If you’re a religious coffee drinker, chances are you have a specific concoction that you lean on. Mocha caramel swirl with two pumps of cream and three teaspoons of sugar? Sounds like an order that an American woman would place at her local Dunkin’ Donuts. Right?
In moderation, there’s nothing entirely wrong with that coffee recipe. But we can say that it’s not the healthiest blend you can get your hands on.
To help steer you in the right direction, we’ve come up with some additives that you can mix in your coffee that are NOT cream and sugar. Ya know, choices that’ll have your body saying “thank you.” Check ‘em out below.
Grass Fed Butter
Dave Asprey launched Bulletproof Coffee, and the rest is history. Now, when it comes to that cup of Joe and grass fed butter, people are not-shockingly falling in love. Why?
The simple explanation is that putting coffee in butter is delicious. Adds a hint of salty sweetness.
The more complex explanation is that grass fed butter is high in CLA, conjugated linolenic acid. Not only does research indicate that this component can aid in weight loss, but it can also keep you in the zone for intermittent fasting by suppressing your appetite.
Cacao Powder
Take cacao powder, unsweetened milk, and some espresso. Mix it together, what do you get? A healthy version of a cafe mocha with flavonoid antioxidants like catechins and anthocyanins. But why is that important?
Because you can experience optimum health benefits, like reduced inflammation, protection against cellular damage, AND better overall cardiovascular functioning. We’re checking a lot of winning boxes here.
Dark Chocolate
Did you know that chocolate is known to protect your skin from the sun a bit? Add in that it’s a super tasty snack that gets our salivary glands working, and there’s no reason we shouldn’t consume it from time to time. Right?
Well we’ve got one more fantastic idea; how about dropping a lil slab of dark chocolate into your coffee? Once melted, it’ll take your AM caffeine intake to the next level. Can everyone say mocha?
Cinnamon
Cinnamon-amin, mmm. Especially in your Fall made-at-home lattes. Sounds like a heavenly dream of a drink if you ask us.
What’s more is that cinnamon isn’t just a luscious addition to your daily java. It’s also been known to lower blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The health benefits are literally pouring into your mouth. Why not take advantage?
Vanilla Bean Extract
Duh, vanilla syrups are amazing in coffee. But what about some all natural vanilla bean extract? Take away the fake stuff and add in something that contains powerful antioxidants? Count us in!
The trick here is to make sure that your natural vanilla extract or vanilla bean is real, with zero synthetic ingredients. Be sure to check the label, or you may not get to reap the anti-inflammatory benefits. Plus, all-naturale provides minerals like magnesium and potassium.
Raw Honey
Some people have a sweet tooth that they just can’t kick to the curb. We get it. Some of our writers are on that ride, but instead of mixing sugar with caffeine, they choose to add raw honey.
Not only is the sticky substance delicious, elevating your morning cup of Joe with every sip, but it’s also jam packed with antioxidants to strengthen and nourish cells.
We’ll take it one step further and brag about raw honey’s ability to boost your immune system. It swipes away common cold symptoms, gets rid of a nagging sore throat, and helps prevent chronic diseases from taking root. Swapping the sugar or sugar alternative for this bad boy will please your taste buds AND keep you healthier. We like to call this a no brainer.