Who can thrive without that morning cup of
joe?? Not me. I got the Java Jive and It’s got me! Coffee wakes us up and keeps us going
through the day. It’s delicious and has some real health benefits that are good for
you mentally and physically! Here’s my list of reasons to love coffee!
1. Drink it Black Yeah, I love my French vanilla creamer too…but
coffee itself is loaded with antioxidants, which are pretty much life fuel for your body.
Flavored creamers tend to be loaded with fat, sugar, and extra calories, so diluting your
cup of Columbian with it can quickly turn that healthy black coffee into a dessert.
It’s okay to indulge once in a while, but try to drink your coffee straight to get all
the benefits.
2. If You Must Sweeten Your Coffee, Do It
Naturally If you’re used to dressing up your coffee,
going straight to black may be difficult. If you’re finding the transition a little
tough, try sweetening your coffee naturally, like with natural vanilla, agave syrup, or
Stevia. If you still can’t stomach it, at least try cutting your normal sweetener and/or
creamer in half. Baby steps! 3. Get Some Flavor by Adding Cinnamon or Cocoa
If you need some flavor in your black coffee, try adding cinnamon or cocoa to it to for
a natural flavor boost. Cinnamon is really good for blood sugar regulation, and is another
source of antioxidants. Same goes for cocoa – it’ll be an added boost of antioxidants,
plus, now your coffee is a delicious mocha! And by the way, all these antioxidants are
keeping your cells clean, fighting free radicals that might make you sick, and also have anti-aging
properties! 4.
Try Almond Milk
Speaking of flavor, if you still need that extra something in your coffee, try almond
milk – it’s a healthier, more natural alternative to flavored creamers, and it’ll
add that magic bit of creaminess you might be craving in your warm drink. Almond milk
is a good non-dairy alternative to heavy cream or ½ and ½, and it won’t upset the tummy
like too much milk can. Pro tip: There are flavored non-dairy creamers out there too!
Just don’t overdo it so you can watch that sugar intake.
5. Eat Something with Your morning Cup of Java
If all you have for breakfast is coffee, you might get the jitters later and feel increased
anxiety.
You may also experience some, ah, unpleasant trips to the bathroom, as coffee
on an empty stomach can damage your stomach lining. Eating a healthy breakfast with your
coffee will help soak up some of that caffeine so that you don’t experience any unpleasant
side effects later. 6. Avoid Drinking Coffee After a Certain Time
The average person has about 2-3 cups of coffee throughout the morning. Boy I’m not average.
Let’s brew another pot! Still, you should stop drinking coffee around 2 or 3pm so that
you don’t have trouble falling asleep later that night.
Obviously, coffee contains caffeine
– that’s why we love it! – and too much of it can disrupt your sleep pattern, especially
if you have trouble sleeping anyway. It’s totally possible to get addicted to caffeine,
so don’t chug the coffee all day – you don’t want it to become an unhealthy habit.
7. Use Filtered Water When Making Your Coffee Unfiltered tap water may add nasty metals
and other unwanted things to your coffee, which aren’t great for you. Double check
with your Water utility about your water quality if you have questions. Otherwise, Your coffee
may taste way better if you use fresh, filtered water; it might really enhance your java experience!
And filtered water may just be all-around better for you. Do a side-by-side test and
see if you can taste the difference for yourself! 8. Drink a Cup of Coffee 30 Minutes Pre-Workout
Of course, the antioxidants come into play here – the healthier you are, the more you
can maximize your workout! Drinking a cup of coffee before your workout will also give
you a small, healthy dose of caffeine that will increase your adrenaline and make you
want to work out harder and longer. It also increases our “fight or flight” hormone,
so that we’re really ready to exercise and burn off some steam.
A cup or two of coffee
30 minutes before your workout is a great natural and healthy alternative to those pre-workout
supplements! 9. The Right Amount of Coffee Improves Brain
Function Calculate what your optimum amount of caffeine
is according to your weight – there’s an actual formula to go by (your doctor can
help you with this). Of course, everyone is different – we all have different medical
histories, different weights, and caffeine tolerance.
But if you drink just the right
amount of coffee, you’ll notice improved memory, reaction time, and overall better
and quicker brain function. And best of all – coffee will boost your mood! Sign me up
– I can always use a brain boost! 10. Try “Sparkling Coffee” To Kick Your
Soda Habit Yeah, it’s a thing! All soda is bad for
you – even diet soda – so eliminating it from your diet is a huge plus for your
body. Get yourself a nice carbonated cold brew and add organic lemon juice and organic
sugar. You can add other healthy ingredients, such as ginger hibiscus, to get some flavor
and added health benefits. Ginger hibiscus, for example, not only contains more antioxidants,
but electrolytes too, so you’ll stay hydrated! (The electrolytes also help with your workouts!)
11.
Bulletproof Coffee Ever heard of it? Just add grass-fed butter
and coconut oil (or coconut milk) to your black coffee! I know, sounds kinda weird…but
if you really want to pack your coffee with a health punch, adding these ingredients will
give you the fats that are actually good for you, and will add an extra zing of energy
to your coffee! A couple cups of bulletproof coffee in the morning should easily get you
through to lunchtime. 12. Using Recyclable Paper Filters
Sure, those reusable filters create less waste, but using recyclable paper filters results
in your coffee getting brewed in a healthier way! As healthy as black coffee is, it does
contain two compounds that are bad for our cholesterol: cafestol and kahweol. Paper filters
will filter these compounds out of your coffee, so that you’re getting a totally healthy
cup of java! 13. Add Turmeric to Your Coffee
This is a fairly new coffee trend. Turmeric is a spice that has tons of health benefits
– it’s great for your immune system and is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties.
It might sound like an odd spice to add to black coffee, but it’s said to taste really
good – like a ginger latte! 14.
Choose Organic Coffee
Yeah, it may be a little more expensive, but organic coffee won’t have all that processing
stuff done to it like the leading brand of coffee at the store will. Plus the flavor
of organic coffee will be better, bolder, and richer. You’ll be getting a truly unfiltered
version of those antioxidants and other health benefits of black coffee. And even better:
huge efforts are being made to establish fair trade when it comes to coffee in general,
even organic coffee. Pro tip: try grinding organic coffee beans at home. You’ll get
a much richer taste and smoother texture. You can experiment with how course or fine
to grind your beans to find your perfect cup! 15. Black Coffee Can Keep Depression at Bay
To get the full benefit of the mood-lifting elements of coffee, don’t dilute it with
creamers, sugars, and syrups. In a fancy study by Harvard, people who drank black coffee
had a 20% lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers. Just that first whiff of coffee
in the morning perks us up! The smell and the taste of coffee is an instant mood-lifter.
16.
Enjoy A Cup After Lunch to Promote a Healthy Weight
Try drinking a cup of black coffee or a cappuccino after lunch. It’s relaxing, and just plain
yummy with most desserts. On top of that, though, coffee and its precious caffeine cause
the body to digest your food more slowly, while also raising your metabolic rate. In
other words, black coffee is good for your metabolism! Keep in mind that coffee isn’t
the magic answer to weight loss, but a good metabolism promotes a healthy weight.
So hey there! Are there any coffee health benefits you know about that we didn’t mention
here? If so, let me know down in the comments! If you learned something from this video,
give it a like and share it with a friend! But don’t go brewing a fresh pot of joe
just yet – we have over 2,000 cool videos for you to sip on! Just click on the left
or right video, and enjoy.
Remember: Stay on the Bright Side of life!.
