A lot of us depend on our daily cup of morning coffee to jumpstart the day. However, while making our daily fix of coffee in the morning is something we never forget to do, most people often forget to take another essential item – that is, their daily dose of vitamins. If you are like many others who always forget to take their daily vitamins, now it is possible to add a healthy dollop of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients to your daily caffeine fix in the morning. Here are some ways in which you can boost your coffee with antioxidants and vitamins.
Boost Your Coffee with Antioxidants and Vitamins : Add Cinnamon, Mushrooms and Ginger
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Add a Dash of Cinnamon to Your Coffee
Let us start the day by sprinkling a dash of cinnamon in your morning cup of coffee to deliver a potent dose of antioxidants. Cinnamon has been used for thousands of years as both a spice and medicine. Loaded with nearly 41 protective compounds, cinnamon is known to have one of the highest antioxidant potential among all spices.(1, 2, 3)
A study carried out in Karnataka, India, on mice found that cinnamon offered extra protection to the heart and brain.(4) Other studies done on human cells found that cinnamon can not only reduce the risk of cancer, but it can also boost the functioning of your immune system.(5, 6)
Now, how to get all this goodness of cinnamon in your coffee? To get the maximum benefit of cinnamon, simply stir half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder into your cup of coffee. You can even put one teaspoon of cinnamon directly into your coffee grounds and brew your coffee for a stronger taste.
The best type of cinnamon to get to boost the goodness of your coffee is Ceylon cinnamon, also called true cinnamon. Even though this variety of cinnamon is a bit challenging to come across as well as a bit more expensive, it is known to be of a higher quality than cassia cinnamon, which is most commonly found in stores. Ceylon cinnamon is also safer to consume when compared to cassia. Cassia cinnamon has a higher amount of coumarin, which is a plant compound that is deemed to be unsafe to consume in very large amounts.(7)
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Have You Thought About Adding Mushrooms?
Now, this might sound completely whacky. After all, who mixes mushrooms with coffee? However, having a cup of coffee boosted by this delicious fungi can actually have surprising benefits for your health. Mushrooms are known to have very powerful anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-boosting properties. Since they are rich in antioxidants, mushrooms have been found to have powerful anticancer effects on mice. Further studies on mice have also shown that mushrooms may even play a big role in preventing liver disease. Adding mushrooms to your coffee can also help in digestion as mushrooms are powerful prebiotics as well.(8, 9, 10)
In fact, there is even a popular brand that offers mushroom coffee, by the name Four Sigmatic. According to Four Sigmatic, drinking mushroom coffee is greatly beneficial for the body as it is a superfood. In fact, having mushroom coffee can even help prevent any stomach issues, post-caffeine crash, and the jitters that many people experience after having normal coffee.(11)
Of course, it is a must to keep in mind that not all mushroom coffee is made equal. This is why you should read the ingredients properly before selecting which one to buy. Or you can even consider buying your own mushroom powders to add to your coffee. There is even packaged mushroom coffee that you can buy as it is from stores or from online retailers.
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Try Some Ginger In Your Coffee
It is a common practice in many Asian cultures to add ginger to their tea for the extra flavor and the many health benefits associated with ginger. However, have you ever thought about how your coffee might taste if you add a dash of ginger to it? If you are not consuming ginger in some form or the other, you are definitely missing out on some of the great health benefits. Sprinkling some ginger into your cup of coffee can transform your normal cup of java into a slightly spicy and aromatic cup of highly nutritious coffee.
Ginger has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. People have commonly been using it for treating nausea, reducing muscle pain, helping boost digestion, and also for lowering cholesterol levels. Ginger is also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.(12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
You can add ginger directly into your coffee, roughly around a teaspoon per cup. You can even grate ginger and stir it directly into your coffee if you want a spicier and stronger flavor of ginger.
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Add A Healthy Dose Of Turmeric
If you are fond of eating healthy, you must already be well aware of the many health benefits of turmeric. This golden spice is a preferred addition to many things nowadays, from lattes to tea, and now even coffee. Most of the medicinal benefits of turmeric are derived from the compound curcumin, which is famous for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Curcumin is a powerhouse antioxidant that boosts the detoxification of the liver, helps in digestion, and is even known to help in the treatment of depression.(17, 18)
To include turmeric in your morning coffee, the best way is to combine with healthy fats like coconut or pair it with a dash of black pepper. Pepper is known to boost the bioavailability of turmeric, which makes the spice more effective even when taken in smaller doses.
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Add The Antidepressant Cacao
Hearing the word cacao, your first thought goes to chocolate. Well, chocolate and coffee have always been a perfect match, haven’t they? When you add raw cacao powder to coffee, the health benefits double. Cacao is the new superfood that is known to be a powerful antioxidant and it is also the highest plant-based source of iron. Cacao is also an excellent ingredient for your heart.(19)
Cacao is also an excellent anti-inflammatory that helps increase the levels of good cholesterol in the blood while lowering bad cholesterol. It also lowers your blood pressure, boosts your mood, and is known to have anti-depressive properties. Cacao is said to be great for the brain as well as it is believed to have cognitive benefits.(20, 21)
To make a delicious cup of coffee with cacao, mix one teaspoon of raw cacao into your coffee and get a boost of antioxidants, magnesium, and fiber all in one. You can avail the maximum benefit from using organic raw cacao.
