The nature of coffee has many health benefits when consumed correctly. Here are some suggestions on what to add and what to avoid to make your cup of coffee healthier and more beneficial for your health.
Coffee is not just a way to provide caffeine to your body to help you feel more alert. Adding these spices to your daily cup of coffee—especially if you can’t start your mornings without it—can yield additional health benefits for your beverage.
1. Spices
Spices like cinnamon and chicory root can add a special flavor and enticing aroma to your coffee while providing extra health benefits. These spices can be added before or after brewing, and both methods provide similar benefits. For example:
- Cinnamon is considered an excellent alternative to sugar for sweetening coffee without adding extra calories. Additionally, cinnamon may have potential cardiovascular metabolic benefits and help with weight control.
Spices like cinnamon and chicory root can add a special flavor and enticing aroma (Image: ST)
- Chicory root in powdered form can be used to brew with coffee and is a great option for those who cannot tolerate the natural bitterness of coffee beans. Additionally, chicory root has digestive-promoting properties partly due to its inulin content.
After adding these, you should let your coffee sit for an additional 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend and enhance the overall taste.
2. Protein Powder
Proffee, a novel combination of protein and coffee, has been making waves on social media for quite some time. According to Everyday Health, adding protein powder to any beverage is a great way to increase your protein intake.
However, there is a caveat: supplementing with 1.5 grams (g) of whey protein per kilogram of body weight daily can help reduce body fat and increase lean mass. Yet, a person can only absorb about 8 to 10 g of whey protein per hour, meaning that with a transit time through the small intestine of about 90 minutes, the maximum amount of protein that can be absorbed is around 15 g.
Proffee is a unique combination of protein and coffee. (Image: ST)
Therefore, to maximize protein intake, you should distribute your coffee consumption evenly throughout the day, avoiding too much at once.
3. Cocoa Powder
Besides enhancing the flavor of desserts, cocoa powder also has many health-related benefits when added to coffee, especially due to its antioxidant properties, particularly polyphenols.
Research shows that consuming a significant amount of cocoa can provide anti-inflammatory benefits and protection against cancer risk factors, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and more. According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), cocoa powder also adds fiber—2 g per tablespoon.
Cocoa powder not only enhances the flavor of desserts but also offers several health benefits when added to coffee (Image: ST)
However, it’s essential to remember that according to the USDA, cocoa powder contains some caffeine—over 12 milligrams (mg) per tablespoon. Thus, it will increase the caffeine content of your cup of coffee. Therefore, you may need to reduce the amount of coffee if you want to avoid side effects like restlessness and palpitations, especially for those who need to limit caffeine intake, such as individuals with high blood pressure or pregnant women.
4. Grass-Fed Butter
Adding Grass-Fed Butter to coffee can provide specific health benefits. Grass-Fed Butter has a high content of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which may aid in weight loss—though results from animal studies tend to be higher than those from human trials.
Grass-Fed Butter (Image: ST)
Generally, adding Grass-Fed Butter to coffee can curb appetite and may be effective for those practicing intermittent fasting in the morning, thus enhancing fat-burning and weight loss processes, according to Everyday Health.
5. Lemon
Detox lemon water or lemon tea is no stranger to many, but recently, a trend of adding lemon to coffee with the hashtag #lemoncoffee has gained popularity on TikTok, attracting over 8 million views.
Recent studies indicate that adding lemon to coffee can aid digestion by stimulating stomach acid production. This is beneficial for those looking to lose weight; however, scientists do not recommend consuming this beverage on an empty stomach or for those experiencing digestive issues. It’s best to enjoy an espresso with lemon zest added after a meal.
Lemon is a popular fruit in weight loss teas. (Image: ST)
Additionally, lemon provides neurological benefits due to the flavonoids found in citrus fruits. However, squeezing lemon into coffee does not help burn belly fat or prevent headaches and treat diarrhea as some social media claims suggest.
6. Collagen Powder
Collagen is a fibrous protein found in the body’s tissues, such as bones, skin, muscles, and tendons. It accounts for about one-third of the total protein in the body and gives these tissues strength and elasticity. As we age, collagen production decreases. One area that may be affected is the skin—decreased elasticity leads to more wrinkles.
Collagen is also found in joints, and like skin, collagen levels can decrease with age, leading to a higher susceptibility to joint pain due to arthritis.
Collagen supplements come in various forms, with powder being the easiest to add to beverages like coffee. According to Everyday Health, oral collagen supplementation helps improve skin elasticity, collagen density, and skin moisture. Other studies on NCBI have also indicated that oral collagen supplementation may alleviate joint pain related to arthritis.
In addition to the aforementioned ingredients to add to coffee, options like salted cream, condensed milk, coconut oil, and butter are considered sweeteners and flavors that can lead to weight gain and increased cholesterol—so caution is advised when adding these.
Overall, you can enjoy coffee directly or enhance the flavor of your cup with various healthful ingredients. Consult your doctor for personalized advice if you have a sensitive constitution prone to allergies.
