Coffees come in all shapes and sizes, and in various forms. So, what is the healthiest type of coffee to drink? Although we don’t wish to discriminate among the types of coffee, it’s an undeniable fact that some forms of coffee are healthier than others.
What Is The Healthiest Type Of Coffee To Drink? We all must have heard the infamous statement – black coffee is the healthiest. While that is true, the health factor of coffee also gets determined by various other factors, for instance, the quantity of milk and sugar added can make the coffee less healthy. The amount of coffee consumed in a day and if you make your cup of coffee at home instead of heading out to a cafe also contribute to the same.
If you cannot take your coffee pure black, you can use vegan milk or other milk alternatives, and you can switch out your sugar for a sugar-free add-in to make your coffee healthier. You can also add some spices like cinnamon or some coca to your coffee. This will not only make it healthier but also give it some taste, and who doesn’t like some chocolate in their hot drink.
Also organic and good quality coffee will give you good quality healthy coffee. You shouldn’t consume coffee on an empty stomach or consume more than 3 to 5 cups a day. Adding almond or other milk alternatives will help you reduce down the calories and helps you get more health out of your drink
Table of Contents
Types Of Healthy Coffee
- Almond Milk Latte
- Flat White
- Soy Flat White
- Long Black
- Skimmed Cappuccino
- Piccolo Latte
- Mocha
Do Different Types Of Coffee Affect Your Health Differently?
In a word, Yes.
Use beans that are roasted fresh and which have been lightly roasted, also choose filter coffee because the filter paper will absorb most of the coffee oils which will help filter some compounds which raise cholesterol levels thus making it a healthier version. One cup of fresh black filter coffee will give your day a perfect start.
What Is The Healthiest Type Of Coffee To Drink, Here Are Some Suggestions
Almond Milk Latte
If you are in a position where cow’s milk disagrees with your stomach or you’re just looking for a vegan option, almond milk is a great alternative. In the past few years, almond milk has been gaining some visible recognition and popularity worldwide. Substituting your regular coffee with an almond milk latte is a considerable choice. Just be certain that you are consuming the unsweetened type of almond milk.
Flat White
A flat white is a simple coffee made using a single shot of espresso combined with two parts of steamed milk, which is better for your body overall. You can either use full cream milk, which consists of about 10 grams of fat per cup or you can interchange it for fat-free or skim milk which has almost no fat at all, despite the fact that some fat may help you to stay full for longer. Using cow’s milk has its own benefits for it contains a lot of protein, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Soy Flat White
Another great vegan substitute for regular milk is soy milk. Full fat soy milk does have identical calorie content when compared to full cream cow’s milk. But it has been tried and tested and has justified the fact that it helps in the management of cholesterol levels in our bodies.
Long Blacks
A long black coffee is one of the best options to fulfill your coffee cravings as well as keep your health on track. Be cautious to not add pilling amounts of sugar to it to get rid of the bitter taste. Long blacks are about 4 calories per serve. You can add milk and sugar to your pleasing but that will result in that number rising upwards.
Skimmed Cappuccino
A cappuccino consists of one-third of it being milk, one-third froth, and the remaining one-third is a single shot of espresso. For someone who loves milk and would much rather have cow’s milk than its substitutes, skim milk cappuccino is the way to go. It not only gives you all the benefits of regular milk, but it also helps you not consume the calories that come with full cream milk. You can jazz it up further by adding a dash of cinnamon, which helps boost your metabolism or sprinkle some chocolate, because why not!
Piccolo Latte
This is a mini version of latte with just 45-50 calories with full cream milk and 25 or less if you use skimmed milk. This is best for someone who enjoys their coffee but does not like the extra milk and calories.
Mocha
Mocha is just a more chocolatey and richer form of a latte. When you add an extra shot of chocolate syrup to an old-fashioned latte, what you get is mocha. A regular mocha would usually contain about 160 calories and 6 grams of fat. To make it healthier you can swap out the full cream milk for skimmed milk or you can also use the plant-based alternatives of milk. This is a perfect drink for the sweet tooth in your heart.