Conclusion
For those people who are always forgetting to take their daily vitamins, the best alternative is to put a dash of healthy ingredients in their cup of morning coffee itself. This way you will never have to think twice about whether you are eating healthy. Adding any of these five superfood ingredients to your coffee will allow you to brew up your very own vitamin and antioxidant coffee. The benefits of drinking boosted coffee range from a better mood to more energy and even a healthier heart and brain. So stop thinking twice and add these healthy ingredients to your morning cup of coffee right away.
- Shan, B., Cai, Y.Z., Sun, M. and Corke, H., 2005. Antioxidant capacity of 26 spice extracts and characterization of their phenolic constituents. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 53(20), pp.7749-7759.
- Nakatani, N., 1992. Natural antioxidants from spices.
- Wojdyło, A., Oszmiański, J. and Czemerys, R., 2007. Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds in 32 selected herbs. Food chemistry, 105(3), pp.940-949.
- Kawatra, P. and Rajagopalan, R., 2015. Cinnamon: Mystic powers of a minute ingredient. Pharmacognosy research, 7(Suppl 1), p.S1.
- Ka, H., Park, H.J., Jung, H.J., Choi, J.W., Cho, K.S., Ha, J. and Lee, K.T., 2003. Cinnamaldehyde induces apoptosis by ROS-mediated mitochondrial permeability transition in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. Cancer letters, 196(2), pp.143-152.
- Wang, G.S., Deng, J.H., Min, S.H.I. and Bo, L.I., 2012. Mechanisms, clinically curative effects, and antifungal activities of cinnamon oil and pogostemon oil complex against three species of Candida. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 32(1), pp.19-24.
- Abraham, K., Wöhrlin, F., Lindtner, O., Heinemeyer, G. and Lampen, A., 2010. Toxicology and risk assessment of coumarin: focus on human data. Molecular nutrition & food research, 54(2), pp.228-239.
- Kang, J.H., Jang, J.E., Mishra, S.K., Lee, H.J., Nho, C.W., Shin, D., Jin, M., Kim, M.K., Choi, C. and Oh, S.H., 2015. Ergosterol peroxide from Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) exhibits anti-cancer activity by down-regulation of the β-catenin pathway in colorectal cancer. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 173, pp.303-312.
- Wu, X., Zeng, J., Hu, J., Liao, Q., Zhou, R., Zhang, P. and Chen, Z., 2013. Hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract from lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (higher basidiomycetes) on α-Amanitin− induced liver injury in mice. International journal of medicinal mushrooms, 15(4).
- Friedman, M., 2016. Mushroom polysaccharides: chemistry and antiobesity, antidiabetes, anticancer, and antibiotic properties in cells, rodents, and humans. Foods, 5(4), p.80. Design, A. (no date) New Coffee, new you, Four Sigmatic. Available at: https://us.foursigmatic.com/?irclickid=w37wRO1G%3AzS1RFcx3tX5i0GOUkAwiK0d%3AWweUA0&irgwc=1 (Accessed: January 12, 2023).
- Ernst, E. and Pittler, M.H., 2000. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British journal of anaesthesia, 84(3), pp.367-371.
- Mashhadi, N.S., Ghiasvand, R., Askari, G., Hariri, M., Darvishi, L. and Mofid, M.R., 2013. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: review of current evidence. International journal of preventive medicine, 4(Suppl 1), p.S36.
- Black, C.D. and O’Connor, P.J., 2010. Acute effects of dietary ginger on muscle pain induced by eccentric exercise. Phytotherapy research, 24(11), pp.1620-1626.
- Alizadeh-Navaei, R., Roozbeh, F., Saravi, M., Pouramir, M., Jalali, F. and Moghadamnia, A.A., 2008. Investigation of the effect of ginger on the lipid levels. Saudi Med J, 29(9), pp.1280-4.
- Wu, K.L., Rayner, C.K., Chuah, S.K., Changchien, C.S., Lu, S.N., Chiu, Y.C., Chiu, K.W. and Lee, C.M., 2008. Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans. European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology, 20(5), pp.436-440.
- Gupta, S.C., Patchva, S. and Aggarwal, B.B., 2013. Therapeutic roles of curcumin: lessons learned from clinical trials. The AAPS journal, 15(1), pp.195-218.
- Sanmukhani, J., Satodia, V., Trivedi, J., Patel, T., Tiwari, D., Panchal, B., Goel, A. and Tripathi, C.B., 2014. Efficacy and safety of curcumin in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Phytotherapy research, 28(4), pp.579-585.
- Corti, R., Flammer, A.J., Hollenberg, N.K. and Lüscher, T.F., 2009. Cocoa and cardiovascular health. Circulation, 119(10), pp.1433-1441.
- Ding, E.L., Hutfless, S.M., Ding, X. and Girotra, S., 2006. Chocolate and prevention of cardiovascular disease: a systematic review. Nutrition & metabolism, 3(1), pp.1-12.
- Barragán Mejía, G., Calderón Guzmán, D., Juárez Olguín, H., Hernández Martínez, N., García Cruz, E., Morales Ramírez, A., Labra Ruiz, N., Esquivel Jiménez, G., Osnaya Brizuela, N., García Álvarez, R. and Ontiveros Mendoza, E., 2011. The administration of food supplemented with cocoa powder during nutritional recovery reduces damage caused by oxidative stress in rat brain. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s archives of pharmacology, 384(6), pp.499-504.