Coffee Benefits + Healthy Homemade Creamer Recipe
We all want to feel energized and motivated as soon as we wake up.
The sad thing is, the majority of Americans wake up feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and stressed. And the majority typically head straight for the coffee maker to get going for the day. The thing is, your body is super dehydrated because you've gone 7+ hours without drinking water. So, the very first thing you should do is pour yourself a fresh glass of water.
You want to consume natural spring water (if that’s available) or filtered water. Tap water and bottled water contain contaminants, which can lead to disruption in the body, such as negatively affecting the endocrine system (ex. hormones). You can check to see what’s in your local water here. Bonus- adding fresh lemon juice triggers your gastric juices in your stomach to prepare for digestion and stimulates the liver to cleanse.
So, hydrate first, coffee, or tea second. Now, I want to preface this – coffee isn’t for everyone, and I believe that it can exacerbate health issues for some people. However, there are many benefits to coffee, and for someone that has loved the smell and taste of coffee for years, I’d like to share those benefits with you.
Coffee Benefits:
Increases energy
Improves mental clarity
Improves mood
Provides antioxidants
Can increase mental and physical performance
You've read the studies. Coffee has been praised and demonized. Some people find they can tolerate it while other people can not. This is mainly due to genes and how well you metabolize coffee. What I’ve found, as with most things, is that coffee is bio-individual and best consumed in moderation.
However, if you struggle with hypothalamus dysregulation, “adrenal fatigue/ exhaustion”, or have blood sugar issues or chronic fatigue (just to name a few), you should avoid coffee, at least for a period of time. Caffeine in coffee can adversely affect the adrenals when they aren't properly functioning by taking over their role, which can lead the body to depending on caffeine and keeping it in a stressed state.
This is one example of an underlying health issue that needs to be addressed. I also want to empathize that I don’t condone drinking heaps of coffee everyday or having it as your pick-me-up in the afternoon. Relying on coffee as your source of energy does not support your body. Be mindful of how you consume it and be open to cutting back if you know you’re over-consuming.
Something else you may already know is that not all coffee is created equal. The quality of your beans and what you put in your coffee is very important. If you enjoy a cup of joe, please utilize my tips below for buying coffee.
Coffee Buying Tips
Buy fair trade and/ or organic
By doing so, you’re supporting coffee farms that care for their workers and you avoid consuming pesticides and other chemicals that are used in commercially grown coffee farms. Mold and mycotoxins have been found in commercially grown coffee, as well, which is even more of a reason to learn about where and how your coffee is grown!
Buy local
The majority of local coffee shops carry fair trade and/ or organic beans. Plus, this is another way to support local!
Buy decaf coffee that has undergone the swiss water process
If you favor decaf, it’s important to purchase decaf coffee that has been through the swiss water process. Decaf coffee is highly susceptible to chemicals and loss of antioxidants because of the way it’s roasted to remove caffeine. The Swiss water method soaks coffee beans, gently removing the caffeine, and ensuring nearly all caffeine is removed.
My favorite brands:
Novel Coffee Roasters
Avoca Coffee Roasters
Purity Coffee: tests for mold and mycotoxins
*Get 20% your first order of Purity and free shipping with my code – SCATO20
Allegro Coffee (Whole Foods brand): Nashville peeps – try the Music City blend! It’s delicious as a cold brew too.
Decaf:
Purity Coffee
As mentioned earlier, coffee affects everyone differently. Due to my struggle with adrenal fatigue and hypothyroid, I limit myself to coffee 3-4 times a week and I always buy quality coffee beans. To be honest, I don’t mind coffee black and that's my husband's preferred choice. In his mind, the darker and more robust, the better! That said, I prefer a creamy, luxurious creamer to go in my coffee, but I make my own. Store-bought creamers are typically filled with preservatives, added sugar, and other nasties you don’t want to put in your body. No thanks!
