In defense of coffee (and how to keep it healthy)

When I tell über-healthy friends of mine that I’m a coffee addict, they love to lecture me about how horrible coffee is and how I’m screwing up my system. Sorry, amigos: science just doesn’t agree with you. Coffee is one of the most potent sources of antioxidants, which may explain why regular consumption has been linked to a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimers; Parkinson’s; colon, liver, oral, ovarian and uterine cancers; and type 2 diabetes. It also has the potential to enhance athletic performance and improve focus, and may help keep asthma under control, too.

A caveat: when you have several cups a day–as I do–you do have to be careful to keep both your calories and caffeine in check. Otherwise, you may find yourself battling the bulge and some serious insomnia. Here are some ways to make sure your jolt of java doesn’t do more harm than good:

1. Choose espresso drinks. Contrary to popular belief, espresso has less caffeine than drip coffee (between 20 and 40 mg less per serving, on average)–and like many people, I’ve noticed that it doesn’t make me as jittery as the regular stuff




2. Ask for a skinny capp. Opting for a tall skim cappuccino over a skim latte of the same size will save you forty calories (they contain 60 calories and 100 calories each, respectively). It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you have two coffees a day, that’s 80 calories, which adds up to 560 a week–enough to pack on an extra pound every six weeks.




3. Keep it simple. Skip the mocha Frappuccino and iced caramel latte and go with an Americano (a shot of espresso with hot water), regular coffee, or a skinny capp and you’ll save hundreds of calories in the process.




4. Mind your milk. No matter what type of drink you’re having, keep calories in check by making sure the milk it contains is skim or 1% instead of whole, cream or half and half.




5. Know when to say when. After 3 p.m. (earlier, if you’re caffeine sensitive), switch to decaf.

-Camille