Ways to Make Your Coffee Better For You

Is your daily coffee habit a firm part of your routine? Maybe you regularly wander into the kitchen and start making a fresh cup without even thinking about it. For those girls who follow me on social media, you’ve probably already noticed that I love to have a Turkish coffee with my Yiayia and Papou. So don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you that you need to stop drinking coffee! Instead, let me explain how you can make your coffee better for you. 

What to add (and what to avoid!)

You might have guessed that I’m going to tell you it may be wise to skip the caramel flavouring, whipped cream topping, sprinkles, chocolate drizzle… you get the idea. When I say coffee, I mean your standard cup of coffee with no additives. If you can drink your coffee without any kind of sweetener, that is usually the healthiest option. If you feel like you need something to sweeten up your coffee, just be mindful of how much you’re adding, and how many cups you’re having a day. It can quickly add up! 

If you like the taste, you can try swapping cow’s milk for almond milk. Almond milk can help to balance some of the acidity in coffee. Personally, I like to have my coffee black, but occasionally I will add low-fat milk to it. 

How many cups a day?

Caffeine affects all of us differently. While some girls may be able to drink three cups a day and not feel any affects, others might be left with an upset stomach after drinking one. I’ve previously written about the effect coffee can have on your body (you can read that blog here), so knowing what works (or doesn’t work) for you is important. 

If you are following my healthy eating guides or the meal planners from the Sweat App, you’ll see I factor in one coffee per day from time to time. 
 

When should you drink your coffee? 

If you are trying to cut back to just one cup of coffee a day, there is some research to suggest the time of day you drink it makes a big difference. Maybe try having your first coffee later in the morning, instead of making a cup as soon as you get up each day.

There are a couple of reasons why this may work better for your body: 

• Firstly, your body has a natural ability to wake up, which is affected by cortisol production (a hormone that affects our alertness). In the morning, cortisol production is at it’s highest, because it’s trying to wake us up! If you have a cup of coffee around this time, it can disturb the body’s own wake-up signals. 
• Secondly, starting your day with coffee on an empty stomach can cause problems for your digestive system. Coffee can irritate the lining of the gut, so try to have something in your stomach before you have a cup. 

If you tend to have a coffee in the afternoon, try to drink it earlier, rather than later. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you might have trouble sleeping at night if you’re drinking coffee too late in the day. As I always say, everyone is different, so find what works best for YOUR body. 

Remember that while coffee does contain antioxidants, drinking too many cups a day can lead to some not-so-pleasant side effects. If you find yourself getting headaches, feeling restless or even having stomach pains, that may be your body’s way of telling you to cut back. 

Making your coffee better for you is a good place to start if you feel like the caffeine habit is taking hold. You can also try switching to green tea, or drink more water if you want to cut back on your coffee intake. You might be surprised at the difference that makes! 

Love, Kayla xx