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What is a Healthy Coffee Drink?
Coffee can easily add up to an excessive number of calories when served with sugar and creamer, but you can still enjoy a cup in an eco-friendly manner. The key is choosing lower calorie sweeteners like stevia or erythritol for sweetening purposes, or simply using cinnamon, vanilla or other flavorings to add sweetness without extra calories.
An ideal cup of coffee includes milk in some form; whole or low-fat varieties are optimal, however many coffee shop milk options contain sugar, gums, chemicals and stabilizers that could negatively impact health. If you want to stay on track with your health while enjoying your daily cup, alternative non-dairy options like coconut, almond or soy milk could be great ways of cutting down on both sugar and unnecessary fat consumption.
Not only can coffee provide you with caffeine, it is also loaded with antioxidants which may boost your health. Antioxidants help lower levels of oxidative stress which damage cells and lead to disease; studies have revealed that regular coffee drinkers have lower risks for Parkinson’s disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancers of the prostate liver endometrium mouth and throat.
Coffee may help stop COX-2 expression and therefore act as a form of liquid sunscreen, according to recent studies.
Coffee’s caffeine can also tamp down on inflammation caused by bacteria which damage teeth and gums and lead to periodontal (gum) disease, due to its phenols helping block some of the compounds responsible for inflamation in your mouth.
While caffeine may affect some individuals differently, most healthy adults can tolerate moderate doses without risk. Caffeine doesn’t increase your risk for heart disease or depression and even improves mood by increasing dopamine production.
Coffee may promote increased urination, helping flush away excess minerals that contribute to kidney stones. But if you already suffer from them, it would be prudent to limit how often you drink this beverage.
Apart from its caffeine content, a balanced cup of coffee should include salt to enhance its sweetness and diminish any bitterness. You could even try adding cinnamon as this spice has been known to lower blood sugar and cholesterol.
