Anytime anyone wants to stay awake and alert for a late night of studying, working, or even partying, coffee has long been the go-to beverage of choice. After all, it is full of the psychoactive stimulant caffeine, which is just about the only stimulant that can be legally consumed in unlimited quantities. This, combined with the hustle and bustle of modern lifestyles where 24 hours a day simply isn’t enough, has made coffee and an entire culture of coffee bars more popular than ever.

However, as mild a stimulant as coffee is, it’s still technically a drug, and comes with all the attending risks and side effects. People can build a dependence on coffee to get them through the day, and might end up needing more of it as time passes. This is because the body builds up a resistance to all that caffeine, and so requires a larger and larger quantity in order to give the drinker the necessary "fix" for the day. People who suddenly stop drinking coffee are also prone to suffering from withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, mild depression, and headaches.

Fortunately, there is an alternative all natural superfood that can be safely taken by people who need to be at the top of their game even in the twilight hours between night and day, without any of the annoying side effects. This food is none other than the chia seed.

As a stimulant and a warm beverage, coffee is good at just one thing – keeping you awake. So while you might be awake enough to do late night tasks, you won’t necessarily have your full physical and mental faculties at your disposal. This won’t be the case if you have chia seeds instead. This is because chia’s high levels of vitamins and nutrition won’t just help keep you awake, but they’ll give you the energy to operate at the very top of your game both in a physical and mental sense.

Most people have associated chia seeds either with weight loss or the great nutrition it provides, but few realize that it was first used during the time of the Aztecs and Mayans as an energy food for their warriors and hunters. These toughened men could march through the thickest and wildest jungles for 24 hours straight on nothing more than a handful of seeds and some water. One of the more incredible stories involves Tarahumara Indians who were able to cross the Mexican deserts for 48 hours without rest thanks to the energizing power of these little seeds.

The secret lies in chia’s unique fiber structure, which helps turn the seeds into gel once ingested or mixed with some water. The gel acts as a barrier between the intestinal walls and any carbs a person has ingested. This slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar in the blood, preventing sudden sugar highs and their attendant sugar crashes, and feeds the body with a steady supply of energy that can last for hours.

So what makes this so much better than coffee? Well, for one thing, as a natural food, it doesn’t have the same side effects or addictive qualities that coffee, or rather the caffeine it contains, has. Also, while caffeine might be good for keeping you awake, it doesn’t exactly boost your mental and physical performance the way chia seeds do. This is precisely why you might see athletes downing a handful of chia seeds before a training session or a big game, but you won’t find them sipping cups of coffee. Finally, there’s the issue of getting to sleep when you want to. A cup of coffee might keep you awake long after you’ve decided to go to bed. Since chia simply helps regulate your natural metabolism, it won’t hinder your attempts to get some rest, and will let you fall asleep when you want to without disrupting your biorhythms.

So the next time you’re gearing up for a late night of work or play, forget the coffee. Go for the superfood that will get you the most mileage out of your body’s energy reserves. Take a handful of chia seeds instead and enjoy higher, more consistent energy levels, better performance, and minimum hassle and discomfort.