Different Ways You Can Sweeten Your Coffee

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Overview 

You probably have that early morning ritual of having a cup of coffee. A cup of coffee is necessary for you to get out of bed in the morning. But if you’re filling your coffee with sugar, you’re ultimately causing health problems for yourself. Sugar is loaded with calories, raises your blood glucose levels, and can turn into an acid that damages your teeth. That’s the reason I give you the different ways you can sweeten your coffee. 

Another reason you should steer clear of sugar is that it is the leading cause of obesity and many other health issues. Obesity is nearly becoming an epidemic in the USA alone, as the average American consumes about 20 teaspoons of sugar a day. 

You might think it’s nothing, but that one or two teaspoons of sugar could be detrimental to your health. So, what do you then do? Do you switch to black coffee? That’s a smart option, but if you aren’t used to the bitter taste of black coffee, it’s a big change to make. The good news is that there are other different ways you can sweeten your coffee you might not have known about. 

1. Honey

Honey is widely known as nature’s sweetener and one of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee. It’s made by honey bees after they take the nectar from flowers. The nectar will be then be broken down into simple sugars that are stored inside the honeycomb.

It is quite interesting to note that honey contains more calories than white sugar, but it’s much more healthier because:

  • The first thing is that it’s mostly made up of glucose and fructose. These simple sugars can be easily broken down, and so our bodies can process them much faster than complex sugars like the disaccharides found in white table sugar. 
  • Secondly, honey is definitely sweeter than white sugar; therefore, you don’t need to have a lot of it in your coffee to get that sweet taste. 
  • Lastly, since honey contains mostly simple sugars, the sugars do not spike our blood glucose levels. 

When you take coffee with honey, there’s this peculiar taste it has that’s different from coffee with sugar in. But you should try it to be convinced! 

2. Dark chocolate

This is also one of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee. Just pick one square of top-quality dark chocolate and add it to your coffee for a rich and creamy taste. This method is particularly good for a latte. It’s good to invest in expensive dark chocolate. This is because your coffee will have a stronger taste, and you will have better health. 

Dark chocolate is filled with lots of nutrients that will enrich your body. It’s a wonderful source of natural antioxidants that have been proven to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Also, they improve your blood flow, protect your skin from the harmful sun rays, lowers your blood pressure, and enhances brain function. All this from chocolate, wow! 

3. Maple syrup

This is definitely Canada’s national dish. Believe it or not, maple syrup is made from the sap of the maple tree, and it’s also one of the sweetest things in nature. Although you might not have known that you can add maple syrup to coffee, but it’s one of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee. 

It’s particularly popular in Vermont and parts of Canada. It easily dissolves in hot and cold drinks and has this smooth, sweet taste that blends well with the natural flavor of coffee. 

Maple syrup, however, should not be mistaken for other syrups, which are basically derived from sugar. It is a natural product, and it contains a lot of nutrients and minerals, including the antioxidants found in berries. That means that your early morning coffee can really be good for your health. 

4. Coconut milk

Coconut milk has gained popularity in the last decade due to the rise in veganism. For some people, there’s no difference between coconut milk and milk (some even claim it’s better!), and it has none of the health or ethical issues that come with regular milk. And you can add coconut milk to your coffee just like that, or you can make your own coconut milk creamer. 

To prepare your own creamer, you have to add a sweetener like honey or vanilla extract (I’ll talk about this later) to your coconut milk. Blend them properly till they’re evenly mixed, and then add them to your coffee. Voilà! 

Coconut milk is an excellent source of minerals and vitamins, and 93% of its calories are from healthy fats. Some scientists believe that it has other unique benefits that you can’t find in any other product.  

5. Vanilla extract

This is yet another incredible natural and surprising sweetener. Vanilla extract is usually used as a flavor in baking, and because of that, it is easy to come by. Although most people typically add sweeteners to their coffee after it’s been brewed, vanilla extract is best added before brewing your coffee. 

You just have to add two tablespoons to your empty coffee pot, then brew your coffee the usual way you do. And experience the magic of vanilla extract as one of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee. 

Also, vanilla is a different flavor on its own, so it’s not really a substitute for white sugar. However, it will add a little bit of taste to your coffee, and that bitter taste won’t be there. 

Vanilla has a lower calorie count compared to most other sweeteners. It equally contains natural antioxidants that protect your body from chemical damage. Vanilla also has antibacterial properties. Additionally, vanilla has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to boost mental health. 

6. Cinnamon

Using cinnamon is one effective way to get rid of calories in your coffee while keeping the sweetness. Instead of adding your sugar, cream, or milk, use cinnamon instead, and you could save about 70 calories per cup. 

Okay, if you don’t like the taste of cinnamon, it’s not to be one of your favorites in the list of different ways you can sweeten your coffee. But if you want that delicious taste of autumn, then you should try cinnamon in your coffee. 

Cinnamon contains lots of antioxidants, and it enhances your brain activity. It’s also useful in relieving the symptoms of the common cold and prevents high blood sugar. Finally, it can help to boost your energy so you can have a more productive day. 

7. Almond milk 

This is a supplement for hipsters all around the world for coffee. And that’s for a good reason too! Almond milk has become a rave in the past decade because of vegans and their influence. Quite unlike cows, almonds cannot be milked. Instead, they’re soaked and are processed before being strained.

One of my favorite reasons for including almond milk in my list of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee is because it gives you the same consistency and flavor as cow milk. It is mostly unsweetened, but you can purchase the sweetened versions. 

Its health benefits are many: it has few calories (compared to cow milk). Also, it does not cause a spike in blood sugar levels, can improve your bone strength, and prevent heart diseases. 

8. Cocoa powder 

Have you ever taken a Mocha? This is a rich and delicious blend of coffee and chocolate that is available in most coffee shops. The good news is that you can prepare it for yourself too, it is very healthy. 

Just add 1–1.5 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to your coffee beans. And add some cream to it. That’s all! 

You’d probably think that using chocolate is as bad as using sugar, but that’s not true. Cocoa powder really has lots of benefits. But when you purchase it in the form of chocolate, it will have sugar in it. 

Experts say that using cocoa as one of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee can improve your brain function. You have to be sure to buy unsweetened cocoa powder, though. This is because the sweetened version contains a lot of sugar. 

9. Cream

Using cream to replace sugar in your coffee can give you a rich, flavorsome coffee. Unlike most of the other different ways you can sweeten your coffee, cream isn’t that healthy. So you have to be careful about the particular cream you select as some can be bad for you. 

And if you fancy adding cream to your coffee, choose a healthy one and don’t take it more than once a day. When used moderately, cream is okay to use in your coffee. However, if you usually take more than one cup of coffee a day, I’ll advise you to choose a healthier alternative. 

10. Butter

Butter in coffee might sound crazy and stupid to you, but it’s really good when you taste it. A few years ago, there was a rave about how some people are saying that using butter as one of the different ways you can sweeten your coffee was terrific. There were stories of people who had more energy, had no sugar crashes during the day, and increased brain power. It sounded like fiction and too good to be true. 

But in reality, using butter in your coffee will give you these benefits. Although not everyone will like the taste, you have to try it first to know if it’s your thing or not. However, make sure you go for the unsalted, grass-fed butter such as Yep Valley. 

Summary 

Sugar isn’t a good thing for your body, and if you’re one of those people who love to have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning or even regularly during the day, then you should consider different ways you can sweeten your coffee. 

This article gives you several ideas you can pick from and see how much your health will improve when you stop using white sugar. You may have to individually try out these different ways to sweeten your coffee to know which one works best for you. But I believe that your answer is here!