Coffee easily qualifies as one of the most popular beverages in the whole world.
There are also a number of health professionals who also believe that it is among the healthiest beverages too. There are some people who believe that they get a lot of antioxidants from their coffee as compared to both vegetables and fruits combined.
However, there are concerns that coffee is not as healthy as most people believe. It is therefore important to explore the various ways that can make this most popular beverage healthier.
Here are five ways to make your coffee a little bit healthier:
1. Do Not Take Coffee after 2 p.m.
Coffee is among the richest sources of caffeine naturally in the diet. The caffeine you get from coffee is a stimulant that boosts your energy levels and helps you stay alert and awake for long whenever you feel tired. Caffeine could be one of the reasons why coffee is so popular in the world.
If you want to make your coffee healthier, you should avoid taking it late in the day as from 2 p.m. when you take coffee late in the day, it is likely to interfere with your sleep and this could give rise to a number of health problems. Abstaining from drinking coffee from 2 – 3 p.m. is a great guideline towards making your coffee healthier.
2. Reduce the Amount of Sugar You Use in your Coffee
As much as coffee is healthy in itself, adding lots of sugar to it will make it harmful to your body. A lot of sugar is one of the worst ingredients in a contemporary diet.
Sugar contains a high amount of fructose and it is the main culprit in acute diseases such as diabetes and obesity, which a high number of people are fighting at the moment.
If you want to sweeten your coffee, you can do so using natural sweeteners like stevia, which is healthier. You should consider abstaining from adding a lot of sugar to your coffee as this is a sure way of ensuring that the drink retains its health benefits.
(See also: 5 Non-Acidic Coffee Alternatives to Power Up Your Morning)
Another great way of avoiding too much sugar in your coffee is by ditching coffee creamers, which have a high composition of sugar. You can ditch the coffee creamers that are packed with sugar and instead use coconut milk.
Alternatively, you can try mixing your coffee with honey, which makes a hearty and flavor-packed coffee additive.
3. Drinking Black Coffee
Black coffee might taste bitter at first, but with time your taste buds will adapt to its bold flavor.
When you add milk and other additives when making your coffee, you end up taking in a lot of calories, which is not healthy at all. You should consider taking black coffee, preferably low acid coffee, which has been found to contain fewer calories.
This will help you make your coffee as healthy as possible. You should consider learning how to brew regular black coffee on your coffee maker in order to keep your coffee healthier.
4. Brewing with Organic Beans
Organic beans are the best to use when you opt to brew your own coffee. They are usually free from harmful chemicals and pesticides, which ensures that your health is not compromised by them.
You should consider purchasing certified organic coffee beans to brew your coffee using a coffee maker with a grinder, as it is a healthier option. These certified organic coffee beans will ensure that no harmful chemicals or pesticides find their way into your body.
(See also: 5 Reasons You Should Never Drink Coffee On An Empty Stomach)
5. Adding Cinnamon to Your Coffee
Cinnamon is a great-tasting herb that mixes well with your coffee’s flavor. Various studies have shown that cinnamon has the ability to lower cholesterol, blood glucose as well as triglycerides in diabetics.
Adding a dash of cinnamon to your coffee will contribute to making it healthier due to the several health benefits associated with cinnamon.
There are reports that cinnamon helps in reducing inflammation in your body and has also been linked to boosting heart health although more research is still being done to prove the latter.
Cinnamon also helps in stabilizing your blood sugar. Add a dash of cinnamon to your coffee to make it healthy but ensure that you do not overdo it as it might cause some severe side effects.
Bottom Line Coffee is one of the most popular beverages largely due to its stimulant effects. A high intake of coffee has been linked to a number of health benefits.
There are several ways that can help improve these health benefits of the beverage even further. Following all the tips above will help make your cup of coffee even healthier.
About The Author:
Stacey Smith is a freelance health writer. She is passionate to write about women’s health, dental health, diabetes, endocrinology, and nutrition and provides in-depth features on the latest in health news for medical clinics and health magazines.
