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If you feel guilty every time you sip on some coffee just because of the numerous claims that link it to ill health, you have nothing to be sorry for. That's because contrary to what we have known for years, coffee is actually good for health!
While coffee had been linked with increased risk of cancer and heart disease, recent studies associate regular coffee consumption with decreased cardiovascular and overall mortality. Coffee also reduces the risk of diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, type-2 diabetes, oral and liver cancer, depression, etc. and improves cognitive function.
Coffee is packed with anti-oxidants and has a very low calorie count. However, it's important to drink coffee in moderation. Excess coffee can certainly do more harm than good. You're sure to remain healthy if you adopt healthy coffee drinking practices.
Here are some tips to ensure your cuppa is a healthy one.
Know What to Add to Your Cuppa
A cup of coffee on its own has very few calories. Load it with sugar and whole milk or cream, and you could easily consume over 100 calories. As such, stay away from sugar and dairy, and switch to drinking black coffee.
Of course, you won’t like it at first, but eventually, you’ll learn to love and appreciate the flavor of coffee. You might also discover that what you initially thought to be a caffeine rush was just a sugar rush!
Don’t let this little bit of advice make you sad. For those days when you want to reward yourself with a special treat, there are lots of things you can add to your coffee instead of going the cream and sugar way.
Know How to Brew Your Own Coffee
If you start brewing your own coffee, you’ll be able to control what you put into your cup better than when you rely on others to serve you the drink. You might not feel the need to brew your coffee because you probably feel that with just two ingredients- water and coffee, what could go wrong.
If you’re looking to drink healthier coffee, brewing your own cuppa can change everything.
The minute coffee beans are exposed to air, they start breaking down. The same applies to ground coffee too. The anti-oxidants in coffee start oxidizing once the beans are ground. As such, it’s better to buy whole beans and grind them by yourself to make your coffee.
Remember to grind only as much as you need to consume immediately.
Healthy coffee starts with healthy beans. Several companies sell organic coffee beans that have been grown in the shade and without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. Furthermore, as these beans are grown using natural farming methods, you know that no harm was caused to the environment.
Always look at the packaging and read labels before purchasing coffee beans.
Dark roasted beans have lower levels of caffeine in them. It has also been shown through studies that dark roasted beans are richer in anti-oxidants than light-roasted ones. So if you’re looking for healthy options, pick a pack of dark roasted organic coffee beans.
Do note that dark roasted beans tend to be bitter. If the bitterness is too much for you, go for flavored seeds or add a little cream to soften the taste of your brew.
You could also buy green coffee beans and roast them at home so you get freshly roasted and ground beans every time.
The right way to brew coffee is by using water that has just neared boiling point. While you won’t have to take note of this with most coffee makers, keep this in mind if you’re using a kettle.
Boiling water can make your brew bitter in taste. Also, use fresh tap water each time you brew your coffee. Using water that has been previously boiled will make your coffee taste different. Also, boiling water repeatedly leads to loss of oxygen and trace minerals that you don’t want to miss out on.
Brewed coffee contains diterpenes which are harmful as they can raise cholesterol levels. Use a filter paper to get rid of them.
Ensure that you’re using non-bleached filter paper to keep toxic disinfectants out of your cuppa.
Always use porcelain or glass mugs instead of plastic or Styrofoam cups as the latter can leach BPA or polystyrene molecules to leach into the brew. Furthermore, even paper cups lined with wax should be avoided.
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Know When to Avoid Coffee
The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant and is responsible for giving you that burst of energy when you drink coffee. It can also keep you awake which is why you need to avoid it before bedtime. Avoiding coffee at any time after 3 or 4 PM is a good habit.
Working late into the night with a cup of coffee by your side to keep you awake may seem like a great idea. But remember that the next morning when you feel groggy, you’ll inadvertently reach for a cup of coffee to snap back into action. While this is okay once in a while, repeat this for months on end and you could be headed for serious health issues.
Conclusion
By following these tips, you are sure to have a healthy cup of coffee each time. By following healthy drinking practices, you’ll certainly benefit from the goodness of coffee.
Korie Cantor has been working as a freelance writer for a long time. She has a diverse background in health and fitness. She loves sharing her opinions on the latest issues affecting women.