2023-04-30 11:30:48
Coffee is very powerful on its own, but can adding spices, supplements and other ingredients make it even healthier for you?
Espresso shots, cream and sugar were once the only options to add to your cup of coffee. Today, thanks to video-sharing platform TikTok and wellness influencers, a series of new, supposedly healthier options have been added to the coffee bar.
Coffee is no longer just a liquid vehicle for delivering caffeine. To enhance the already well-established benefits of a cup of coffee, people add powders, spices, and superfoods to “increase the health benefits of every drop.” Some do it because they believe these additions help them achieve different health goals, from improving skin to slimming waistlines.
1 Spices
Added spices like cinnamon and chicory root can infuse a distinctive taste and appealing aroma to your cup of coffee while providing an added health benefit. You can add ground spices to your coffee before or after brewing. If you add the spices after brewing, leave your freshly brewed coffee for five minutes to allow the flavors of the spices to fully infuse. Otherwise, it is best to whisk the spices in milk or vegetable milk before adding them to the brewed coffee.
Cinnamon, considered a “sweet spice,” is a great sugar substitute because it will sweeten your drink without the extra calories. In addition to its potential cardiometabolic and weight management benefits.
Chicory root comes in a ground form similar to coffee, so they can be brewed together. This is a great option for those who dislike the natural bitterness of coffee, and if you use enough of it, your regular cup of coffee will contain less caffeine since there will be less total coffee in this cup. In addition, chicory root has properties that promote digestion, thanks in particular to its inulin content.
2 Protein powder
Proffee, a concoction of protein powder and coffee, has gone viral on TikTok, with millions of people watching videos touting the combination as a protein pick-me-up with weight loss benefits. While adding the powder to any drink is a great way to get more protein into your diet, there’s a catch: the body can only digest so much protein at a time. . And, unless protein is digested properly, only a fraction of protein can be absorbed, regardless of the form in which it is ingested.
Research shows that adding 1.5 grams (g) of whey protein per kilogram of body weight each day to your diet helps reduce body fat, increase lean body mass, and maintain positive nitrogen balance. . But only 8-10g can be absorbed per hour, so with a transit time of around 90 minutes in the small intestine, the maximum amount of protein that can be absorbed is around 15g. Therefore, in order to benefit from the maximum amount of protein, it is best to spread your coffee intake throughout the day.
3 Cocoa powder
While giving the coffee a dessert taste, cocoa powder boosts its health qualities, especially thanks to antioxidants called polyphenols. Studies suggest that by including a significant amount of cocoa in the diet, its antioxidants may offer anti-inflammatory abilities as well as protection against factors of neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Cocoa powder also adds fiber to your cup: 2 g per tablespoon.
Keep in mind that cocoa powder contains quite a bit of caffeine, over 12 milligrams (mg) per tablespoon, so it will make your cup of caffeinated coffee a little more enjoyable, which may be a problem for some people. who need to limit their caffeine intake, such as pregnant women or people with high blood pressure or taking medication for anxiety. »
4 Butter
Dave Asprey popularized adding butter to coffee when he launched Bulletproof Coffee in 2011. It might not be for everyone, but butter in coffee may actually have real health benefits. .
Organic butter is high in CLA (conjugated linolenic acid), which some research indicates may aid in weight loss. While animal research has been more promising, human studies have yielded only modest weight loss. A review of 18 human studies showed that, compared to a placebo, supplementing with 3.2 g per day led to anecdotal weight loss. What we do know is that putting butter in coffee can suppress the appetite and help a person who incorporates intermittent fasting to use it as a bridge to support the fasting state in the morning hours. Doing this can definitely help promote fat and weight loss over time.
5 Citron
Lemon water and lemon-infused tea have been go-to wellness cocktails for decades, but a recent viral TikTok trend suggests adding citrus juice to coffee. The hashtag #lemoncoffee has garnered over eight million views, with speculation that combining the caffeinated stimulant with the fruit works as a weight loss aid.
There are a number of scientifically backed health benefits of lemon. New research shows that the higher the consumption of citrus fruits, the lower the risk of lung cancer. Lemon also offers possible neurological benefits through citrus flavonoids. However, putting lemon in your coffee won’t help you melt fat, prevent headaches, or treat diarrhea.
Lemon water can help get the “digestive engines moving”. A very small study in 10 people found that lemon juice increased stomach acid production. Therefore, if you add lemon to your coffee, think of it as a digestive aid and not just on an empty stomach.
6 Collagen Powder
Jennifer Aniston recently shared a video of her morning pick-me-up, which includes a scoop of her collagen cream. Collagen is a fibrous protein found in body tissues, such as bones, skin, muscles and tendons. It makes up about a third of total body protein, and is what gives these tissues their strength and elasticity. With age, the production of collagen decreases. One area that can be affected by this phenomenon is the skin, with less elasticity this means more wrinkles. It is also found in the joints, and just like skin, collagen levels can decline with age, and when this happens a person may be more prone to joint pain due to arthritis.
Collagen supplements come in a variety of forms, with powder being the easiest to add to beverages like coffee. One study showed that oral collagen supplementation (there are also lotions and creams) improved skin elasticity, dermal collagen density, and skin hydration. Additionally, other studies have shown that oral collagen supplementation may improve arthritis-related joint pain.
7 Baking soda
People have started adding this kitchen staple, aka baking soda, to coffee in hopes of neutralizing its acidic effects, as baking soda is alkaline. In theory, cutting high-acid (usually cheap) coffee with baking soda neutralizes the coffee’s natural acids and makes it easier to digest. In practice, however, that’s probably not such a good idea. A published case study of a 50-year-old man who had been mixing baking soda in his drinks for years as a home remedy for heartburn found that baking soda toxicity could cause heart problems.
Plus, as its chemical name suggests, baking soda is high in sodium, with over 1,200 mg in a teaspoon. So it probably doesn’t taste very pleasant either.
If coffee bothers you, you can always look for a low-acid variety (dark roasts and espresso usually have less).
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