3 Ways Your Coffee May Be Making You Fat

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A cup of plain, black coffee has about 10 calories. But add sugar, sweet whipped cream or other inflammatory flavor-enhancers and syrups contained in coffee-shop staples such as mocha lattes can contain more calories than a Big Mac. When you consider that many people have these drinks daily and often supersized, the total calorie intake adds up quickly. If you are not ready to give up coffee just yet but want to steer away from the sugar-laden versions, try these simple steps: learn to enjoy the tastes and health benefits of coffee, ideally brewing organic beans to lower additional toxicity.

1. Skip the chocolate sauce and instead opt for a small piece of high-quality dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa solids) on the side or melted and blended into your brew.
2. Add cinnamon (which may aid digestion) to the grounds before brewing or in your cup or organic almond extract rather than caramel or other sweeteners.
3. Forgo the whipped cream; a modest amount of unsweetened half-and-half, a splash of heavy whipping cream or canned full fat coconut milk are better options. There are also several nut-based creamer alternatives with no added sugar or hydrogenated fats.

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