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Coffee is an essential part of the morning to many people, and some research finds it can be good for you. But with a few tweaks, you can make your coffee habit even healthier.
- Don’t have coffee—and only coffee—for breakfast- If your morning meal consists of just drinking a few cups of coffee, registered dietitian Adina Pearson cautions that’s just not enough. She says, “You can’t run on caffeine, you need food - carbs, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and fiber - for overall health.
- Top it off with cinnamon- Shake a little of the spice on your cup of joe and it’s instantly better for you, thanks in part to the antioxidant properties in cinnamon. It’s also been shown to lower blood sugar, plus adding spices can add sweetness without adding calories, so it could help you cut back on sugar.
- Only use filtered water- When you brew coffee, stick to filtered water, not just for the taste, but because that way you’re not getting any chlorine or unwanted heavy metals, like lead or copper, in it.
- Don’t use a Keurig- Not only are all those little plastic K-cups bad for the environment, you’re also exposing yourself to plastic that’s been heated. Plus, Keurig coffee makers tend to get dirty, fast, and mold and bacteria in their water tanks can be a concern.
- Always use paper filters- These remove two compounds that raise cholesterol.
- Skip syrups and go organic- If you don’t drink your coffee black, be picky about what you add to your cup. That nonfat, sugar-free vanilla syrup may seem like a healthy choice because it’s low-cal, but it’s made with a lot of less than healthy ingredients. You’re better off with organic cream and organic sugar, which don’t have artificial flavors, sweeteners or other additives.