Many people can’t imagine starting their mornings without a steaming cup of coffee. Even if it’s the decaffeinated variety. They feel sure that the aroma, the heat coming from the beverage and even the act of having to get out of bed to set it up all factor into helping them start their mornings right
Coffee isn’t an unhealthy habit in and of itself. But there are ways to do it better so that your body receives the maximum benefits of this drink. The key is to be open to potentially taking your coffee in different ways.
Here are some things you can do to make your cup of joe healthier inspired by Owly Choice.
Drink Your Coffee Black
It’s so common to put things like sugar, creamer, and specialty flavorings into coffee that people don’t often think about the unnecessary ingredients that go into the cup . Experts say a cup of black coffee has only five calories. However with every teaspoon of sugar added it increases that count by 16.
Drinking black coffee is a healthier way to consume it. The slightly bitter taste may make you balk before you become accustomed to it. The good news is that there’s such a large assortment of possibilities in the coffee aisle at the supermarket that you can try and choose the one you like best.
Consider talking to a barista at a coffee shop and surveying the bagged coffees you could take home with you.
Take time to study the packaging, too. It often includes information about flavor notes and the strength of the variety. Try a less-strong brew if you’re new to drinking black coffee.
Add Cinnamon To The Beverage
Cinnamon is a common flavoring that brings a host of benefits. It’s an antioxidant and antimicrobial. The latter trait means it kills bad bacteria or stops it from multiplying. Add 1/8 teaspoon to your cup before brewing it or sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon into your mug.
Use A Paper Filter
Maybe you love the taste of your current coffee and aren’t ready to change to something else, but you’re willing to switch your method of preparing it. In that case, one of the ways to make healthier coffee is to use a paper filter. If brewed without one, your drink contains higher levels of a substance called cafestol, which can raise cholesterol levels in the blood
The simple step of using a filter gets rid of most of the cafestol so it never reaches the cup. Fortunately, it doesn’t get rid of the coffee’s benefits, such as the antioxidant content.
Transition From A Mocha To A Sprinkle of Cocoa Powder
Does the chocolate flavoring of a mocha make you want to drink coffee ? Regardless of whether you’re making the mocha with a powdered mixture in hot water, using a high-tech coffee appliance, or ordering from a barista at the local coffee shop, that beloved drink may possibly be unhealthy. Everything from the whipped cream on top to the chocolate syrup that often pools in the bottom of the cup can add unnecessary sugars.
Think about making a slow switch from a traditionally prepared mocha to putting a dash of cocoa powder in your brewed beverage.
Watch Your Frequency And Timing
Sometimes taking your coffee in a healthier way means making sure you don’t drink too much of it on a typical day and say no when it’s offered to you. For adults, the recommended amount of caffeine per day is 400 milligrams. There are about 100 milligrams in an 8-ounce cup of coffee. This means you could have four cups per day and probably not notice any adverse effects.
However, you need to try and consume it during the earlier half of the day if possible. Scientists carried out a study where participants received 400 milligrams of caffeine at various times before bed. They then used sleep monitors to measure the resultant sleep disturbances. Surprisingly, even when people got that caffeine six hours before trying to sleep, it affected their sleep amounts by over an hour.
That effect happened even when the people did not feel the stimulant causing the changes that are sometimes obvious, such as an elevated heart rate and increased anxiety. That means even if you don’t think caffeine affects you, it’s probably doing it even if you don’t realize it
Everything In Moderation
Coffee is like a lot of other things in life in that any way you make it probably isn’t unhealthy when you drink it in moderate amounts.
The tips above will help you prioritize healthy techniques and habits when drinking coffee. You may find that one of these becomes a new favorite!
Featured image via Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash
