Coffee can be an ideal morning beverage, but adding cream and sugar could increase your caloric intake significantly. While coffee contains healthy fats and antioxidants, cream and sugar add many additional calories that could contribute to an unintentional calorie surplus during the course of a day and lead to weight gain or increased risk for heart disease. Also important to remember is that coffee alone does not provide all of the nutrition your body requires to function optimally, therefore it should not be considered a meal replacement solution.

Coffee’s health benefits stem from its many polyphenols, which contain anti-inflammatory agents with blood pressure reducing effects, including glucose tolerance improvement and blood pressure regulation. Unfortunately, however, sugary beverages can negate these positive impacts and increase your risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Studies that demonstrate the positive health benefits of coffee only refer to plain black coffee without cream, sugar or flavor enhancers added – however most people consume their daily cup laden with these extra ingredients, leading to hundreds of extra calories consumed every day that could undo any possible benefits from drinking coffee.

Studies published in 2022 in Annals of Internal Medicine demonstrated that drinking coffee was associated with reduced risks of death even among those adding cream and sugar to their brew. The findings came from data collected from 170,000 individuals who reported on their coffee-drinking habits.

Studies conducted on people who drank more than two cups of coffee daily found they were approximately 30% less likely to die during the course of the study compared with those who never consumed any, regardless of whether their coffee was sweetened or unsweetened.

Researchers also noted that those who consume sweetened coffee had a reduced risk of death compared with those who never consumed any. This may be because sugar and cream in coffee may raise cholesterol levels – one of the leading causes of heart disease in the US.

When enjoying your cup of coffee, why not switch out sugar and cream for something lower-cal? Options such as milk or dairy alternatives (coconut, almond and soy milks can add protein) as well as collagen peptides can work as flavorless creamers that dissolve well in liquids.

If you want to add sweetness to your beverage, opt for natural sweeteners like erythritol, stevia or monk fruit as these do not cause blood sugar spikes like table sugar does and still taste delicious! Just be sure to read and follow nutrition labels when purchasing sweeteners – limiting yourself to no more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons).