Healthy Ways to Make Your Morning Coffee Even Better
Coffee is the most popular hot drink in the USA. We drink so much of it that experts say it’s our largest daily source of antioxidants.
As long as you don’t drink so much coffee you develop caffeine jitters, insomnia, and anxiety, it’s good for you, because coffee is full of antioxidants that fight inflammation.
But that’s not all, because there are extras you can add to make it even more beneficial—and no, we’re not talking about cream and sugar.
RELATED: Drink coffee? Here Are Simple Ways to Make It Even Healthier
Why You Should Put CBD Oil and MCT Oil Powder In Your Coffee
CBD oil and MCT oil powders are relative newcomers to our hot drinks menu, but they’re quickly gaining popularity as people become aware of their health benefits and discover just how easy they are to include in everyday drinks.
But what are they, exactly?
CBD stands for cannabidiol.
It’s a compound found in cannabis and hemp, but the CBD compound won’t get you high—only the THC compound has psychoactive effects.
Research shows CBD can reduce inflammation, lower anxiety, boost immune function, improve your sleep, manage pain, and increase cognitive function.
It can be used as a massage oil or swallowed as a tablet, but one of the simplest ways to take CBD each day is popping some in your coffee or hot chocolate.
MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides.
These are natural healthy fats that are easy to digest.
MCTs can help you maintain a healthy weight, increase brain power, stabilize mood swings, and promote a strong cardiovascular system.
They’re available in oil or powder form and both versions have the same benefits, but most people prefer to use powder because oil tends to form a slick layer on coffee. A powder is gentler on your digestive system and easier to transport, too.
In case you were wondering, MCT oil powder and CBD oils are vegan-friendly and suitable for keto and paleo diets.
More Healthy Additions for Coffee and Hot Chocolate
Alongside CBD oil and MCT creamers, other additions to your favorite hot drinks can boost your body and mind.
Here are some of the healthiest coffee and hot chocolate additives around.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid. Research shows it boosts your brain power and promotes calmness by altering neurotransmitter levels.
Specifically, it blocks anxiety-raising receptors and promotes the stress-inhibiting neurotransmitter GABA. L-theanine is the perfect foil to caffeine, as it soothes jitters and lowers stress levels without causing sedation.
L-theanine is found in green tea and mushrooms, but coffee and hot chocolate call for a creamer.
RELATED: Drink Coffee? Then You Must Add This to Your Coffee Routine!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is delicious sprinkled on coffee, and it transforms a boring hot chocolate into something special for your taste buds. But is it healthy? Oh, yes.
Studies show cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant, antiviral, and antibacterial agent. It reduces blood glucose in diabetics and fights cholesterol.
Honey
Honey is a natural antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral that sweetens coffee without rotting your teeth.
Before antibiotics were available, honey was the go-to cure for infections. It was used on battlefields for thousands of years before modern medicine displaced it.
Studies highlight honey’s potential to fight inflammation, cancer, asthma, and cardiovascular disease, too.
Matcha
Trendy matcha is traditionally green tea, but adding a spoonful to coffee means you get all its goodness in a tastier cup of joe.
Matcha is made from dried whole tea leaves that are ground down and re-activated in hot water. It’s packed with the powerful antioxidant EGCg that boosts metabolism, detoxes your liver, and delivers a big dose of vitamins and minerals.
Cardamom
If you like rich and oriental flavors, cardamom is the coffee addition for you.
Cardamom is a spice used in the middle east to create deep flavor, and it’s been used in eastern medicine for centuries to aid digestion, help heal infections, fight the effects of caffeine, and even freshen breath.
More recently, cardamom has been studied as an anti-inflammatory and anticancer agent.
Vanilla
Vanilla’s been popular for thousands of years, and it shows no signs of falling from grace.
If you enjoy sweet coffee but worry about your teeth, adding a few drops of naturally sweet vanilla can save you from toothaches.
Sugar is one of the main reasons for the world’s obesity epidemic. It’s fueling the rise in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Choosing this healthy sweet alternative can keep your waistline in check and your gums healthy.
Cocoa
Turn your coffee into a healthy hot mocha by adding some raw cacao.
