Benefits of Black Coffee
A cup of the black stuff will conjure up some form of nostalgia for many people.
As we are living in a ‘healthy-alternative’ culture we take a look at the benefits of black coffee.
Black coffee is the OG.
It’s the inky black espresso you see wrinkly Neapolitans shotting before work.
It’s the bottomless filter coffee in American diners or the cafe tinto being sold by coffee vendors in Thermos flasks on the streets of Cartagena.
But as the cappuccino culture of coffee hit the world around the same time as Rachael was overheating the milk in Central Perk, black coffee took a back seat.
Personally for me the only way to truly consume quality coffee is black and alongside the superior taste there are so many benefits to enjoy your coffee this way.
We spoke to coffee aficionado Jimmy from Waka Coffee who gave us his:
Top 7 Reasons to Take Your Coffee Black
1. Low Calories
Adding milk, sugar, whipped cream, chocolate, or caramel syrup can really up the calorie count in your daily coffee.
For instance, a Grande Iced Salted Caramel Mocha from a coffee shop with 2% milk and whipped cream has about 450 calories and 55 grams of sugar.
That is already 30 grams more than the suggested daily sugar intake for women and 17 grams more than suggested for men.
On the other hand, a regular 8 ounce of black coffee contains only about 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar.
2. Experiencing The True Taste Of The Coffee
The best part of drinking your coffee black is that you get to experience the true taste of your coffee.
Without the cover-up of milk or sweetener, you are able to taste the true flavor of your coffee beans and grind.
3. Can Help Burn Fat
Caffeine found in coffee helps stimulate the breakdown of body fat and makes fatty acids available for the body to use as energy.
By adding extra milk or sugar to your coffee, you could reduce the natural positive effects of caffeine with added calories and fat.
4. Can Increase Energy Levels
Since coffee contains the stimulant caffeine, it can boost alertness and energy levels, especially during the day.
This can even help improve performance during gym sessions.
Also, when you drink plain coffee, you enjoy the benefits without the additives.
5. Intake Of Antioxidants And Nutrients
Coffee contains a large number of antioxidants for the body.
Some important nutrients it contains are vitamin B2, B5, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.
By drinking coffee black, you can help get your daily intake of nutrients.
6. Reduces Risk Of Heart Disease
As caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, drinking an 8-ounce cup can increase your heart rate.
This can have a similar effect as going for a walk and can keep your heart healthier.
Regular coffee drinkers have lower rates of heart disease and 20% less risk for a stroke.
While this is an added benefit, coffee should be a supplement to your daily exercise and not a replacement!
7. Cost-Efficient
A cup of black coffee is probably the cheapest type of coffee you can drink and get at your local coffee shop even if you decide to brew your own cup of joe at home, no need to spend extra money on creamer, sugar, or milk!
How To Make Black Coffee Healthy?
Kieran MacRae, a coffee expert from Above Average Coffee also described his tip for making black coffee even healthier: avoid making it in a French Press...
A French press makes coffee using a metal filter rather than a paper filter, such as in a drip machine, and as such a lot more of the coffee oils get through.
But what's the problem with these coffee oils?
Well, the main issue is that they can raise cholesterol.
In fact, a study was done (1) that found that cafestol, a compound found in coffee oils can raise cholesterol.
It was found that people drinking 5 cups of french press a day had a 6-8% increase in cholesterol after 4 weeks.
So while black coffee is great, if you want it to be even healthier avoid making it in a French Press!
So Is Black Coffee Good For You?
Black coffee is actually quite good for you.
Studies have shown that a serving of black coffee contains more antioxidants than green tea and blueberries combined explains Harland Adkins a registered Dietician.
Black coffee can also heal if consumed the right way.
Drinking black coffee has numerous health benefits as it is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients.
Let's have a look at some of the most important health benefits of drinking black coffee.
Photo: Business Insider
7 Health Benefits of Black Coffee
Increases Memory
As we get older we lose many of our cognitive skills and in turn increases the risk of Parkinson’s, Dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
By consuming black coffee, say every morning can enhance brain function.
Memory power is then boosted and black coffee helps the brain stay active for longer, nerves are also kept active and keeps dementia at bay.
