How To Be More Health Conscious When Enjoying Coffee
When brewed right, coffee has the power to taste and feel like a magical elixir to set you up for the day. The best part? It’s not just a morning miracle worker and can be consumed as an occasional afternoon treat as well.
Coffee is good for your liver health, brain, lungs, metabolism and more. The terms like no-foam or double-hot have less to do with how healthy your coffee is and more with baristas yelling out hyphenated adjectives. If you’re an avid coffee drinker and health conscious, here’s a list of steps you can incorporate into your coffee drinking habit to keep things on the healthy side.
1. Stay hydrated throughout the day
Coffee is a diuretic — in fact, caffeine is — which means that it triggers fluid loss. Many avid coffee drinkers don’t drink enough water. While our bodies can adjust to the increased caffeine and negate the dehydration effect, it’s still suggested that you drink at least four 16-ounce servings of water per day. You also need to start your day with a glass of water before consuming any caffeine.
2. Find better sugar replacements
One of the major problems in our lifestyle today is increased sugar intake. Sugar is known to spur cravings and can be a major driver behind obesity, type-2 diabetes and heart diseases.
We suggest getting used to enjoying coffee without any sweeteners. If you’re unable to do that, opt for a natural sweetener like Stevia. If you can’t do that either, we suggest that you find other FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved sugar replacements (such as monk fruit or raw honey).
3. Choose a quality, organic brand
Be mindful of the quality of your coffee — the quality, health benefits and taste can vary greatly depending on how the coffee beans were grown. They’re often sprayed with synthetic pesticides. While there’s little proof of the harm caused by pesticides, it’s still suggested that you go for a well-known organic brand that contains a lower amount of synthetic pesticides.
4. Add cinnamon or other spices
The health benefits of cinnamon include lower cholesterol and blood glucose in diabetics. Plus, it helps add excellent flavor to your tea or coffee. Just a dash of cinnamon and it acts as a tasty spice that lightens up the taste of your coffee. Nutmeg, ginger and cardamom are some other spices that you can make part of the mix.
5. Add some cocoa to your coffee
For a more flavorful and antioxidant-rich add-on, add a scoop of unsweetened cocoa to your coffee. It will add a nice chocolate-y feel and dark texture to your coffee. Chocolate-based coffee drinks are known as caffe mocha and mochaccino.
6. Be mindful of the caffeine
While not everybody is equally sensitive to caffeine, it’s good to be mindful of consuming caffeine past 2 PM. Coffee is one of the richest natural sources of caffeine. Caffeine is an excellent stimulant that helps us be active and stay awake. When consumed in excess and late in the day, coffee has the power to mess with our sleep patterns and routine. Consider some coffee options with less caffeine, such as decaf or mushroom coffee.
If you’re an avid coffee drinker, not having coffee may give you a headache and prevent you from focusing until you’ve had your fill. This is why it’s best to consume a limited amount every day. We also advise that you get used to skipping coffee once in a while so you’re free from withdrawal headaches.