
When it comes to reducing sugar in coffee, many people talk about substitute sweeteners such as stevia or agave. However, I believe that there are two other points that should first be considered: firstly, what is making your coffee so bitter? And secondly, are you losing the potential for sweetness that is already in the cup?
Most of the coffee we get in the U.S. was roasted more than three weeks ago, leaving the oils to turn rancid. It is that rancidness that gives coffee its bitter taste. In the U.S., we have a cure for this problem called sugar and/or flavored creamers. However, a well-made cup of freshly-roasted coffee shouldn’t be bitter. You can try roasting your own beans (a bit tedious) or find a local coffee shop that roasts their own beans, like Hansa on 21 in Libertyville (for you locals).
If you find that you still want your coffee a little sweeter and you take cream in your cup, then you are in luck. Milk has a natural sugar that can add a significant amount of sweet to your Jo if it is treated correctly. Most coffee shops scorch the milk and ruin its sweetness. An artisan shop (Have I mentioned Hansa?) will know that milk’s sweet spot is about 1400F, which brings out the lactose, its natural sweetener.
Here are a couple of other tricks that you might want to try. If you sprinkle a little ground cardamom into the coffee grounds before brewing, it can help remove any bitterness from the oil and reduce acidity. It also helps freshen the breath, which isn’t a bad thing to know when drinking coffee. Also, adding cinnamon the same way can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce the amount of sugar your body absorbs. Adding cardamom and cinnamon immediately after the coffee is ground should help increase the coffee’s shelf life since they both are natural preservatives that together inhibit bacteria, fungus, virus and mold growth. And just smelling cinnamon (and coffee) boosts cognitive function, mood and memory. Frankly, if I listed all of the benefits of either one of these two great spices, I may never be able to recover from my tangent.
Lastly, check your reference point. If your primary reference to coffee is in association with the caffeine, then you are likely missing out on its real benefits. Realize that caffeine is what gives coffee a bad name. Caffeine aside, coffee has numerous benefits of its own. One such benefit is that it helps reduce the stress associated with loss of sleep. However, when it is abused, the caffeine overdrives the adrenal system and leaves us more tired that when we began. Used with moderation, a mild stimulant can make us more alert an energetic. Add that to the other benefits of this antioxidant-rich bean and it becomes a part of your healthy lifestyle. One great way to practice moderation is by allowing that cup of java to be a cherished moment in the day where you sit and savor the flavor and aroma of that well-made cup of freshly-brewed coffee.
O.K. So on a side note, do you want to know one of the sweetest things yet about coffee? A recent study has shown that it can help to increase muscle mass. No, it won’t replace your exercise program, but the study showed that coffee and exercise shared similar positive effect on strengthening the muscles and the DNA. Now how cool is that?!!
Most of the coffee we get in the U.S. was roasted more than three weeks ago, leaving the oils to turn rancid. It is that rancidness that gives coffee its bitter taste. In the U.S., we have a cure for this problem called sugar and/or flavored creamers. However, a well-made cup of freshly-roasted coffee shouldn’t be bitter. You can try roasting your own beans (a bit tedious) or find a local coffee shop that roasts their own beans, like Hansa on 21 in Libertyville (for you locals).
If you find that you still want your coffee a little sweeter and you take cream in your cup, then you are in luck. Milk has a natural sugar that can add a significant amount of sweet to your Jo if it is treated correctly. Most coffee shops scorch the milk and ruin its sweetness. An artisan shop (Have I mentioned Hansa?) will know that milk’s sweet spot is about 1400F, which brings out the lactose, its natural sweetener.
Here are a couple of other tricks that you might want to try. If you sprinkle a little ground cardamom into the coffee grounds before brewing, it can help remove any bitterness from the oil and reduce acidity. It also helps freshen the breath, which isn’t a bad thing to know when drinking coffee. Also, adding cinnamon the same way can help stabilize blood sugar and reduce the amount of sugar your body absorbs. Adding cardamom and cinnamon immediately after the coffee is ground should help increase the coffee’s shelf life since they both are natural preservatives that together inhibit bacteria, fungus, virus and mold growth. And just smelling cinnamon (and coffee) boosts cognitive function, mood and memory. Frankly, if I listed all of the benefits of either one of these two great spices, I may never be able to recover from my tangent.
Lastly, check your reference point. If your primary reference to coffee is in association with the caffeine, then you are likely missing out on its real benefits. Realize that caffeine is what gives coffee a bad name. Caffeine aside, coffee has numerous benefits of its own. One such benefit is that it helps reduce the stress associated with loss of sleep. However, when it is abused, the caffeine overdrives the adrenal system and leaves us more tired that when we began. Used with moderation, a mild stimulant can make us more alert an energetic. Add that to the other benefits of this antioxidant-rich bean and it becomes a part of your healthy lifestyle. One great way to practice moderation is by allowing that cup of java to be a cherished moment in the day where you sit and savor the flavor and aroma of that well-made cup of freshly-brewed coffee.
O.K. So on a side note, do you want to know one of the sweetest things yet about coffee? A recent study has shown that it can help to increase muscle mass. No, it won’t replace your exercise program, but the study showed that coffee and exercise shared similar positive effect on strengthening the muscles and the DNA. Now how cool is that?!!