Cacao is packed with polyphenols and flavanols that have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Cacao boosts your immune system; studies show it can reduce nitric oxide levels and lower blood pressure.
Mint
Mint is a universal stomach settler.
If you’ve overindulged in food or alcohol, peppermint tea will help soothe the bloating. It’ll freshen breath and perk up your brain, too—but if you’re not in the mood for a watery tea, try adding mint to your coffee or hot chocolate.
Mint retains all its stomach-settling and brain-refreshing benefits in coffee.
Top 5 Healthier Coffee and Hot Chocolate Recipes
1. Bulletproof Coffee
Trending bulletproof coffee is coffee blended with heart-healthy fat.
It might seem strange adding butter to your hot drink, but it can stabilize blood sugar, increase energy, and boost cognitive function.
Here’s the recipe:
Make hot coffee
Stir in a tablespoon of grass-fed butter, ghee, or if you prefer, a dairy-free, keto-friendly choice—and add MCT oil powder.
If you fancy extra taste and health benefits sprinkle cinnamon, cardamom, or mint on top.
RELATED: What to Eat and What to Avoid When on a Keto Diet
2. White Macadamia Nut Hot Chocolate
This luxurious recipe includes vanilla, honey, cocoa, and nuts. It’s white chocolate, but rich and full of nutty flavor.
Here’s the recipe:
Put 30g of pre-soaked macadamia nuts into a blender with one cup of coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.
Pop the mix into a saucepan with seeds from half a vanilla bean, two tablespoons of honey, and two tablespoons of raw cacao butter. Whisk until it’s melted, and pop back into the blender until it’s totally smooth.
If you add CBD oil it’ll help with any aches, pains, and stresses you might have.
3. Anxiety-Reducing Classic Hot Chocolate
You can’t beat a classic hot chocolate, especially if it’s non-dairy and suits vegan, keto, and paleo diets.
Here’s the recipe:
Heat two cups of almond milk in a pan. Add two tablespoons of raw cacao powder and three tablespoons of honey (blended dates if you’re vegan). Add a dash of cinnamon or cardamom for a deeper flavor if you like richer-tasting hot chocolate.
Add CBD oil, or if you prefer it creamy, try an MCT creamer.
Heat until it’s almost boiling and drink immediately.
4. Cinnamint Coffee
If you need a pick-me-up or you’ve eaten too much and don’t want to mess around in the kitchen, a quick and simple mint-infused coffee will help.
This tincture contains mint for digestion and cinnamon for a hint of sweetness because you don’t want sugar in coffee if you feel bloated.
Cinnamint tincture includes healing CBD oil and MCT from coconuts to boost your health as well as tasting great.
Here’s the recipe:
Make coffee
Add a few drops of cinnamint tincture to taste
That’s it—drink, sit back, and wait for indigestion to pass.
5. Chili Hot Chocolate
Get a kick from this spicy hot chocolate if you don’t like the sweetness of cocoa and vanilla. It’s dairy-free and perfect for keto, vegan, or paleo diets.
Here’s the recipe:
Take a cup of your favorite nut milk—coconut or almond work well—and heat it gently in a pan.
Add three tablespoons of raw cacao powder, a teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne powder, one tablespoon of coconut oil or MCT creamer, two tablespoons of ground cinnamon, and three teaspoons of maple syrup to suit your taste.
Heat until almost boiling, add CBD oil for its soothing benefits, then drink and experience the hot kick.
Boost Your Coffee or Hot Chocolate the Healthy Way
We drink a whole lot of coffee and hot chocolate, so boosting our favorite drinks with ingredients that improve our health makes sense.
Adding these beneficial ingredients means you get a regular dose of healthy disease-fighting ingredients every day without the hassle of cooking and preparing time-consuming meals.
Brain-boosting tasty coffee with added health benefits? Yes, please.
Sources:
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/cbd-energizing-chocolate-latte-recipe
https://peaceloveandlowcarb.com/perfect-keto-boosted-coffee-with-mct-oil-powder/
https://www.solcbd.com/products/sol-cbd-cinnamint-flavor
