As you wander the aisles of a supplement store, you are likely to come across rows and rows of expensive pre-workout powders promising to get your blood pumping. But is there another option – perhaps something as simple as drinking coffee instead?

Coffee is widely recognized as a stimulant that can increase alertness and delay fatigue, helping athletes lift more weight, run faster and longer distances, reduce muscle pain and perform better during workouts.

Unfortunately, caffeine can also cause jitters and upset stomachs; for optimal results it should be consumed alongside meals to assess individual tolerance levels before beginning use. Some individuals also report adverse side effects from taking caffeine on an empty stomach which could worsen during physical exercise.

Pre-workout supplements contain caffeine to give your energy levels a boost, but can contain other potentially harmful ingredients that may not be good for you. Caffeine has a short half life of three hours in your system; taking it late at night or before sleeping could hinder recovery efforts as well as fitness goals.

Coffee is an all-natural substance with a highly clean label. Just one cup contains few to no calories, no fat or sodium – yet is filled with essential micronutrients like potassium, magnesium and niacin; plus an amino acid known as L-theanine to relax both mind and body. Plus it provides great antioxidant benefits; studies even suggest possible protection from certain cancers and heart disease!

Note that to maximize the health benefits of coffee, the optimal method for enjoying its benefits is to purchase fresh organic beans and grind them yourself. Doing this allows you to control how finely your beans are ground; finer grinding extracts more polyphenols from coffee that have been linked with protecting against heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

When selecting beans for coffee consumption, aim for light roasts. Lighter roasts contain more antioxidants and fewer of the harmful saturated fats and phenolic acids found in darker roasts; also, try to avoid sugary or artificially sweetened coffee that add unnecessary calories to your beverage.