The day isn’t complete if you don’t drink coffee. If that’s your principle, come on, check out the following tips and tricks for drinking healthy coffee.
Currently, coffee has become a mandatory requirement for every daily activity. It doesn’t feel complete without drinking coffee, right?
There are many benefits of drinking coffee for health. However, nowadays the habit of drinking coffee can have a bad impact on health because of improper serving and drinking methods.
To keep it delicious and healthy, check out the following tips for healthy drinking coffee.
1. Choose High-Quality Coffee
Coffee quality is very important. Organic coffee beans are better because they are without pesticides and harmful additives. According to research in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, organic coffee beans have higher levels of antioxidants.
Then, limit or even avoid drinking instant coffee. Instant coffee often contains additives and preservatives. It’s best to choose fresh coffee beans and brew them yourself to ensure quality and authenticity. According to Food Chemistry, fresh coffee has more bioactive compounds and antioxidants.
High antioxidants can ward off disease-causing free radicals and can strengthen your body’s immunity.
2. Avoid drinking coffee after 3 in the afternoon
Coffee is a source of high caffeine that can be obtained naturally and is classified as a stimulant. Therefore, it is not surprising that after drinking coffee you become more energetic and stay alert even though you are tired.
The effects of caffeine in the body will vary for each person. However, you should not drink coffee in the afternoon or even at night because it can disturb your sleep. Also pay attention to other sources of caffeine such as tea, soda or other energy drinks.
3. Avoid drinking coffee with added sugar
Various types of coffee ranging from cappuccino, and café latte, to iced milk coffee, can easily be found in coffee shops or cafes. Everyone has different tastes. But whatever your favorite coffee, you should avoid adding too much sugar to your coffee.
Based on research published in the journal Current Diabetes Reports in 2015, it was stated that consuming excessive sugar can increase your risk of developing diabetes and obesity.
4. Use Natural Sweeteners
Some people who are not used to drinking coffee certainly cannot stand the bitter taste of coffee beans. Instead of using granulated sugar or artificial sweeteners, you should choose natural sweeteners or flavorings such as dark chocolate powder or vanilla extract.
Not only is it healthy, of course, the taste of your coffee will be more “rich” and delicious.
You can also use sugar-substitute sweeteners such as sorbitol, xylitol, and stevia. Nowadays there are many choices of zero-calorie sugar substitute sweeteners that you can try according to your needs.
5. Mix in the Spices
Adding spices such as cinnamon or ginger to coffee can give it a richer taste without adding sugar. Additionally, spices have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential.
Based on research, apart from adding a unique taste, cinnamon can also help lower blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
6. Drink enough coffee
According to a study published in the journal Sleep, it was stated that excessive caffeine consumption can cause various side effects, although they can vary for each person.
Based on research conducted by Johns Hopkins University, drinking excessive coffee (more than 500 mg of caffeine or the equivalent of 5 cups of coffee) can make you experience headaches and fatigue.
Apart from that, drinking too much coffee can also cause diarrhea, anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, and stomach pain. According to a study published in the journal Advances in Nutrition, it is stated that caffeine consumption should not exceed 2.5 mg/kgBB/day.
So, the limit for drinking coffee a day is 4-5 small cups (equivalent to 400 mg of caffeine) a day. That’s even if you don’t have a certain medical history, yes. If you have a history of hypertension, heart disease, or other conditions, you must first consult a doctor about the safe limits for drinking coffee.
Then, for pregnant women, of course, the dose is not the same as for adults in general. Pregnant women are advised not to drink more than two cups of coffee. However, again, you should consult a doctor to be more certain about the safe dosage.
7. Avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach
Are you among those who have the habit of drinking coffee in the morning before breakfast or even coffee as a substitute for breakfast? Be careful, coffee is acidic so it can stimulate an increase in stomach acid and trigger complaints of heartburn.
The solution is that if you have a history of stomach ulcers, you should avoid drinking too much coffee. You should not drink coffee on an empty stomach, you should eat first before drinking coffee.
8. Make coffee using filter paper
Coffee brew contains the compound cafestol which can increase cholesterol. To overcome this, you can use a filter (in the form of a special paper). Even though not all of these compounds can be filtered optimally, this paper filter is quite effective in reducing the amount of cafestol.
However, still, those of you who have a history of hypertension, diabetes, and high blood clotting should avoid drinking coffee because it contains cafestol.
9. Drink coffee without milk or choose milk alternatives
Drinking coffee without milk is a good choice. However, if you want to add milk, choose low-fat milk or plant-based milk such as almond or soy. Low-fat milk has less saturated fat which is good for heart health.
10. Try Cold Brew Coffee
Are you a fan of black coffee? If so, you can try cold brew as your coffee choice. Cold brew coffee is a refreshing alternative, especially during hot weather.
Studies in Scientific Reports show that cold brew coffee has lower acid levels compared to hot coffee, so it is gentler on the stomach.
11. Stop consuming when uncomfortable
If you feel uncomfortable after drinking coffee, such as heart palpitations or anxiety, consider reducing or stopping your coffee consumption.
Everyone responds to caffeine in different ways. So, make sure you are sensitive and can hear the ‘alarms’ from your body, OK?
If you experience a condition after drinking coffee, don’t hesitate to immediately consult a doctor, it’s fast and practical!
12. Maintain body fluid intake
It is important to stay hydrated when consuming coffee. The caffeine in coffee has a diuretic effect which can cause fluid loss. Make sure to drink enough water throughout the day to maintain fluid balance.
Following the healthier way to drink coffee above can prevent you from various side effects and various health risks. For this reason, for those of you who are starting to try drinking coffee or are even coffee “addicts”, you should do some of the tips above, OK? Happy coffee making.