Recent studies have shown that continuous black coffee consumption reduces the risk of Alzheimer's by 65 per cent and Parkinson's by 60 per cent.
Improves Physical Performance
Physical performance is probably the most obvious benefit of drinking black coffee.
By drinking black coffee before exercise you are able to push your body for longer periods of time.
This works by increasing adrenaline levels in your blood which prepares your body for an intense workout.
Black coffee also breaks down stored body fat and releases it into the bloodstream to be used as fuel for physical activity.
Great For Your Liver
Black coffee has been linked to preventing certain liver diseases such as cancer, hepatitis, fatty liver disease and alcoholic cirrhosis.
The black coffee works by decreasing the level of harmful liver enzymes in the blood.
Boosts Intelligence
There is a psychoactive stimulant present in black coffee that reacts with your body and has the ability to increase energy levels and cognitive functioning.
This is the pick me up feeling you get when you drink coffee. It therefore helps you focus and boosts brain power.
A Stomach Cleanse
As you may know from experience, black coffee can make you urinate (a lot), this is because it is a diuretic.
If you consume your coffee black without sugar, it will cleanse your stomach and flush out any toxins and bacteria.
Packed With Antioxidants
Black coffee is packed full of healthy antioxidants and contains vitamin B2, B3, B5, Manganese, Potassium and Magnesium.
Healthy Cardiovascular Systems
Consuming black coffee on a regular basis can increase your blood pressure the effect of this decreases over time.
1-2 cups of black coffee per day though can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and can also reduce inflammation levels in your body.
Reduces Diabetes Risk
A study showed that people that drank 2 or less cups of coffee per day increased the risk of diabetes. Black coffee can also help control diabetes by increasing insulin production.
What Are The Side Effects of Drinking Black Coffee?…
On the downside, coffee can exacerbate anxiety, increase stress, cause insomnia, cause tremors, muscle spasms and GI disturbances such as acid reflux and diarrhoea describes Rinaldo Ramkissoon, a clinical medical student and founder of Scrubs and Shakes.
However, in my personal experience I only experience these side effects when I irresponsibly consume too much coffee.
During final exams I recall consuming over 12 cups of black coffee per day.
At that point I didn't know if my chest muscles were spasming or if I was getting a heart attack.
At one point, my arm spasmed and I slapped myself awake.
I was able to focus on studying but due to the acid reflux, loss of appetite, stress and anxiety I had lost close to 15lbs that month, and not in a good way.
That's why I learned that it's always best to drink it in moderation. 2 cups per day in the morning is fine.
Is Black Coffee Good For Weight Loss?
Just drinking coffee alone will not directly assist in weight loss but it can support your advancement in combination with a varied diet and exercise.
When caffeine enters your body it invigorates thermogenesis, a cycle your body uses to create heat from processing food.
Therefore caffeine particularly in low fat black coffee assists in hunger concealment and calorie consumption.
As stated above one of the most obvious effects of black coffee on your body is the physical effect and can stimulate you into working harder for longer adding to your weight loss regime.
How Many Calories In Black Coffee?
Black coffee contains roughly 12-20 Kcal per 100ml. This figure is obviously a rough estimate as there are many different variables in brewing black coffee.
What Is A Black Coffee Diet?
There are many different variations of diets that include black coffee.
As black coffee is the healthiest form of coffee, it is commonly included in diets as a low calorie energy and moral boosting beverage.
The uplift from a cup of black coffee can motivate people and help them focus on tasks.
Black coffee also suppresses your appetite and although should not be substituted for food, as it does not have a great deal of nutrition, it can be used to help people stay focussed on meal plans throughout the day.
What Is The Best Time To Drink Black Coffee?
The best time to drink black coffee is in the mornings or early afternoon.
As with any type of coffee it is important to give enough time for the caffeine to leave your body before you sleep.
Can I Put Sugar In Black Coffee?
You can add sugar to black coffee however we would recommend trying the coffee first before you lob half a dozen teaspoons of white sugar in.
If your coffee tastes too bitter to drink without sugar, the quality of coffee you are drinking is probably pretty poor.
Get down to your local coffee roaster or take a look at our coffee subscription plans for some world class coffee.
