Oh, coffee… how I love thee.
When I go to bed at night, I always get excited thinking about that big, beautiful cup of coffee that awaits me in the morning. Seriously. Every night. Don’t tell me I’m the only one.
So when I see headlines touting the many health benefits of coffee (instead of slamming it) I GET EXCITED! Claims like…
“Drinking coffee makes you live longer!”
or…
“Those who drink 3 cups of coffee or more per day are less likely to have heart disease.”
Ok, I totally made those up, BUT I swear I’ve read those before, then fist-pumped with one hand while I poured myself another cup.
But as much as I LOVE COFFEE, I also know that its health benefits can quickly be outweighed by some bad habits. We have to treat coffee with respect or it will wreck our bodies—namely in regards to adrenal fatigue, blood sugar imbalances, weight gain, and inflammation.
However, the good news is we can implement the following few tips to make that coffee a healthy part of our day (and NEVER have to give it up!)
7 Ways to Keep Coffee Healthy
Drink ORGANIC Coffee
Non-organic coffee is LOADED with pesticides that can make you super sick. Choose organic coffee beans which are minimally processed to help limit your toxic load.
Stick to Just Coffee.
Avoid all the sugary and calorie-laden coffee drinks! Yes, I know you love your unicorn-mocha-frappuccino-whatever but they carry with them as many calories as a meal should be… and over 50 grams (PLUS) of sugar in 16 ounces. Plus, true coffee lovers know, those drinks can’t REALLY be classified as a coffee drink anyway.
Drastically Reduce (Or Eliminate) Sugar
Whether you are adding spoonfuls of sugar to your coffee or get a Starbucks coffee drink with syrup, chocolate, AND whipped cream (ahem, above)… you gotta cut back. It’s not just your waistline that will feel and see it either. We’re talking major sugar-related health conditions like hormonal imbalances, blood sugar issues, difficulty sleeping, adrenal distress and/ or leaky gut and gut health issues.
Use Natural Sweeteners
Listen, I’m not a black coffee kind of girl. I mean, haven’t you read that article that says black coffee drinkers are psychopaths??? But seriously, you need to ditch the fake creamers and sugar substitutes. They’re terrible for you in so many ways — just use the real stuff. I personally prefer organic heavy whipping cream with a splash of maple syrup. YUM!
Add Healthy Fats and Collagen Peptides
Wait, what? Add this stuff to your coffee?? Yep, that’s what I’m saying. Collagen peptides will give your coffee a healthy boost of protein, and butter/coconut oil/MCT oil will provide important fats that your blood sugar levels and adrenals will thank you for.
Drink Your Coffee With Food
Now if you’re making full up bulletproof coffee, you can skip this one. But TBH, I would still recommend adding a bit of food with your coffee. A handful of nuts, a scrambled egg, even a couple slices of bacon will make your body a whole lot healthier and happier when you’re chugging that gorgeous java.
Limit the Amount and Only Drink Coffee In the Mornings
We all know we shouldn’t drink coffee all day long, right? Keep it to 2-3 cups and cut yourself off after 2pm at the latest. Excess caffeine really does mess with your cortisol levels and sleep patterns… and we need sleep to give our bodies the proper time to repair and reset.
BONUS MORNING TIP
A little tip I like to share with my clients and community is to prep your body before you drink your morning coffee.
A cup of warm lemon water or a glass of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) really stimulates the production of stomach acid. This helps get your digestive system working properly and can help if coffee ever makes you feel any kind of discomfort—acid reflux, nausea, and overly jittery to name a few. Try to do this about 30 minutes before you take a sip of that cuppa joe.
