Coffee poses no great health risk on its own, however adding elements such as sweetener can sabotage your quest for a healthy diet. While you may have a preference of the type of sweetener you use, there are some specific considerations you should remember when sweetening your coffee.
Step 1
Assess your current intake of sugar when sweetening coffee. Evaluate the amount of sweetener you are using and how it affects the taste of the coffee.
Step 2
Understand the healthy limits for sugar intake. The American Heart Association recommends that men limit their sugar consumption to 150 calories per day and women limit their sugar consumption to 100 calories per day. To put it in perspective, MayoClinic.com relays that 150 calories of sugar equates to approximately nine teaspoons of sugar while 100 calories of sugar equates to 6 tsp. Remember that these amounts are maximum limits; aim to consume fewer calories that come from sugar.
Step 3
Determine whether your intake falls within the healthy range and make adjustments. If you consume between 6 to 9 tsp. of sugar strictly with your coffee consumption and you consume any foods or other beverages that contain sugar, you will exceed your sugar intake for the day.
Step 4
Measure sugar before adding it to coffee. This allows you to more accurately track your intake. Estimating the amount of sugar you add undoubtedly causes you to use more sugar than necessary, thereby consuming more calories than required. Using sugar cubes can be helpful because they are pre-portioned and save time if you're in a rush.
Step 5
Aim to gradually reduce the amount of sugar you use to sweeten your coffee, recommends Readers Digest. If you typically use 4 tsp. of sugar to sweeten your coffee, reduce it to 3 tsp. and see if you notice much of a difference. Get used to slightly less sugar to sweeten your coffee.
Step 6
Consider using a sugar substitute if you currently use pure sugar. Many sugar substitutes are relatively low in calories and many are calorie-free. In addition, sugar free syrups often provide flavor but contain few calories.
Member Comments