COFFEE MAY NOT BE THE ENEMY OF A HEALTHY DIET AFTER ALL

It seems as though every week there is a new study out about coffee; one week, it’ll kill you where you stand, the next week, it adds 10 years to your life expectancy. Well, it’s happened again. Last week, a government advisory committee published a preliminary report on America’s favorite beverage, as well as topics ranging from eggs to sodium intake. The advisory committee, whose seats are filled by dietitians and nutritionists, has come out saying that coffee is no longer the menace to health that it once was.

COFFEE: BACK TO BASICS

American’s consume around 400 million cups of coffee daily. But those 400 million cups aren’t just filled with brewed coffee. Lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and cortados all contain milk, not to mention anything that gets added into them after they get into your hands. Your typical flavored coffee creamer contains 35 calories and 5 grams of sugar per serving, and lets face it, do you really measure out one tablespoon of creamer? The study put out last week recommends getting only ten percent, or 200 calories, of daily caloric intake from sugar. The average American drinks 3 cups of coffee a day, making those 3 cups worth 105 calories out of the recommended 200. Why not skip out on the empty calories and enjoy your morning joe the way it was meant to be?

DIETARY BENEFITS

Now that we’ve removed those useless calories from your cup, why not take a look at what this cup of coffee can do for you without all the sugars and fat from creamer? Coffee, according to a 2005 study from the University of Scranton, is the number one source of antioxidants in the American diet. Antioxidants like the ones found in coffee have been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and cancer. But that doesn’t mean you should supplement coffee for the fresh fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of antioxidants as well. Certain studies have also shown that drinking between one and three cups of coffee per day can lower the risk for heart rhythm disturbances that contribute to stroke and heart attack. One group even found that you didn’t have to drink coffee at all to get it’s ‘peppy’ benefits: when lab rats were made to sniff coffee beans, their bodies produced proteins that have been shown to lessen stress-related damage to the nervous system.

So the next time you’re at Starbucks, or even at home, stray away from the double-mocha-half-caf-Frappuccino with three pumps of sugar. Stick with the normal black cup-of-joe and cut those other loose calories out of your diet.

Not a fan of coffee without the cream and sugar? Are you looking for a natural source of energy without the added caffeine, or are you looking for a way to supplement vitamin intake while getting that morning boost? Come check out Vemma, the line of nutritional drinks that can bring you all the benefits of coffee and many more.

Sources:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-08/acs-cin081905.php
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DIETARY_GUIDELINES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://www.livescience.com/2614-whiff-coffee-wake.html
http://www.e-importz.com/coffee-statistics.php