My homemade creamer isn’t just healthy and delicious, it’s versatile. For my non-coffee drinkers, it’s great in matcha and other teas, like my favorite Dandy blend, chai, and earl grey. It’s also wonderful in homemade cocoa. The MVP in my coffee creamer – healthy fats. This is how I up my coffee game.
Brain-boosting Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
¼ cup full-fat coconut milk (other nut milk will work)*
½ tsp maca
1- 2 tsp vanilla bean ghee or grass-fed butter (I love 4th and Heart ghee)
1 tsp- 1 tbsp MCT oil (start with 1 tsp if you aren’t used to consuming MCT oil)
Dash of cinnamon
Optional –
½ tsp cacao powder for a mocha spin
¼- ½ tsp mushroom powder, such as reishi, lion’s mane, or cordyceps
(Mushroom quality is very important. I recommend Real Mushrooms.)
*Full-fat coconut milk provides a higher fat content and gives a creamier taste!
Instructions
Blend all ingredients, except for collagen and mushroom powder, in a frother or blender or use a hand-held frother.
Stir in collagen and mushroom powder in coffee.
Pour frothy creamer on top, add a dash more cinnamon if you like, and sip away!
Benefits of adding fats to coffee creamer –
Contains fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, omega 3s, and butyrate (can decrease inflammation)
Provides energy and focus for brain and body
Nourishes hormones (hormones need fats to thrive)
Increases fat-burning molecules in the body, specifically MCT oil
Has no added sugars – sugar can disrupt blood sugar levels
The health benefits are numerous! Not a coffee drinker? No worries! This creamer is a delicious addition to any hot beverage of your choosing and it's easy to make. I would be remiss if I didn't share one more homemade creamer that I love, mainly because I can prep it ahead of time to indulge throughout the week!
Bye store-bought, hello homemade. This is decadence at its best. If you want more coffee creamer options, please let me know.
Drink your coffee or tea mindfully.
Relish the color.
Breathe in the aroma.
Sip slowly.
Enjoy it to the very last drop.
Sources:
Asprey, D. This Is Your Brain on Coffee (Plus, a Caffeine Effects Timeline). Retrieved from https://blog.daveasprey.com/coffee-caffeine-effects-benefits/#ref-10
Asprey, D. How to make your coffee bulletproof and your morning too.
Retrieved from https://blog.daveasprey.com/how-to-make-your-coffee-bulletproof-and-your-morning-too/
Cano-Marquina A, Tarín JJ, Cano A. The impact of coffee on health. Maturitas. 2013 May;75(1):7-21. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2013.02.002. Epub 2013 Mar 5. PMID: 23465359.
Salisbury, A. Avoiding caffeine? Decaf coffee provides many of the same health benefits.
Retrieved from https://puritycoffee.com/enjoy-the-health-benefits-of-coffee-without-the-caffeine-side-effects/
St-Onge MP, Jones PJ. Greater rise in fat oxidation with medium-chain triglyceride consumption relative to long-chain triglyceride is associated with lower initial body weight and greater loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Dec;27(12):1565-71. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802467. PMID: 12975635.
Svilaas A, Sakhi AK, Andersen LF, Svilaas T, Ström EC, Jacobs DR Jr, Ose L, Blomhoff R. Intakes of antioxidants in coffee, wine, and vegetables are correlated with plasma carotenoids in humans. J Nutr. 2004 Mar;134(3):562-7. doi: 10.1093/jn/134.3.562. PMID: 14988447.
Takeuchi H, Sekine S, Kojima K, Aoyama T. The application of medium-chain fatty acids: edible oil with a suppressing effect on body fat accumulation. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008;17 Suppl 1:320-3. PMID: 18296368.
Wasim S, Kukkar V, Awad VM, Sakhamuru S, Malik BH. Neuroprotective and Neurodegenerative Aspects of Coffee and Its Active Ingredients in View of Scientific Literature. Cureus. 2020 Aug 5;12(8):e9578. doi: 10.7759/cureus.9578. PMID: 32923185; PMCID: PMC7478584.