Making healthy choices is easier said than done – especially during stressful periods such as lockdown.
The best way to start though is through small lifestyle changes. Take note of your daily habits and analyse where positive amendments can be made.
70 million cups of coffee are consumed daily in the UK, for some people it’s an integral part of their daily routine and is needed to start their day.
Unfortunately, many coffee drinkers add to their waistline by consuming popular coffee shop beverages.
Whilst they taste great, they are typically full of extra sugar and calories. With the nation in lockdown again, and WFH still the regular, you can use your home surroundings to your advantage and make your coffee cup work for you.
To share the 5 ways to make your coffee habit healthier, Lewis Spencer, coffee expert at Coffee-Direct.co.uk reveals all.
1) Drink it black
When consumed without any added extras, black coffee can provide the energy you need with near to no calories.
This can be difficult to implement into your lifestyle, especially if your preference is sweet coffee, but the popular additions of milk and sugar among other flavours are the contributors to your calories.
Black coffee is rich in antioxidants and contains high levels of calcium, vitamin B2 and magnesium.
2) Avoid artificial creamers
Most artificial coffee creamers aren’t made from cream. They get their rich and creamy properties from thickening agents and emulsifiers.
Therefore, artificial creamers can make your coffee taste bolder than usual. Although the contents of coffee creamers vary between brands, whole milk or cream is a better option if you prefer a velvet taste.
Whole milk is an excellent source of protein and is full of nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium.
3) Add a dash of cinnamon
If you prefer your coffee sweet, cinnamon is a healthier alternative to sugar. One teaspoon of sugar has around 20 calories.
Cinnamon has a naturally sweet flavour, so stirring some into your mug is a great way to cut down your calorie intake.
It also suppresses your appetite meaning you will feel satisfied for longer and snack less in between meals. Cinnamon is full of great nutrients such as iron, fibre and Vitamin K.
4) Drink decaffeinated coffee
Like caffeinated coffee, decaff coffee contains virtually no calories if consumed black.
Traditional decaffeination processes would strip beans of their caffeine content at the cost of flavour.
As an alternative, Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee is 100% natural and uses carbon filters to remove caffeine, leaving beans which are full of flavour.
Alongside antioxidants, decaf coffee has some nutritional benefits. One cup of brewed decaf coffee provides 2.4% of the recommended daily intake of magnesium, 4.8% of potassium and 2.5% of niacin or vitamin B3.
5) Slowly decrease your sugar intake
If you don’t wish to substitute your sugar, try to limit your intake. Instead of pouring from a large container, use pre-measured packets.
Try to use one packet per consumption and gradually decrease the use over time until you use only a fraction of the packet or eliminate it altogether.
This method will make you aware of your consumption and decrease the amount of sugar you’re putting into your coffee.