Do you love going out for fancy gourmet coffees? You and me both… but I’m not loving spending $6 a day at Starbucks for a cafe mocha and not being able to limit the calories and sugar.
There’s something romantic about staying in and brewing your own coffee, especially when it’s freezing cold outside. Added bonus: you can cuddle up and stay toasty rather than fighting for space at your local coffee shop.
Health Benefits of Coffee
Love at First Sip
(Photo credit: Lara604 via Flickr).
Nothing stimulates the body – and conversation – like a cup of coffee. Drinking coffee is linked to a lower risk of death from all causes and may help prevent type 2 diabetes, stroke, and prostate and liver cancers. It also shows potential in improving brain power and preventing depression and Parkinson’s disease. If you’re looking for more of a short-term benefit, coffee improves mental performance and athletic performance.
How Much Coffee is Too Much?
That’s a pretty personal question. Is it too soon to have THE conversation? You know the one… about whether your main squeeze is a slow or fast caffeine metabolizer? Not to worry. Perhaps you can go for nutrigenomics testing on your next date!
Yes, there is actually a gene that determines whether your body breaks down caffeine slowly or quickly. If you are a “fast metabolizer”, you may have heart health benefits from drinking 2 to 4 cups of coffee each day. If you’re a “slow metabolizer” you should have less than that for heart health. If you’re interested, there are dietitians across Canada who do this test, myself included!
If you’re under 55, be sure to keep your caffeinated java intake to less than 4 cups a day. (And I’m not talking about a cup being a venti. One cup is 8 ounces or roughly 250 mL). Research suggests more than 4 cups a day could increase risk of dying. Not sexy.
If you’re worried about your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, put down the French press and opt for filtered coffee. The filter actually removes the cafestol, the compound responsible for increasing cholesterol levels.
- Steam the almond milk or if you don't have a steamer, heat it in a pot and whisk to froth.
- Brew the coffee and pour into 2 mugs. Top with almond milk.
- Add the remaining ingredients, stir and enjoy!
- For an iced cafe mocha, serve over ice in a mason jar.
I love the idea of sweetening a mocha with honey!