Decaf Plan: Decaf Diet

Manipulating your diet is the simplest way to avoid caffeine cravings. The most important thing you can do is eat little and often, since this keeps the blood-sugar levels constant. It also helps to cut down on sugary or refined carbohydrates (like cakes, biscuits and white bread or pasta), which send your blood-sugar levels soaring only to have them crash back down soon afterwards - a major trigger for a caffeine craving.

Instead, fill your diet with foods high in B vitamins, which your body uses to produce energy and also help you to tackle stress. Good sources of these include wholegrain foods like brown rice or bread, breakfast cereals and some fruits and vegetables, including asparagus and bananas. These are also good because they boost fibre levels in your body: the fibre takes over from the caffeine as a bowel stimulator.

However, don't eat just carbohydrates and vegetables. B vitamins are also found in dairy products, meat and poultry, which provide the body with protein. Protein takes longer than carbohydrates to break down, which helps normalize blood-sugar levels.

Finally, drink plenty of water. If the ideal amount of water in your body falls by 3 per cent you'll start feeling fatigued and your brain will function up to 10 per cent more slowly; so drink at least one glass of water an hour. Here's a suggested eating plan, with recipes.

Breakfast

  • Glass of Energy Juice.
  • Bowl of a bran or wheat cereal with skimmed milk, topped with a chopped banana.

Energy Juice

2 apples o 7 peach o 7 orange o 2.5cm (tin) cube of ginger root Juice all the ingredients, and then serve.

  • Cup of coffee, one-quarter filled with a decaffeinated brand (always drink this instead of normal coffee).

Mid-morning snack

  • A handful of dried apricots chopped and mixed into some low-fat cottage cheese.
  • Cup of ginger tea, or another glass of Energy Juice.

Lunch

  • 75g (3oz) of sliced chicken on top of an energizing salad of baby spinach, red pepper, broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes and grated carrot. Serve with a bowl of vegetable or lentil soup.
  • Take a ginkgo supplement to deflect the natural dip in energy and mental clarity that occurs after lunch. Mid-afternoon snack
  • Mix proteins and carbohydrates quickly and easily with a little grated low-fat cheese on rye crispbread, and throw in some energizing vitamins by topping it with slices of beetroot and tomato.
Evening meal

  • Keep things simple with a 75g (3oz) grilled salmon steak served with a brown rice, red onion and asparagus salad and a side serving of green beans.
Before bed

  • Have a glass of warm milk to keep your energy stable overnight and to aid sleep.