- MK
9 Simple Ways to Make Healthy Coffee
Updated: Jul 25, 2022
Raise your hand if you drink 9,000 cups of coffee every day.
🙋♀️
Okay, I don't really.
I even skip coffee some days if I'm lazy or just not in the mood. But that doesn't mean that I'm not drinking a lot of it anyways!
This is why it was important to me to find a few "healthier" coffee options to get a little bit more out of my cup.
I'm not saying that coffee is bad for you or anything, I'm just saying that if we're drinking a ton of it anyway, why not find ways to get more nutritional value out of it?
It couldn't hurt. So here are 9 tips for how to make coffee healthy that you must try!
1) Add Protein
If you already brew a cup of coffee and drink a protein shake every day, why not combine the two?
Trust me, you want to combine the two. Here's one way to do it that's so good.
Protein powder added directly into hot coffee doesn't dissolve that well, so try pouring a Quest protein shake into a glass of black iced coffee for a delicious and protein-packed flavored coffee.
Choosing vanilla or chocolate is usually the healthiest option, keeping the ingredients simple, but a fun flavor like salted caramel is also delicious.
Either way, you're getting more out of your cup with this healthy coffee recipe by adding some protein into it!
2) Collagen Creamer
Healthy coffee creamer is a thing!
If you're like me and cringe when you take a look at the sugar content of typical flavored creamers, this might be a good option for you to look into.
I love a sweet, sweet creamer don't get me wrong. But every day is an excess of processed sugars that we just don't need.
One healthy coffee creamer to try is collagen creamer!
What's collagen? Collagen supplements help**
support bone and joint health
athletic performance
play a role in general wellness
improve skin and hair health
But, our bodies don't produce enough on our own, especially as we get older or when we perform extreme exercise.
Vital Proteins makes collagen nutrition easy with a variety of products that can be used in many of your favorite snacks or recipes!
The Collagen Creamer is a simple and tasty option for getting more out of your cup of coffee. Here are some quick stats on it:
healthy fats from organic coconut milk powder
10g of collagen peptides
No dairy, soy, gluten, artificial sweeteners, or added sugars.
not low-calorie
While it is not a low-calorie food (1 serving (2 scoops) has 140 calories) you’re not getting empty calories thanks to all of its great benefits!
**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
3) Healthy Coffee Creamer
There are a variety of other healthy creamer options too!
Four Sigmatic, for example, has powdered creamers supported by functional mushrooms. From Ashwagandha to Lion's Mane, you can take your coffee to the next level with a simple scoop of powder.
If you find a tasty one that you love, this is such an easy way to transform a regular cup of coffee into something that fuels your brain and your energy.
4) Vanilla or Almond Extract
Add either of these common baking items straight into your mug!
Depending on how you like your coffee, you may still consider adding cream/milk and maybe some sweetener.
Either way, a few drops of either (or both!) of these extracts adds a sweet flavor to your coffee so you don't have to rely on highly-processed, sugary creamers.
Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take any out. So, try stirring in a few drops at a time!
5) Coconut Oil and Butter
I know, it's weird.
Don't knock it till you try it! Inspired by those who follow a keto diet, which focuses on low-carb high-fat foods, this little combo might make your mind sharper during the day.
If you add in the right amount, the coconut oil adds a nice coconut flavor to your coffee. Be careful not to use too much, because the oil will be visible and can turn a nice addition into a greasy, distasteful mess.
Adding coconut oil or butter to coffee might deliver a longer, more even, energy boost than the typical cup of coffee.
The additional fat might even keep you fuller longer and clear your head when you're feeling foggy.
Why? Coconut oil can stimulate the body's production of certain hormones and proteins that provide energy to the brain!
6) Healthy Milkshake
Doesn't a "healthy milkshake" sound like the best idea?
That's because it is!
It’s more fun than calling it a “smoothie," and if you get it right it can taste just like a shake.
Try adding coffee to your favorite sweet protein smoothie for a meal/snack and a cup of coffee all in one!
Some flavors that complement the coffee flavor really well are:
banana
chocolate
peanut butter
strawberries
vanilla
You can create a filling and energizing morning meal or snack with this!
If you need a place to start, this Mocha Protein Smoothie takes nothing more than simply adding everything to a blender and gets you ready to start the day!
1.5 cup ice cubes
frozen banana
1 scoop of protein powder
2 tablespoons cacao powder (can exclude if using chocolate protein powder)
1 cup coffee
3/4 cup milk of choice (add more depending on preferred consistency)
big scoop of PB (optional)
1 tbsp of chia seeds (optional)
So good!
It's easy to make a healthy coffee recipe if the coffee itself is already full of good stuff!
Try brewing Four Sigmatic coffee, which is fortified with functional mushrooms, and use that for any fun latte recipes you have in mind.
They have a variety of coffees that serve different purposes, such as:
helping you Think and stay focused
boosting your immunity
It's so awesome how they've figured out how to combine the nutritionally beneficial mushroom varieties with delicious coffee beans to create something so good.
For example, the medium roast coffee that is meant to support your immunity has
Chaga Mushrooms (300mg)
Turkey Tail Mushrooms (200mg)
But it doesn't taste like mushrooms at all! A quick and easy way to have a healthier cup of coffee.
8) Make A Healthier At-Home Latte
We all love a good latte.
But some of the lattes at a coffee shop like Starbucks have like 500 calories and are loaded with processed sugar!
Swap out these lattes every now and then by making one right at home and using natural sweeteners. Some good natural sweetener options are:
raw honey (lot's of benefits to raw honey actually!)
maple syrup
agave
Simply heat up some milk with a sweetener and maybe some other flavor ingredients and foam it up! I also love adding nutritional superfoods like blue spirulina to get more benefits, plus make my coffee look cool.
Pour on top of your espresso—or coffee if that's all you got—and it will be just as good as getting one at the store!
Here's my favorite way to make a latte at home. You can do it warm or make a healthy iced coffee!
9) Superfood Powders
Honestly, what can't superfoods do?
You can put them in anything from drinks to baked goods, and coffee isn't an exception.
Try mixing in a subtly flavored powder or one that has no flavor at all into your coffee to get the benefits of whichever superfood powder it is that you chose.
Experiment with this to see what works best for you, but a great way to do this is by making a "sweet cream" of sorts.
Simply sprinkle the recommended amount of superfood powder into your milk of choice and froth.
If you remember the Dalgona whipped coffee trend (instant coffee is whipped with water until it foams up), this is also a good place to add some superfood powder into.
How To Make Coffee Healthy
Instead of looking for a healthy alternative to coffee, try finding some easy ways to make your coffee a little healthier.
There's nothing wrong with an old-fashioned cup, but why not get more benefits out of it if you're going to be drinking it daily!?
There are so many ways to make coffee healthier, whether you swap out sugar-heavy ingredients or add in nutrition-packed ones. Wake up with more than just caffeine by finding ways to support your brain and body in your cup.
If you loved (or hated) these ideas, leave a comment below!
