into a vat, covered with hot water, and allowed to steep for a prescribed period of time. The water, with the soluble portions of all the components, is separated from the grounds and spray dried. The remaining fine brown powder left after the water is driven off is what becomes Dandy Blend. All the gluten and other water-insoluble substances are left behind in the grounds to be composted.
Hence, there is no gluten in Dandy Blend. Goosefoot Acres periodically submits samples of Dandy Blend to Elisa Technologies Laboratory in Florida, one of the most respected gluten testing labs in the United States for analysis, and so far, every test has come back gluten-free. Click to see test results letter.
Therefore, from the standpoint of containing gluten, Dandy Blend is safe for celiac sufferers and other gluten-intolerant individuals.
My experience with Dandy Blend Coffee Substitute
I was curious (and nervous) to see if I would react to the “juice” of the rye and barley in Dandy Blend, but I experienced no reaction! No puffy eyes, no hives, no stomach ache, no shakiness or other symptoms that I experience when I try a food that doesn’t agree with me.
Even better, my “latte” was delicious! I prefer it with a hearty dose of the Dandy Blend for a full flavor and a splash of coconut milk. It’s also naturally sweet due to the natural fructose in the roots.
- 1 cup hot or cold water
- Ice, if making a chilled beverage
- 1 - 3 tsp. Dandy Blend, available here or at most health food stores
- Coconut milk or milk of choice, if desired
- Sweetener of choice, if desired (I use a dash of maple syrup to compliment the slightly roasted, nutty flavor of Dandy Blend)
- To make hot "coffee" with Dandy Blend, stir the desired amount of Dandy Blend into a cup of hot water. Add milk and sweetener if desired. I prefer using 2 tsp. of Dandy Blend per 8 oz. for a full-flavored, naturally sweet drink. The more Dandy Blend you use, the stronger the flavor.
- To make a chilled coffee substitute, stir or shake together the Dandy Blend with cold water. Add ice, milk and sweetener if desired.
Are you kicking a coffee habit? Have you tried Dandy Blend?
Thanks for the recommend plus comments. People who work with delicate substances such as “flower essences”‘ (different than essential oils, water based) are advised the two strongest vibes amongst the plant world are coffee and peppermint–they tend to leak aroma and flavor into anything nearby. As you note, there’s nothing wrong with coffee, it is a good food but cautions 1) black coffee is actually alkaline reactive and even transports B vitamins 2) if lactose added, it becomes acid reacting. 3) it is quite naturally stronger than Billy Hell even with roasting differences, hence may have cumulative residual effects in system. It may enhance “eliminations” but when it doesn’t, it is nuthin’ to leave lying around in your body. For me, although try to moderate and grateful for the taste plus the caffeine when I need a jumpstart, I never ingest coffee black, please, after 1 p.m. and even decaf will wire mel. Hooray for coffee substitutes, as I know I can add cream or have in the evening for aesthetic perk with no sleep interferes. Thanks a lot, will try Dandy and appreciate all the testimonies plus me too need to review the Liver Opus My own signal is when I don’t want eggs, tho’ usually luv ’em, my liver needs some attention. I think barley and rye (which is in Canadian types of whiskey) are systemically happy with people who have euro and anglo DNA heritage. others African, Asian-pacific etc maybe not so whippy (in the booze world, Asians drink brandy more compatible than U.S. alcohol). Ancestral mysteries as noted by Dr. Jarvis and D’Adamo.
I too decided to go off of coffee simply because of the headaches I would get if I didn’t have a coffee for 1 day. Happily I discovered an amazing caffeine free alternative! I I live in Tulum, Mexico and at an Organics market I discovered Ramon coffee. It’s made from the berries from the Ramon tree. It has a slight chocolatey flavor as well. One tablespoon boiled in a litre of water is all you need. I add a bit of dark chocolate stevia to it but my husband loves it plain. The best part is you can drink it at night because it raises your dopamine levels and you can sleep like a baby! It also comes in fine ground powder for baking and smoothies.
Where can I buy Ramon coffee in USA?
I’ve looked everywhere and can’t find it. Even checked Amazon!
Sounds delicious & looking forward to trying this! Years ago I tried some coffee free alternatives that included dandelion and they really stained my teeth…has this happened to anyone else? Suggestions for keeping the pearlies…pearly? =)
It is a great drink just by itself – ‘black’.
Sounds interesting, I will have to try it. Any idea how much sugar is actually in it? I ask because I’m working on healing some cavities and am following the advice of Weston Price, who recommends practically eliminating ALL sources of sugar from the diet.
Thanks in advance!
I’ve found some chicory root herbal teas that I enjoy. However, I am conscious of FODMAPs, if not entirely low-FODMAP anymore. I imagine this one is considered to be in high in FODMAPs. I’ve read this in a few places, but I have a hard time believing that the steeped water is high in FODMAPs. Could you explain that please? I’ve never enjoyed coffee (I was always aware that I was very sensitive to caffeine and coffee’s laxative effects) but I love the smell and have loved the “fake” coffees I’ve tried over the last couple of years. I haven’t noticed ill effects from the herbal versions, but that may have been on a lower FODMAP day anyway or maybe the type of FODMAP is different from the one that bothers me (stone fruits tend to bother me the most). I know it seems stupid to ask if I don’t get symptoms from it, but I’m asking because I’m trying to be low FODMAP while fixing SIBO. Thanks!
I love this post, Lauren – I really appreciate your thoughtful insight to coffee and coffee substitutes. Your blog continues to be an excellent source of information – keep up the awesome work!
Thanks Katie, I appreciate your kind words!
I tried it for the first time this morning. I ordered after reading this post. It’s so yummy! I love my morning coffee, but for a couple of reasons, I feel like I need to cut it out for a while. This is definitely a worthy substitute, something I can look forward to in the mornings.
YOU are my hero!!! I have a deformed ureter which almost closes in 2 places causing an array of kidney problems.. In 2003, I was told I would have to have stent surgery every 3 months for the rest of my life. Had it once. Horrific. Been able to avoid it again merely by removing all caffeine (which causes the muscle like tissue of the ureter to constrict). Just the smell of coffee makes my knees buckle. I added maple syrup & a dash of vanilla extract and it whisked me back to 1995 when I ignorantly used that sugar loaded instant Int’l Cafe Vanilla Coffee. *Sigh, college nostalgia. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I just want to say THANK YOU for introducing this into my life!! I was expecting a really gross earthy taste but I can’t believe how amazing the taste it. It truly is a coffee substitute. I’ve been drinking that reishi mushroom stuff with ganoderma extract and I think it’s flaring me up. 🙁 I was so depressed knowing I wouldn’t have anything warm/milky to drink in the mornings for the cold weather.