I’m not one to post a #needcoffee pic on instagram on Monday mornings, but I am with the masses that simply love coffee. From the aroma and the taste to the entire café culture, for most us, coffee is something engrained in our day-to-day and it would take a lot for any of us to change the habit.

So when I heard of dandelion coffee as a possible replacement for the cup of joe, I was immediately turned off. I’m down with the Matcha Latte or the London Fog, but an herbal replacement just sounds so unexciting. I have to admit though, as I was reading about the benefits of the dandelion root drink, it made me think about the things I don’t enjoy about coffee. The jitters in my hand, a buzz rush followed by a crash, and the after taste it leaves.

While there’s no harm for most of us to have 200 to 300 milligrams daily of caffeine — the equivalent of two to three cups of coffee — just replacing one of those cups with dandelion coffee may help neutralize caffeine levels and give your body some other benefits as well. Here’s the lowdown:

The benefits of dandelion root 

Flushes toxins:

• Acts as a natural diuretic and increases urine production to reduce water retention that may cause painful bloating. Great for people prone to gall stones

Digestive aid:

• Promotes growth of healthy bacteria and also acts as a very mild laxative

Nutrient rich:

• Vitamin A, C, D and B complex vitamins, zinc, potassium and iron

Is dandelion coffee really coffee? 

Nope, but the roasted dandelion root pieces used to create the beverage are similar in appearance and in taste to coffee 

Where can you get roasted dandelion roots? 

In your own backyard:

• Dig up a bunch of large dandelion roots, wash thoroughly, and chop up into small pieces. You can use a dehydrator or oven to dry it out. Once the pieces are hard and turn a darker color, you can crush it with a mortar and pestle or a grinder. Search ‘dandelion coffee’ on Pinterest for step-by-step tutorials

Buy the pre-made stuff:

• it’s a niche product, but there are a few brands selling an instant blend. Just Google “instant dandelion coffee”

How to prepare a cup:

• Boil 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of the crushed, roasted dandelion roots in about 1 cup of water for several minutes. Strain and enjoy!

How much can I consume?

• Various sources suggest you can drink up to three cups of dandelion root tea each day

Have you tried Dandelion coffee? Tell us in the comments or tweet at us @Luvoinc