Many people enjoy black coffee but add milk, cream and sugar for added taste and sweetness. Unfortunately, this also adds calories and carbs that could easily derail diets. Luckily, there are healthier alternatives that make coffee just as enjoyable but much healthier than before!

Sugar, brown sugar, honey and agave nectar all offer similar sweetness without all of the additional calories found in table sugar; however, their serving sizes could still have an impactful impact on blood sugar, so be careful in controlling them.

If you need something sweet in your coffee, natural sweeteners like Splenda Original or Stevia may provide just enough sweetness without impacting blood sugar levels too much.1 These alternatives offer no added calories and have minimal impact on blood glucose levels.1

Add cinnamon for an enhanced, more aromatic experience by stirring in just a pinch to your beverage of choice. Not only will the aromatic spice enhance the flavor, but its health benefits may include helping regulate blood sugar, reduce cravings and speed metabolism.

Coconut oil is another popular add-in that adds delicious nutty flavor and provides essential healthy fats. When searching for an organic cold-pressed variety, make sure it has less saturated fat content than more common grocery store brands.

Coconut oil not only strengthens immunity and energy levels, but research also indicates it may assist with weight management.1

Black coffee has the power to boost metabolic rate and help you burn more calories during workouts, making it an excellent way to support weight loss or maintain a healthier body composition. Just be sure to drink in moderation and combine your caffeine consumption with eating other nutritious food throughout the day for maximum benefit.

Coffee may cause side effects if consumed excessively, including making you jittery and interfering with sleep patterns. However, these reactions usually only manifest themselves if over four cups per day are consumed; otherwise the side effects tend to be temporary.

Studies have demonstrated that drinking one to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day may lower the risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions; however, its effect can be diminished when milk, sugar or cream are added. Therefore, for maximum effectiveness it’s essential to find a delicious black coffee beverage without added sugars or milks for best health results; additionally it will require you to find quality beans grown without pesticides and chemicals, such as conventionally farmed beans.