If you’re a coffee lover and looking for a way to add not only flavor to your morning cup, but also boost your metabolism, look no further! We reached out to nutritionists and other health experts to learn more about the health benefits of cinnamon, and how adding the spice to your coffee can promote optimal gut health. Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Valeria Dolbel, registered nutritionist and founder of Beauty Diets, Lisa Richards, registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet and Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Cinnamon in Coffee
Coffee, as Dolbel says is the "powerhouse of all drinks," and many underestimate the benefits in their cup of joe, such as "antioxidants and serotonin." With the right ingredients, she says, "it can also help you have a healthy metabolism," and she points to cinnamon as a healthy sweetener replacement. "Cinnamon is an excellent addition to your daily cup as it assists with "energy conversion and helps your metabolism to speed up," she points out, adding that it "also improves the taste of your coffee."
"Coffee is not a dessert," Dolbel stresses, warning that "if you're adding too much milk, it can make it acidic and make your stomach churn." Additionally, if you add too much sugar to your coffee, you are also setting yourself back as, "your blood sugar is compromised." Both milk and sugar can make your coffee into a high-calorie drink, if your goal is to boost your metabolism, Dolbel says you "don't want that in your daily diet."
Richards agrees, and acknowledges that some coffee beverages "can add calories and fat to our diet without our noticing." Once we realize our favorite drink is contributing to our weight gain, it can be difficult to give it up for better health. "By making a few changes to our coffee, we can not only avoid weight gain, but help to boost weight loss [and metabolism]," Richards notes. Adding cinnamon to your coffee "doesn't have to be a seasonal tradition," and the benefits may have you making it a common occurrence, she continues. "Cinnamon boosts thermogenesis in the body, which in turn, results in more calories burned," Richards explains.
Best also concurs, and encourages coffee lovers to try something new. "Coffee consumers have a specific way they like their coffee and don't often veer from that, but unfortunately, for those wanting to lose weight, these coffee habits might be stalling their efforts," Best says. Using full-fat dairy creamer and refined sugar are the two coffee habits that are detrimental to weight loss, especially for those that consume more than 1 cup a day." She concludes to "consider using cinnamon to flavor your coffee rather than refined sugars," as this ingredient is "natural and anti-inflammatory," and cinnamon can help to boost metabolism and stabilize blood sugar.
