Give Your Coffee a Healthy Boost With These 5 Delicious Science-Backed Additions

There is nothing better than the smell of coffee in the morning. The aroma of beans and the instant hit of caffeine is enough to get anyone out of bed. But coffee doesn’t just help you shake off that morning drowsiness; It also has various health benefits.

The good news doesn’t end there either! You can make your morning drink even healthier by adding a teaspoon of something extra. While many rarely bother with more than a dash of milk or a tablespoon of sugar, plenty of alternatives will give you a health boost and satisfy your taste buds.

Turmeric

In recent years, turmeric has become a favorite choice of healthy spices, as it is rich in a compound called curcumin. This molecule is a powerful antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation and is associated with reducing the effect of many health problems.^[1]

If you want to add it to your coffee, you should probably add a small amount of healthy fat, such as coconut or almond milk, as this helps the body absorb curcumin. If you can tolerate the taste, a pinch of black pepper will also increase curcumin absorption and improve the nutritional value.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon isn’t just for a cold, frosty winter day. It has been used as a medicinal spice for thousands of years and is packed with minerals and nutrients. Studies suggest that a regular serving of cinnamon may help reduce cancer risk^[2] and strengthen your immune system.^[3]

If you drink granulated coffee, you can create a blend by combining a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with a teaspoon of coffee. If you use a coffee machine or make your own, stir a half teaspoon into your cup to get all the benefits you need.

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You may have seen maca at your local health store. This powder is made from the root of the maca plant and is highly nutritious with many health benefits. Studies suggest that it aids in athletic performance and sexual desire.^[4] and contains many essential elements[{” attribute=””>amino acids that your body can not synthesize.

It’s best to aim for around two teaspoons of maca powder a day to give you the most benefits. Although, be warned! It has quite an earthy taste, so you may want to spread the maca out evenly throughout the day.

Cacao

Raw cacao powder isn’t just delicious; it is highly nutritious, a powerful antioxidant, and has considerable health benefits. Research suggests that it can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol^[5] in addition to having antidepressant properties that can help regulate mood.^[6] Add that to the delicious chocolate flavor and you have the perfect coffee companion.

The recommendation is to get a tablespoon of cocoa a day, which could be overwhelming in a single cup. Instead, spread it among the cups and you’ll be drinking healthy, delicious coffee all day!

Ginger

Ginger is a great way to spice up your morning cup. It tastes great and has many health benefits, with studies suggesting it can treat nausea and muscle pain.^[7] and help lower cholesterol.^[8]

It can be tricky to add to your coffee as it doesn’t dissolve as easily as the other suggestions. You could get a packet of ground ginger and sprinkle a half teaspoon into your coffee, but for the most benefits, fresh ginger is best. It can be time consuming, but if you finely chop or grate a teaspoon of raw ginger into your coffee, you’ll get the most benefits and the best flavor infusion.

It’s hard to think that your morning cup of joe could get any better! However, you can get even more benefits by adding one or more of the above five ingredients to your cup. If you don’t like the taste of these suggestions, they are still great additions to your diet elsewhere. But if you can fit them into your routine, you can double the benefits your cup provides.

References:

1. “Therapeutic Roles of Curcumin: Lessons Learned from Clinical Trials” by Subash C. Gupta, Sridevi Patchva, and Bharat B. Aggarwal, Nov 10, 2012, The AAPS Journal.
   DOI: 10.1208/s12248-012-9432-8
2. “Mechanisms, clinically curative effects, and antifungal activities of cinnamon oil and pogostemon oil complex against three species of Candida” by Gang-sheng WANG, Jie-hua DENG, Yao-hui MA, Min SHI, and Bo LI, Apr 24 from 2012, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
   DOI: 10.1016/S0254-6272(12)60026-0
3. “Cinnamaldehyde induces apoptosis via ROS-mediated mitochondrial permeability transition in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells” by Hyeon Ka, Hee-Juhn Park, Hyun-Ju Jung, Jong-Won Choi, Kyu-Seok Cho, Joohun Ha and Kyung-Tae Lee, May 25, 2003, cancer letters.
   DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3835(03)00238-6
4. “A Pilot Investigation of the Effect of Maca Supplementation on Physical Activity and Sexual Desire in Athletes” by Mark Stone, Alvin Ibarra, Marc Roller, Andrea Zangara, and Emma Stevenson, September 23, 2009, Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
   DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.012
5. “Chocolate and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review” by Eric L Ding, Susan M Hutfless, Xin Ding, and Saket Girotra, January 3, 2006, Nutrition and Metabolism.
   DOI: 10.1186/1743-7075-3-2
6. “Cocoa Flavanol Consumption Improves Cognitive Function, Blood Pressure Control, and Metabolic Profile in Elderly Subjects: The Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial” by Daniela Mastroiacovo, Catherine Kwik -Uribe, Davide Grassi, Stefano Necozione, Angelo Raffaele, Luana Pistacchio, Roberta Righetti, Raffaella Bocale, Maria Carmela Lechiara, Carmine Marini, Claudio Ferri and Giovambattista Desideri, December 17, 2014, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
   DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.114.092189
7. “Acute Effects of Dietary Ginger on Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Soreness” by Christopher D. Black and Patrick J. O’Connor, Oct 28, 2010, Research in Phytotherapy.
   DOI: 10.1002/ptr.3148
8. “Investigation of the effect of ginger on lipid levels. A Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial” by Reza Alizadeh-Navaei, Fatemeh Roozbeh, Mehrdad Saravi, Mehdi Pouramir, Farzad Jalali, and Ali A Moghadamnia, September 2008, Saudi Medical Journal.
   PMID: 18813412