Why Should You Avoid Adding Sugar to Coffee
Sugar is a common request when ordering coffee. But since we’ve seen tons of fitness researches about benefits of only drinking black coffee, do we really think about how bad about adding sugar to coffee? What kind of substitutes can be found when we cannot get used to black coffee but want to avoid adding sugar to coffee simultaneously? How to drink coffee healthily?
How does sugar affect our body?
A drink you buy at Starbucks could contain up to 25 teaspoons of sugar per serving, according to a new report by British campaign group Action on Sugar. That’s three times the amount of sugar in one can of Coke, and more than three times the maximum adult daily intake recommended by the American Heart Association.
When you are consuming sugar in hot drinks, it’s easy to drink a large volume of liquid in a short time, and any sugar it contains is very rapidly absorbed into the body. It would, for example, be much harder to consume the same amount of sugar if it was in the form of rice.
It’s one of the particular problems with sugary hot drinks. As everyone knows we have a peak in sugar levels in the blood, what goes up must come down. The pancreas releases lots of insulin in response. A very high rise and rapid fall of sugar in the bloodstream may be bad for health, what’s more, it may put people at risk of laying down of fat under the skin and, more worryingly, in the guts, liver and pancreas.
How to sweeten coffee without sugar?
If you are used to the hyper-sweetened drinks from coffee shops, these healthier substitutes below might be helpful.
- Cinnamon–Adding cinnamon to your coffee adds a hint of sweetness and also provides the immune system with a boost, which we can all use in the morning! You just need to sprinkle a little bit on top, but if you would like to vary the flavor you can also try nutmeg or cardamom.
- Cocoa Powder–Cocoa can provide important antioxidants which can increase the overall quality of your morning coffee. A small amount can be stirred into the coffee itself or into the grounds before brewing.
- Vanilla Extract or Almond Extract–It’s naturally sweet on its own and is an amazing way to wean yourself off of using added sugar or sweeteners. Just stir in a couple drops.
When you start implementing these healthier substitutes your body will start to crave them – and the cravings for sugar become less and less.
That doesn’t mean we have to avoid adding sugar to coffee, or suggest sugar-loving coffee enthusiasts try our coffee without sugar first. I always suggest having a taste before deciding whether or not to add sweeteners. We try food before adding salt, so why not adopt the same policy?