There are a lot of opinions out there when it comes to whether or not coffee is good or bad for you. Since coffee is our business here at Cliff & Pebble, we wanted to know the facts so we spoke with an expert. Erin Rich, a nutrition educator from the St. Louis Dairy Council, was kind enough to talk to us about the health aspects of coffee. What she told us may come as a surprise to many. Read below!
Coffee Packs and Nutritious Punch
By: Erin Rich, RD, LD
Each morning, Americans across the country reach for a cup of coffee to jump start their day. Not only does coffee make us more alert, and is especially warming on these cold winter mornings, but it turns out coffee packs a punch when it comes to nutrition as well. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, coffee is one of the greatest sources of antioxidants in the American diet, due to the quantity consumed. Antioxidants are properties in foods that can help protect your body’s cells from disease.
The nutrition benefits of coffee don’t stop there. Coffee happens to be an excellent carrier for milk, which adds essential nutrients to your beverage. It is recommended that Americans 9 years of age and older get 3 servings of dairy a day, and your morning cup of joe is a great way to get one of those servings. Milk is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, not to mention the 8 grams of high quality protein per cup, so what better way to start your morning?
Stepping up your nutrition game in your coffee can be done from the comfort of your own home. It could be as simple as pouring milk and your coffee. Some of the more involved coffee drinks, such as a latte or mocha, could seem out of the question unless you have a milk steamer. However, the milk foam desired for these beverages is quite easy to achieve, all you need is a home espresso machine with milk frothing capabilities.
*While all milk has the same 9 essential nutrients, lower fat milk (1% or fat free) foams better.
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