While on the quest to lead happier lives, many of us seek ways to make healthier choices, whether this means cutting back on snacking throughout the day or taking the time to exercise more often.
However, a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean we have to restrict ourselves or cut out the things we love!
If coffee is one of those things you love, you’ll be pleased to know that drinking it will not only perk you up in the morning but can also offer numerous health benefits. How you drink your coffee and the additions you make will contribute to the potential benefits it provides; so, what is the healthiest way to drink coffee, and how can you start making healthier coffee choices?
Making Small Changes for a Healthier Lifestyle
If your usual coffee order tends to be laden with sugar, choosing a healthier option the next time you visit your local cafe highlights how even small changes can make a difference.
At our coffee shops in the UK, we offer an extensive menu that ensures our customers can continue finding healthy alternatives and enjoying organic coffee and nutritional snacks, showing that healthy options can still be delicious!
Is Coffee Good For Your Health?
There's nothing wrong with enjoying coffee that embraces additions like full-fat milk, cream or sugar, but drinks like this cannot necessarily be considered the ‘healthiest’ options around and may pack in more calories than you expect.
However, when enjoyed black and unsweetened, coffee offers several health benefits, making it a great part of your daily routine. It contains various nutrients and antioxidants, helping support brain, heart and liver health while also potentially making you live longer.
Discover some of our favourite healthy coffee options for when you need that caffeine boost without loading up on sugar too!
Drink Black Coffee
Keep it simple with a classic black coffee with no fuss or frills.
Espresso
Espresso is the base of most coffees. It is made by forcing a small amount of hot water through finely-ground coffee beans under pressure, resulting in a small cup of concentrated coffee with a thick crema.
This is the perfect option for those who love a strong hit of coffee and don’t need anything to temper the flavour.
Americano
For many, an Americano is the go-to coffee choice. It is simply espresso with more hot water added, providing you with a less intense but still wonderfully flavourful coffee.
If you don’t like drinking it black, adding milk or milk alternatives can take away some of the bitterness, helping you avoid piling in spoonfuls of sugar.
Macchiato
This is another espresso-based drink with the addition of a dash of foamed milk. The minimal amount of milk and no added sugar or syrups makes it a great coffee for when you need that midday boost without risking a sugar crash.
Cortado
If intense espresso and black coffees aren’t for you, a cortado might just be the perfect alternative. Cortados are made by combining a shot of espresso with equal parts steamed milk, again removing some of that acidity without needing to add sugar.
This little drink is a bit like a tiny, delicious latte!
Adding Milk to Coffee
When you start adding milk to your coffee, you also start adding more calories – but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Cow’s milk is packed with nutrients like calcium, potassium and vitamin D, along with being a good source of protein – this makes it an excellent addition to a healthy, balanced diet.
Remember, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is always an option if you want to enjoy a nice milky coffee but want to reduce your calorie intake a little. Classic coffee drinks like lattes, flat whites and cappuccinos rely on the addition of milk.
Milk Alternatives For Your Coffee
If you don’t drink dairy, there are plenty of milk alternatives available these days that come with their own host of benefits.
Milk alternatives don’t tend to provide as many nutrients as cow’s milk, but many will contain fewer calories.
Our Esquires Coffee shops offer the following milk alternatives, allowing you to find the ideal option for your favourite roast:
- Soy
- Almond
- Oat
- Coconut
Adding Flavour to Coffee
Coffee is incredibly versatile and combines well with plenty of other flavours.
For most people, sugar is the first thing they reach for as it’s the most obvious way to sweeten your drink and change its flavour. However, there are countless ways you can add flavour to your coffee without setting your sights on mountains of sugar.
Cinnamon
The rich spiciness of cinnamon complements coffee wonderfully and will add that element of sweetness without the need for sugar.
A sprinkle of cinnamon not only tastes great but can also bring its own health benefits – the ingredient is full of antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory properties and could even reduce the risk of heart disease.
Turmeric
As more coffee drinkers set their sights on healthier lifestyles, specialist health coffee options are becoming more popular. One such option embraces the addition of turmeric, a vibrantly coloured spice that adds a unique twist to your drink.
Potential health benefits of turmeric include supporting digestion and having anti-inflammatory properties.
Turmeric lattes are especially delicious!
If you’re still after healthier ways to sweeten your coffee, check out our guide.
Healthy Tea Options
If you want to branch out and swap your usual coffee for another hot drink, the obvious choice is tea – and there are plenty of flavours and types to choose from!
Many kinds of tea and tea infusions are low-calorie while packing in antioxidants and vitamins, making them ideal for promoting healthy living. Beyond regular English breakfast, you could try:
- Green tea or matcha
- Peppermint tea
- Chamomile tea
- Rooibos tea
- Ginger tea
Healthy Iced Coffee & Iced Tea
These drinks may have a bit of a reputation for packing in sugar and being unhealthy, but you can still enjoy a chilled coffee or tea experience without overloading on sweetness.
Avoid iced drinks that go overboard on additional flavours and sugary syrups or sweeteners to remain mindful of the healthier options.
Of course, an indulgent drink every now and again isn’t going to be detrimental to your long-term health, so it’s perfectly okay to go for the traditionally ‘unhealthy’ choice when in moderation.
When it comes to delicious, healthy coffee, we’ve certainly got you covered! You’re sure to find something you love at Esquires Coffee with our fairtrade, organic blends – don’t just take our word for it; find out where your local Esquires store is to experience it for yourself.
If you want to make your mark on the flourishing coffee industry, opening a coffee shop franchise could be the perfect opportunity for you. Read our coffee shop franchise FAQs to find out if an Esquires franchise partnership could be right for you.
About the author - Jack Anderson
Jack has been working in the franchise sector for over 12 years and is our in-house guru on all things business! Jack is also a keen hiker and can be found in some of the UK's best walking spots on the weekends.
