I’ve been drinking coffee for most of my life now, ever since I had my first cup as a teenager, and I’ve been reaping the benefits of it ever since.
Over time, I’ve noticed that there’s all types of different coffee drinkers, from regular brewed coffee, to cappuccinos, lattes, americanos and others. But the one crowd that has always baffle me are the ones who take their coffee black.
I’m so used to having some form of cream or milk in my coffee and rarely even think about drinking it black unless I don’t have any other choice.
So other than the unusual taste of straight black coffee, just why do some people drink their coffee black? And is it better for you?
Black Coffee has zero sugar
If there, were one clear advantage to drinking my coffee black, this is it. An eight-ounce cup of black coffee contains no sugar and if your’re a regular black coffee drinker, you don’t have to worry about adding to your daily intake of sugar.
And it’s not just coming from the sugar or coffee sweetener being added to sweeten things up. It’s also in the creamer, the flavored syrup, and any other additional toppings or condiments.
Sugar is the one thing that I’m constantly thinking about in my diet, which is why I haven’t added sugar or sweet-n-low to my coffee in years. Although I do enjoy the taste of creamer in my cups, I’m starting to become more conscious of the sugar content in these products and watching how much I add to each cup.
But I still have to admit, drinking my coffee black, straight from the coffee pot, would be a lot better!
Black Coffee has lower calories
When I think of coffee drinkers nowadays, I can’t help to think of some the drink that I see in these cafes and coffee shops. And I’m not talking about eight-ounce cups, but sometimes Grande, large, and venti size drinks, topped with whip cream, foam, extra milk, flavor, some of these drinks have more calories in them than my dinner!
A 32-ounce frozen coffee with cream and caramel flavor? 1,060 calories!
How about a Caribou Coffee Chocolate Caramel Truffle Mocha Cooler? Over 1,300 calories!
And when the holidays roll around and you’re in the mood for a seasonal drink, maybe try a large Coffee EggNog Latte with only 700 calories.
I definitely enjoy an occasional treat, especially when I see a seasonal or holiday drink on the menu, but for anyone drinking these drinks on a regular basis? This amount of sugar can’t be good on your diet or your waistline.
Black Coffee may be better for your metabolism
When it comes to boosting our metabolism, caffeine can play an important role in helping out body burn those calories into energy.
We know how caffeine can help jump start us in the morning and help to wake up our brain, muscles, and nervous system. But I only recently discovered how it can assist me in burning fat – assuming I’m doing everything else, in getting the proper amount of exercise and diet.
It turns out the reaching for the first cup of coffee in the morning has its positive benefits. Along with proper exercise, a morning cup of coffee can help us hit some of our weight loss goals.
One study published in Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism shows that twelve healthy male volunteers raised their metabolic rates when consuming at least 200 mg of caffeine in their coffee.
This may be one of the reasons I sometimes may find an athlete reaching for a black cup of coffee around workout time.
Black Coffee is just cheaper
This is a no-brainer. A regular cup of plain black coffee is jsut plain cheap and won’t break the bank. You can go anywhere – into a diner, a restaurant, gas station and find this as the cheapest option if you’re looking for a hot drink to go.
Even at these corporate coffee chains with their overpriced menus, a regular cup of black coffee may cost you a couple of dollars plus tax – but it’s still the cheapest option on their menu. Even cheaper than the bottled water!
Sometimes simpler is not only better, but healthier too!
Conclusion
What are your thoughts? Do you take your coffee black? Are you reaping some of the benefits of drinking black coffee?
