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Coffee is a morning staple for most people because it provides energy to get through the day even on a minimal night’s sleep. However, coffee also has a number of other health benefits that can help you to lose weight and even boost your metabolism depending on how it’s prepared. Overloading your morning cup of joe with sweeteners and creamer will make weight loss difficult, so according to a registered dietitian, this is the best way to prepare your coffee in order to reap the most health benefits.
Overly sweetened coffee may be delicious, but you’ll be better off flavoring your cup with just a splash of plant based milk to achieve the best weight loss results. Registered dietitian Shena Jaramillo explains, “Sweetening with a bit of almond milk or even chocolate almond milk versus commercial coffee creamers may be satisfying as well as reduce total caloric intake associated with coffee.”
On its own, coffee is loaded with antioxidants, making it great for weight loss and to boost your metabolism. However, when it becomes overloaded with added ingredients, the coffee begins to lose its nutritional value. “When it comes to coffee creamers and staying on track with weight loss it's good to use as little as you can get away with. A flavored creamer will typically contain more calories than a standard half and half. For example, half and half contains about 40 calories per 2 tbsp while the french vanilla creamer around 70. We can offset this difference by choosing a sugar free flavored creamer if we prefer the taste of sweetened coffee,” warns Jaramillo.
Plant based creamers and low calorie sweeteners are great for aiding in weight loss because they don’t make much of an impact on your daily intake, allowing you to consume your calories through healthier and more nutritiously dense meals across the day. According to Healthline, oat milk is a particularly great sweetener that actually contains a number of benefits. “Oat milk is naturally sweet from the oats and high in carbs. It’s unusual in that it contains some soluble fiber, which makes oat milk a bit creamier. Soluble fiber absorbs water and turns into a gel during digestion, which helps slow digestion and keeps you full for longer. It can also help stabilize your blood sugar levels.”
Total body weight loss comes from an overall calorie deficit each day, and it’s easier to maintain this deficit without drinking your calories. Coffee is a morning staple for a reason, but it can easily become an unhealthy habit when you’re buying sweet beverages each morning or doubling down on delicious but calorie dense sweeteners. The best way to craft your coffee for weight loss is with a splash of plant milk or even nothing at all to get the energy boost without the sugar.
