As the holidays approach, sticking to your normal eating habits can be the difference between maintaining a healthy lifestyle and packing on an extra 10 pounds. It is easy to list the things that have to be consumed in moderation: ice cream, fried food, and those amazing Christmas cookies your sister always brings to the Christmas Eve party. The true question is, does coffee have to be on that list?
According to livestrong.com, you can drink coffee while keeping your diet clean. The trick is that it has to be coffee in the bare bones – black. Livestrong notes that a cup of brewed coffee (with nothing in it) has a mere 5 calories, but as soon as all the sweeteners and creamers are added, the cup of Joe shoots up to 40 to 60 calories. If you are thinking of enjoying a slice of pie and a cup of coffee after a Thanksgiving feast, for the sake of your calorie count, skip the cream and sugar in your mug.
To move on from the “thou shalt nots” to the “thou shall dos”, coffee is naturally healthy – all on its own! Authoritynutrition.com says that the caffeine can actually boost the brain’s ability to stay awake, focus, and learn. Scientifically, caffeine blocks a neurotransmitter in the brain called adenosine. This particular neurotransmitter is responsible for promoting sleep and causing you to become drowsy. Caffeine blocks adenosine from functioning, helping the brain to feel more alert. In moderation, the jolt of caffeine can keep the mind attentive enough to complete tasks and get through the day.
Authoritynutrition.com goes on to list several nutrients within coffee that help the body develop and stay healthy. Some of these include:
-Vitamin B2
-Vitamin B5
-Manganese
-Potassium
-Magnesium
-Niacin
It is possible to enjoy coffee while trying to keep to a natural, healthy lifestyle. Its natural makeup of nutrients and relatively low calorie count allow coffee to be included even if you are watching your calorie consumption. The key is to avoid the sugary and high-fat add-ins and to make sure you are not consuming too much caffeine which can have a negative effect if you go over the recommended daily amount. Coffee is wonderful and it doesn’t have to be cut out of your daily routine during the holidays.
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11
