A Delicious Sugar Free Latte made with adaptogens

Michelle — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 19:32:11 +0000

I’m a latte fanatic, but if I can make a delicious, sugar free latte (with zero refined sugar)? I’m in love.

I was hesitant that this would work… could I actually make a great tasting latte without any coffee, espresso, or refined sugar? And could I also add in adaptogens and colostrum and still create a latte I love?

I can answer that now with a resounding “Heck YES!” For all the details on how I chose the specific ingredients (and discount codes!) I shared all those details in this article I just emailed to my Insiders. I’d love to add you to my email list, btw, for the recipe and real food encouragement I send out a few times a month. Go here & I’ll send over my pantry checklist & 5 favorite recipes too.

A delicious sugar free latte?

It was a challenge, but when there’s a chance to improve a snack or drink that I love, I am here for it.

There’s my DIY Coke.

And my copycat Crumbl cookie.

And let’s not forget my copycat Lipton tea & my tea that tastes like coffee.

And today I am elated to add this latte with no caffeine and no refined sugar to my list.

How to take the caffeine out of your latte

The real star of this latte is the espresso replacement. It tastes so similar to coffee, but it’s just a medicinal tea that tastes like coffee. In fact, it’s my all-time favorite hot tea. I drink it every day.

To use this medicinal chicory tea as an espresso replacement, simply steep 4 TB of the tea blend in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.) Once you have that ready, you’re ready to make your latte.

How to take the refined sugar out of your latte

Yes, this latte does have an all-natural, complex sweetener. So officially I should call it a refined-sugar-free latte, but that’s a tongue twister. And, as a sugarmaker and the author of Sweet Maple, I’m here to tell you that complex REAL sugar is always a good choice, in moderation of course.

Go here for my complete guide to choosing a good sugar.

While maple syrup is my favorite complex sweetener for this recipe, another good choice would be date syrup, another complex liquid sugar.

Make a Refined Sugar Free Latte

Ingredients for an adaptogen latte

3/4 cup chicory concentrate (see notes, below, to make & use code SOULYRESTED)

1/2 tsp maca root (use code SOULYRESTED)

1/4-1/2 tsp ashwagandha (use code SOULYRESTED)

1/2 tsp lions mane (optional)

1 TB colostrumOR 1 scoop of this combo

1-2 TB maple syrup

1 1/2 cups milk

ice to fill glass

Directions for making a sugar free latte

Brew your chicory concentrate for at least 1 hour for maximum medicinal benefits, and so it’s not hot when making your latte. (Or cold brew your chicory concentrate overnight).
Pour 3/4 cup chicory concentrate into glass.
Add the maca, lions mane, and colostrum and blend well. I use a hand-held frother.
Add maple syrup, milk, and ice.

Notes about this adaptogen latte

Use this medicinal chicory tea as an espresso replacement: steep 4 TB of the tea blend in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.)
Read why I chose each ingredient here.
Ashwagandha can taste pretty strong, so you may want to start with the lower amount and work your way up to see what tastes best to you. I will use 1/2 tsp of ashwagandha.
The maca root powder I link to in this article is a gelatinized powder, which is better for hot drinks, especially when compared to raw powder, because the gelatinization process breaks down the starch in the powder, and it’s easier to mix with hot liquids; this also usually results in a smoother taste with less bitterness.
I personally don’t purchase raw maca root powder. It’s complex starches are almost impossible for our digestive systems to break down. Raw maca also has a high water content, which dilutes the concentration of nutrients in comparison to cooked maca. Then this moisture in the powder can be a breeding ground for bad bacteria to grow. So I stick with gelantinized.
Some of the biggest brands on amazon that sell adaptogens like maca root and lions mane have been exposed for not being what they claim. And worse, some have failed their bacteria/mold contamination tests, yet somehow they are still being bought and sold daily. So I stick with a source I know I can rely on. Find out more about Azure Standard here & here, in this summary of my talk with David Seltzer, the CEO of Azure, on my podcast.
Turn this into a delicious mocha latte by simply adding 1/2 tsp cacao powder with your adaptogens.
Turn this into a yummy hot latte by mixing your adaptogens into the cold chicory tea blend with a hand frother like this then adding in maple syrup and warm milk.
OR another option for a hot latte: Steep 1 TB chicory in 1/2 cup hot water. Mix all medicinal ingredients into 1/4 cup cold milk, using a frother, then top that with the warm chicory tea and the rest of the milk, that you warmed. Either of these options will keep your colostrum below 145 degrees which maintains all its medicinal properties.
Why do I prefer this amazing combo over straight-up colostrum? Together, they’re a dynamic duo. Especially if you’re a woman who wants to age with grace. Starting in your twenties, your body starts losing collagen. About 1% per year. By the time you hit 30? You’re already lost 10% (incoming: good news!) Collagen is literally the blocks holding your skin, joints, hair, and nails together. Less collagen = more fine lines, achy joints, and that “why does my hair feel thinner?” moment in the mirror. While collagen rebuilds structure, colostrum supports your gut lining, immune function, and helps your body actually absorb all the good stuff you’re putting in it (like that collagen!) It’s the foundation that makes everything else work better. The bottom line? I want to get both daily and this one amazing option does it all.

