For most people, nothing beats a good old cup of coffee. A cup of coffee or two is a daily routine for most people. In fact, coffee has a lot of health benefits like helping to lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, cancer and help burn calories. However, most of the studies on the health effects of coffee have been done using a standard cup of coffee with no additives. The healthiest coffee option is to have it without any kind of sweetener or creamer. Here are some recommendations on how you can make coffee drinking healthier.
1 Do Not Load Your Coffee With Sugar.
Sugar is arguably the single worst ingredient in the modern diet because it's highly palatable and therefore easy to overeat. High sugar intake can invite a lot of health problems.
2 Try Not To Use Artificial Sweeteners Either.
Although artificial sweeteners might seem like a good idea because they're sugar-free and calorie-free, there might be some other issues to consider. Humans don't just eat for nutrition and energy. Besides health and nutrition, we eat for pleasure. Our eating triggers satisfying hormones as part of the food reward pathway. Now, sweet foods are well known to activate this pathway.
However, the brain does not register a satiating nor satisfying affect from calorie-free sweeteners. So, it is very possible that the artificial sweeteners will leave you wanting more. This could cause you to seek additional sweet foods later in the day. This can fuel your dependence on sweet things.
3 Add Some Cinnamon To Your Coffee.
It would not be very nice if I told you not to use any sweeteners and then didn't provide an alternative. Cinnamon has great health benefits, especially as regards cardiovascular health. Furthermore, it mixes very well with coffee flavor. For good measure, you can add it to the coffee grounds before brewing.
4 Avoid Having Coffee Very Early In The Morning
This one is a hard one for a lot of people.
Try to avoid having coffee as soon as you wake up or soon as you get to work. Rather, have your first coffee later in the morning. Your body has the natural ability to wake up which is affected by the production of cortisol, a hormone that affects our alertness. In the morning, cortisol production is at its highest because it's trying to wake us up. If you have a cup of coffee around this time, it can disturb the body's own wake-up signals.
5 Do Not Have Your First Cup On An Empty Stomach.
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can create problems for your digestive system. In some people, coffee can irritate the lining of the gut. It is therefore very advisable to have something in your stomach before having your coffee.
6 No Coffee After 3:00 p.m.
Coffee is a great stimulant. This is why people love it so much. If you take any stimulant later in the day, it can affect your sleep, and lack of sleep attracts a whole host of health problems. High caffeine intake after 3:00 p.m. often reduces total sleep time and quality. This is especially true for people who are sensitive to caffeine. If you must, decaf coffee or tea are better choices as they have lower caffeine.
7 Add Some Cocoa To Your Coffee.
Cocoa is a powder that is derived from the cacao bean. It is the main ingredient in dark chocolate. It's loaded with beneficial minerals and other compounds that are associated with all sorts of health benefits. You can add some unsweetened cocoa powder to your coffee to create an excellent chocolaty flavor.
8 Add Coconut Creamer
The health benefits of coconut are well-documented. It boosts immunity and metabolism. Besides the health benefits, it also makes the coffee very delicious.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that coffee is a very popular beverage. The way you consume it is a matter of personal choice. However, the recommendations above can make your coffee routine healthier.
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I really love coffee. Thanks for this! Very informative.