Some Ways You Can Make Your Coffee Healthier
Brew Your Own Coffee
Research has proven that lightly roasted coffee beans have superior levels of antioxidants, such as hydroxycinnamic acids, chlorogenic acid, and polyphenols. Antioxidants protect your body and neutralize free radicals which ultimately help you avoid numerous diseases including heart diseases, cancer, etc. Coffee, in general, contains a lot of antioxidants, but lightly roasted beans are richer in this matter than darkly roasted beans.
Opt For Organic Coffee Brands
Organic coffee beans are overall better than regular coffee beans for they are grown in the absence of pesticides and other unnatural and synthetic fertilizers. All these pesticides and fertilizers leave traces of themselves even after the coffee has gone through the entire cycle of processing and is ready to be consumed. We as consumers end up ingesting these harmful chemicals which results in numerous types of diseases.
These pesticides and fertilizers also cause a lot of harm to our planet and the farmers. It causes farmers to develop breathings and other breathing illnesses. These chemicals seep into the soil and over the period of just a few cycles of cultivation, it degrades the quality of the soil and results in infertility of the soil. A lot of brands claim that their coffee is organic but you can never be too careful. Hence, we need to make sure that the coffee we buy is organic.
Always Brew Your Coffee In Filtered Water
Filtering your water, not just to be safe but filtering your water removes potentially harmful chemicals like lead and nitrates. Tap water contains chemicals that are unregulated and they are too lenient for those chemicals that are used infiltration.
You can also ask your water utility company to provide you with an annual water quality report, this will tell you more and in detail about the potentially harmful substances in your local water. This will also help you to decide what type of filter you need to purchase, pick a filter that removes such problematic chemicals from your water, and which has the International certification.
Avoid Drinking Coffee On An Empty Stomach
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can lead to various health risks which can damage your stomach lining, increasing anxiety and it is also really unhealthy. You can simply prevent this by having your breakfast with or before your morning cup of freshness. Also remember to not drink excess coffee and keep it under 3-5 cups a day, if possible avoid coffee after 5 pm or if you enjoy your coffee black make sure to add your choice of milk and don’t opt for dark coffee because coffee after 5 pm can interrupt with your sleep pattern.
Drink No More Than 3-5 Cups Of Coffee Per Day
Coffee, as you know, contains a lot of caffeine. An average cup of coffee (8oz or 237 grams) contains about 95 mg of caffeine. Our human body can only consume about 400 mg of coffee in a day and without having any damaging effects. Hence the USDA 2015-20 Dietary Guidelines affirm that consumption of 3 to 5 cups of coffee (8 oz or 237 grams per cup) is a good amount to be consumed on a daily basis.
Drink Black Coffee
Black coffee not only has the lowest calories per serving but it’s also coffee at its healthiest. Adding sugar, cream, milk, and syrups can not only make it unhealthy but also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, If you can, always go for black coffee you can add some spices or cinnamon for some taste.
Try Almond Milk
If you aren’t allergic to nuts, then this is for you. Almond milk is one of the best and healthiest milk for your cup of coffee. Whole milk keeps your coffee at around 180 calories, almond milk will keep your coffee under 100 calories. Also, almond milk will give you additional nutrients with a fresh new flavor.
Skip Sugar
Sugary drinks have been associated with numerous forms of health issues and diseases including obesity and diseases that arise from it, diabetes, tooth decay, and various forms of heart diseases. Consumption of unsweetened, black coffee is one of the best ways to drink coffee. But if you are someone who needs some sweetness to your coffee you can always use a lesser amount of sugar or completely swap it out for some honey or artificial sweetener.
Although, research says that artificial sweeteners can cause a lot of harm to your health. Hence, taking small and limited doses of sugar with your coffee is a better alternative than using artificial sweeteners. Although the elimination of sugar is the best way to go, maintaining a healthy diet will ensure that some sugar in your coffee won’t do much or no harm at all.
