The Military Diet and Coffee
Coffee isn’t always considered a ‘health drink’, but some ways to drink coffee are healthier than others, especially on the Military Diet. We recommend drinking your coffee black on the Military Diet, but we understand that’s not always palatable. And on days off the Military Diet, it’s normal to splash out a little bit.
Coffee is actually a great antioxidant but that cup of joe turns unhealthy once you add artificial sweeteners and artificial creamers. Try to keep it real to keep your coffee healthy. Coffee is one of the biggest source of antioxidants for Americans, but that’s only because we should be getting more of our antioxidants from fruits and veggies. We know that doesn’t always happen…
The best ways to keep your coffee healthy:
Think of a pumpkin spiced latte as more of a desert item than a morning coffee.
DON’T add artificial sweeteners. Instead, try organic maple syrup, agave nectar, honey or Stevia. That fancy Starbucks coffee is loaded with bad sugar too; think pumpkin lattes and caramel frappuccinos. Treat these as dessert items for special occasions only. Either of these two Starbucks drinks has nearly 400 calories, more than an Egg McMuffin but less than a Big Mac. And never mind that your blood sugar crashes an hour later and that coffee you drank to boost your energy does exactly the opposite. If you still want a bit of fancy without the crash and calories, try an almond milk latte or skim milk latte with Stevia.
DON’T add artificial creamers. Both the liquid and the powder creamers are made with corn syrup solids and hydrogenated oils; both ingredients are terrible. Any kind of creamer is better than artificial creamer. It’s healthier to use real full fat cream or milk. For less calories, try a splash of almond or soy milk.
DO choose organic coffee. Conventional coffee has loads of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. These chemicals disrupt the hormone balance in your body (creating stubborn abdominal fat). Choose organic whenever you can, but especially with coffee.
DO add healthy antioxidants to your coffee like cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, cloves or carob.
DO try and drink less than one cup of coffee a day to avoid becoming addicted. Substitute green or oolong tea instead of that second or third cup of coffee. Getting used to non caffeinated herbal teas is even better. Plus, you can drink as much plain herbal tea as you want on the Military Diet.
