How to Make Your Coffee Healthier
By Sara Butler
There’s nothing wrong with a morning cup of coffee to get your day started. There are actually studies published by the National Institutes of Health that show coffee to be healthy! The only caveat is the fat- and sugar-laden coffee most people drink – that’s not the way to better health. Here’s how to keep your coffee healthy so it can boost your health and wellness!
How Coffee is Good for You
Coffee has a lot of benefits to your health. It can:
- Boost your exercise routine
- Keep your focused
- Improve your mood
- Bolster your metabolism
To reap all these health rewards, you simply need to steer clear of bad coffee habits when preparing your coffee. For example, some ways coffee is prepped can strip it of its antioxidants that can help to prevent heart disease. To get the most from your coffee, avoid mistakes!
Don't Add a Bunch of Sugar
Coffee and sugar just go together! But if you want to keep your coffee healthy, then you need to back off the sweet stuff. The extra calories in sugar and its highly processed and refined nature make it a nightmare for controlling blood sugar. If coffee is too bitter without a little something sweet for you, then try beans that are naturally a bit sweeter. Medium or dark roasts are generally a bit sweeter – you may have to experiment to see which flavor you prefer.
Watch the Cream
Cream and coffee are another duo that goes together but just two tablespoons of heavy cream can add up to 100 calories to your coffee. That may not seem like a lot, but if you’re drinking more than one cup, then it really adds up quick.
Save yourself some calories by picking a different roast or use low-fat milk instead of cream. Also, try to limit the amount of coffee-based smoothie drinks you enjoy. They should be an occasional treat since they pack so many empty calories.
Buy Quality Beans
If you want to make coffee good for you by cutting out the bad stuff, then buy high-quality beans. Healthier coffee will taste better, after all. Look for premium coffee grown on farms with good cultivation practices and stick to high-altitude farms close to the equator from countries such as Brazil, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Columbia. As a general rule of thumb, South American coffee is fuller bodied while African coffees are lighter.
Coffee is actually a pretty healthy morning choice -- it's what you do with it once it's in your cup that really makes the difference when it comes to your health!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Denton, Tex.