Use Fat-Free Milk
If you can’t get used to black coffee or if it’s not your thing, you can add some non-fat milk instead of adding whole milk or cream. Because whole milk and creams are high in calories and fats which can add up over time. Low-fat soy, rice, or almond milk are some good substitutes for non-fat cow milk, they may not mix or go with your coffee for their reasons and also have a different taste making your coffee taste somewhat different.
Adding Chocolate To Your Coffee
Adding chocolate can be in the form of dark chocolate or unsweetened cocoa, this can be added to any coffee. The real secret is moderation. This gives your coffee numerous health benefits like, potentially preventing cancer, helping balance cholesterol. Plus another reason to add chocolate to your drink.
Adding Butter To Your Coffee
Yes, Butter. Adding unsalted, grass-fed butter to your coffee can give it an energy boost without the need for added sugar or cream. Add a small amount of butter and use a blender to give it a nice froth, this tastes like a homemade latte. This is also known as Bulletproof coffee.
Try Cinnamon
Have you not noticed a bottle of cinnamon sitting on your cafe’s countertop, that is not there just for decoration. Adding cinnamon can give your coffee several health benefits like, help reduce inflammation through your body, keeping your heart healthy, and can also help balance blood sugar. It’s also very tasty and gives your coffee warmth, is that not enough to add it already.
Spice Up Your Coffee
Adding sugar, cream, syrups, and other additives for flavor which make your coffee unhealthy you can go for all-natural flavors from spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom are some natural flavors for your coffee that are also full of nutrients like vitamin C, manganese, zinc, and potassium, these are just from cardamom. Every spice will have its whole abundance of flavors and goodness.
Change Your Lifestyle To Get Utmost Health Benefits
Improvement of health should involve much more than just the consumption of coffee. If you wish to see visible results in your health then you should add some kind of physical exercise regimen. You can opt for gyming, ZUMBA, yoga, etc. you should also maintain a healthy and balanced diet, making sure you are getting all the nutrients according to your body’s requirements.
You also should add a lot of fruits and vegetables to your diet. Drinking a healthy form of coffee along with exercising and consuming a balanced diet will give you visible results. Coffee can work as an aid, an assistant to your journey towards a healthy mind and body.
Everyone Reacts Differently To Different Levels Of Coffee
Coffee can act as a shield between you and various diseases including some types of cancers, type II diabetes, certain heart diseases, Parkinson’s, etc. But coffee does have different effects on different people. It can work well on some and not so well on others.
Some people may develop irregular heart palpitations. If you feel that your heart is starting to race and you feel uncomfortable, then it’s advised to stop drinking for the day and to reevaluate the quantity of coffee that you should be consuming.
Does Coffee Benefits Your Health
Surprisingly yes, here are a couple of proven health benefits. Consuming coffee improves memory, energy level, and mood. Coffee can also be used as a pre-workout drink because of various reasons like it helps you disguise signs of fatigue, improves your fat-burning potential, and can improve your metabolic rate, this allows athletes to push themselves further.
It is further loaded with essential vitamins like B12 and B5, manganese, potassium, and nutrients.
Calories In Different Types Of Coffee
| Type Of Coffee | Calories |
| Almond Milk Latte | 66 calories |
| Flat White | 160 calories |
| Soy Flat White | 150 calories |
| Long Black | 4 calories |
| Skimmed Cappuccino | 90 calories |
| Piccolo Latte | 50 calories |
| Mocha | 170 calories |
Disclaimer: The above-mentioned methods may affect different people in unique ways. Your results may vary from others and that is completely okay. You may get different side effects too and hence it’s advisable to talk to your nutritionist beforehand. Black Coffee is not meant to be a replacement for your food. If you have disordered eating or any other problems related to eating, we recommend you to see a professional.
