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What Coffee Is Healthy?
An early morning cup of coffee has long been part of daily life for good reason: it gives them an energy boost while possibly helping to lower risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s diseases.
But, what exactly makes coffee healthy? The key lies in its preparation and consumption – sugar and other additives may taint its nutritional benefits while using high-grade beans can greatly expand them.
Experts agree that drinking three to four cups of coffee each day may improve mental function, protect against certain cancers and lower Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s risk. This is largely credited to its presence of compounds known as polyphenols which promote brain and digestive health; in addition, polyphenols also play a significant role in helping fight heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.
But the amount of caffeine you consume each day can have an adverse impact on both your mood and behavior. Your body can usually only process about 400 milligrams without becoming jittery or cranky; exceeding this limit could cause headaches, nervousness or difficulty sleeping among other side effects.
Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks sell syrups with added calories and chemicals that could lower its health benefits, so making your own homemade flavor-rich syrups at home could be less costly and healthier than purchasing them from stores.
An alternative way of improving both its taste and nutritional value is using non-dairy milks like almond or oat milk as low-cal alternatives to cow’s milk; they make your coffee creamier, smoother and less acidic.
Smoothies made with coffee are an easy and nutritious way to add extra protein and other vital nutrients into your day, which you can do yourself using a blender at home.
Many smoothies contain bananas for an instant burst of sweet fruity goodness. Other popular ingredients include cinnamon – known to help lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels while improving digestion – cocoa (rich source of antioxidants) and turmeric which has anti-inflammatory properties.