But why avoid coffee?

I’ve been an avid tea drinker for a long time. And then when I discovered I liked coffee, I still tried to limit my coffee intake because I was getting headaches and some dizziness when I had too much coffee in a day–but I loved the taste of coffee! So that’s why I turned to coffee alternatives, like this drink.

–> However, it turns out the headaches I was getting were from using poor quality coffee. Who knew that coffee is the most heavily chemically treated crop in the world? Unless you’re purchasing organic coffee, you’re likely drinking lots of pesticides with your daily cup of joe. I think those pesticides were the reason I was getting coffee headaches. So now I use this stuff and–boom–no more headaches. I still love my coffee alternatives, but I enjoy a “real” latte made with high-quality coffee, too.

Did you also know that coffee naturally grows in shade, but most commercial coffee farms force it to grow in sun? Shade-grown coffee not only tastes better, but is so much better for the soil. Plus, this coffee I’ve come to love is also tested for mold, so you won’t be getting any mold OR pesticides in your coffee or lattes. It’s also low-acid which makes it better for your teeth and mouth microbiome, as well.

If you want to make the switch to regeneratively-shade-grown, low-acid organic, mold-free coffee, use the code “soulyrested” to save some cash.

Sugar Free Latte

Ingredients

3/4 cup chicory concentrate see notes
1/2 tsp maca root
1/4-1/2 tsp ashwagandha
1/2 tsp lions mane (optional)
1 TB colostrum
1-2 TB maple syrup
1 1/2 cups milk
ice to fill glass

Instructions

Brew your chicory concentrate for at least 1 hour for maximum medicinal benefits, and so it's not hot when making your latte. (Or cold brew your chicory concentrate overnight).
Pour 3/4 cup chicory concentrate into glass.
Add the maca, lions mane, and colostrum and blend well. I use a hand-held frother.
Add maple syrup, milk, and ice.

Notes

Use chicory (or this medicinal chicory tea) as an espresso replacement: steep 4 TB of the tea blend (or just chicory) in 1 quart of hot water. (Minimum 10 minutes, but I like to steep it overnight when I have the time.)
The maca root powder I link to in this article is a gelatinized powder, which is better for hot drinks, especially when compared to raw powder, because the gelatinization process breaks down the starch in the powder, and it's easier to mix with hot liquids; this also usually results in a smoother taste with less bitterness.
I personally don't purchase raw maca root powder. It's complex starches are almost impossible for our digestive systems to break down. Raw maca also has a high water content, which dilutes the concentration of nutrients in comparison to cooked maca. Then this moisture in the powder can be a breeding ground for bad bacteria to grow. So I stick with gelantinized.
Some of the biggest brands on amazon that sell adaptogens like maca root and lions mane have been exposed for not being what they claim. And worse, some have failed their bacteria/mold contamination tests, yet somehow they are still being bought and sold daily. So I stick with a source I know I can rely on. Find out more about Azure Standard here & here, in this summary of my talk with David Seltzer, the CEO of Azure, on my podcast.
Turn this into a delicious mocha latte by simply adding 1/2 tsp cacao powder with your adaptogens.

Why use these add ins?

maca root powder

When I use maca root powder I notice I’m able to focus better and work right through what was an afternoon slump, before I drank the maca root. But there are lots more reasons to love maca root powder here.

ashwagandha

I’ve been using ashwagandha for years to help with menopause hot flashes and bonus it helps me feel less stressed/anxious and helps me sleep better too. But here are more reasons to love this amazing root.

lion’s mane

I added lions mane to this recipe for my Son-In-Law. He was cutting out energy drinks and high amounts of caffeine he had been drinking and was looking to replace his drink obsession by buying a fancy mushroom drink that was made from lions mane. I told him to let me make him a caffeine free, sugar free latte that I think would fit the bill for him, without having to buy any fancy drink packs. He was an instant fan of this delicious latte. And when I read the great reasons to love lions mane here, I decided it would become a set ingredient in my recipe.

colostrum

Because, as a woman in my 50s I’m facing some of these issues that colostrum can help with, and because it’s so good for us (source), I knew I wanted colostrum in this latte. This is the only one I use. I respect this company so much, I asked them for a savings for my friends, so be sure to use code SOULYRESTED and save a nice 15% all the time. If you want the dynamic duo combo of colostrum & collagen (see “notes” above) you want this amazingness.