November Morning Brew: A Slower Ritual with Chicory, Cacao, Maté & Black Tea
November’s Morning Brew box invites you to slow down and get to know four familiar-looking ingredients a little more deeply: roasted chicory root, cacao nibs, roasted maté, and black tea. Each offers a starting point for learning how plants interact with the body, along with histories that reach well beyond today’s wellness trends.
With about four servings of each, you have room to become acquainted without needing an elaborate routine. Try an ingredient on its own first. Then, if you like, use it as a base for a simple blend with a familiar herb left from a previous box.
As you explore, ask: What compounds does this plant contain? How might they act in the body? And what changes when we prepare the plant in a different way?
Getting to know a plant, one layer at a time
Traditional knowledge helps us understand relationships between plants, people, and place. Laboratory research examines plant compounds and how they work. Human studies look at what happens when people use a particular preparation and amount.
These are different, complementary ways of learning. Knowing how a compound works helps explain a plant’s possibilities, but it does not tell us exactly what one cup will do. Keep the preparation in mind: a brewed herb, a concentrated extract, and an isolated compound are not the same thing.
Chicory root: plant history and the gut connection
Chicory, Cichorium intybus, has documented uses in several Indigenous North American communities. The Native American Ethnobotany Database records a Cherokee root infusion described as a “tonic for nerves.” It also records a Haudenosaunee use, listed in the database as Iroquois, of a root decoction applied externally as a wash and poultice for certain sores.
These records describe particular traditions and preparations, rather than uses shared by all Indigenous peoples. They offer historical context, not instructions for treating those conditions with your morning brew. Explore the records and their original references.
One of chicory root’s interesting compounds is inulin, a type of fiber. Gut microbes ferment inulin, producing short-chain fatty acids and gases. This is one reason researchers study chicory-derived fibers in connection with the gut microbiome and bowel function. It also helps explain why some people experience gas or discomfort.
The amount of inulin in your brewed cup is not necessarily the same as the measured amounts used in fiber studies. Think of this as a useful introduction to plant chemistry, not a guaranteed digestive effect. Read about inulin and intestinal fermentation.
Cacao nibs: more than a chocolate flavor
Cacao, Theobroma cacao, has histories of food, drink, ceremony, exchange, and medicine across distinct Mesoamerican cultures, including Maya, Mixtec, and Mexica/Aztec communities. Researchers have even identified theobromine and caffeine in residues from early Classic Maya vessels, helping connect the objects with cacao use. Cacao’s cultural history; Maya vessel research.
Cacao contains theobromine and caffeine, related compounds in a family called methylxanthines. Both interact with adenosine receptors, tiny receiving sites involved in the body’s signaling. Theobromine acts more weakly at these receptors than caffeine, but that does not mean it is inactive or that everyone responds to it the same way. Read about this receptor chemistry.
Cacao also contains flavanols, including epicatechin. Scientists study these compounds partly because of their effects on blood-vessel signaling. One pathway involves nitric oxide, a molecule the body uses to help regulate how blood vessels relax. Much of this research uses measured cocoa preparations, so a cacao-nib infusion should not be assumed to provide the same amount or effect. Explore the science of cocoa and blood-vessel function.
Roasted maté: Guaraní roots and caffeine chemistry
Yerba maté, Ilex paraguariensis, has a history of use among Guaraní people before its later commercial cultivation. Learning that history is part of knowing the plant, while remembering that a modern roasted cup does not represent every historical or living Guaraní practice. Read more about maté’s history and chemistry.
Maté contains caffeine. Caffeine partly works by blocking adenosine receptors involved in sleep and wakefulness. In everyday terms, it changes how the body receives some of its tiredness signals; it does not replace rest or create new energy. Learn about caffeine’s action.
Maté also contains chlorogenic acids, part of the broad family of plant compounds called phenolics. They have been identified in both green and roasted maté extracts. This is a helpful reminder that a plant contains a mixture of compounds, not just its best-known ingredient.
Black tea: caffeine and L-theanine
Black tea, Camellia sinensis, contains caffeine and L-theanine. L-theanine is an amino acid studied in relation to attention and mood, including in combination with caffeine.
Some human studies have found improvements on certain attention tasks with the combination, though results vary. That makes this an interesting area of study, rather than a reason to expect a guaranteed feeling of “calm focus” from every cup. Explore the review of theanine and caffeine research.
A few servings, a little room to explore
You do not need a large supply to begin learning. With roughly four servings of each ingredient, consider saving your first cup for the ingredient on its own, another for repeating a preparation you enjoyed, and the remaining portions for a small blending experiment. Follow the supplied serving and preparation directions rather than dividing the package into equal amounts by eye.
Each of this month’s ingredients can become the starting point for a blend. If you have herbs left from earlier boxes, choose one you already know and have used comfortably. Revisit its insert for preparation guidance and cautions, then pair it with one November ingredient rather than combining everything at once. Keep the total amount in line with the preparation directions; a blend does not need a full serving of every component.
Begin with a small addition, write down what you used, and change one thing at a time. Choose ingredients with compatible preparation methods, or prepare them separately according to their directions before combining. An herb that needs simmering and a leaf that needs a short steep may be easier to work with separately.
In your notebook, record the plant name, part used, amount, water volume, and preparation time. Notice how you feel as well as what you enjoy. Your notes can become a useful bridge between this month’s box and the knowledge you have gathered from previous ones.
Keep your own response part of the learning
Maté and black tea contain caffeine, and cacao contributes related stimulant compounds too. Combining ingredients does not remove those effects, so consider your other sources throughout the day. If a preparation leaves you feeling unwell, pause rather than increasing the amount in pursuit of an expected benefit.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or managing a health condition, ask a qualified healthcare professional about which ingredients and combinations are appropriate for you.
Herbal learning can be both thoughtful and enjoyable. Start with one plant, learn a little of its history and chemistry, and let your observations guide the next cup. Small, attentive experiments are enough.