Coffee comes in all types and shapes, based on our personal taste. Drinking your cuppa should always be a fest for your taste buds, regardless of the types of coffee you usually fancy. For example, you might need to add some sugar and milk or even make it more indulgent with some cream. But what about black coffee?
Some people prefer black coffee because it is believed to be the best way to enjoy its aftertaste, while others believe this can help them ingest more caffeine. Let’s dive into the world of black coffee!
How To Drink Black Coffee?
Many believe that black coffee is too strong and should thus be avoided.
If you are trying to shift to black coffee to cut your daily calorie intake down, or because you want to try it, you can take some baby steps to make your taste buds get used to it. For example, you can try bulletproof coffee.
This doesn’t mean that you should learn any new fancy recipe. All you need to do is add one or two tablespoons of coconut oil into your black coffee. If you want, you can try it with butter instead, although you will end up with a sweeter and less diet-friendly drink.
Bulletproof coffee is usually part of the keto diet because of its fat intake. However, you can integrate it into your everyday routine until you feel entirely ready to say goodbye to sugar and milk.
On the other hand, if you want to stick to your usual sweetener intake, you can gradually reduce it. For example, start by reducing it by 20%, and after a few days, reduce it even more. Before you know it, you’ll barely remember how your coffee with sugar tastes like, and you will be enjoying a cup of black coffee.
What Does Black Coffee Taste Like?
Each coffee variety has its aftertaste and aroma, which you will thoroughly enjoy only if you taste it with no additional flavoring. Several coffee lovers confirm that all coffees taste the same when you add cream or sugar to your cuppa.
By drinking black coffee, you can expand your flavor profile. However, for this reason, you want to try the best coffee you can buy. This doesn’t mean that you should spend a fortune to enjoy your daily americano, but on the other hand, you should save your generic “coffee shop” beans for when you prefer to alter the taste with additional flavorings.
What Makes Black Coffee Better?
First of all, you shouldn’t force yourself to drink black coffee, and if you don’t like it, you should have your usual cuppa as you prefer. However, if you want to try black coffee or have tried it already but want to give it a second chance, we have a few recommendations to make it a little bit less bitter.
- Experiment with different types of coffee. There are different variants of coffee out there that you can try. Some have a nutty aftertaste, while others are sweeter or even more bitter. Not all of them are made to be tasted with or without milk. The best thing you can do is get a little bit adventurous and look for new ground coffee to try. The proper coffee beans variety can immediately make your drink taste better!
- Always drink fresh coffee. You should never drink old and stale coffee as a general rule. However, if you want to enjoy a great cup of black coffee, you should always use the freshest grounds or beans. Ensure to check the expiration date on your coffee bag or, if you’re not sure about it, avoid using any coffee that has been opened for more than six months or one year.
- Add some salt. No, this is not a joke. A tiny bit of salt can take out some of the bitterness and make your coffee taste smoother. Just don’t overdo it: you only need a small amount of salt to adjust the flavor of your cuppa.
Is Black Coffee Strong?
Some believe that black coffee is not for the faint-hearted – literally, because of its caffeine intake and its alleged impact on our hearts. However, it must be stressed that black coffee doesn’t have more caffeine than your average cappuccino, and the amount of caffeine you ingest is based on the quantity of the coffee and its roast.
As you can imagine, black coffee is believed to be stronger because any other beverage made with sugar or cream usually has a softer and overall more pleasant mouthfeel. Black coffee also has an impressive name, which gives you the idea of something obscure and difficult to handle. This isn’t necessarily true, and the only way to find out whether black coffee could be too strong for your taste buds or your stomach is to try it.
Do You Get Used To The Taste Of Black Coffee?
Yes, of course, you do. You can get used to it by reducing the amount of cream and sugar gradually until you feel ready to have your coffee as it is. As we have seen together, there are several ways you can start to make some baby steps towards a healthier and more diet-friendly coffee.
Is It OK To Drink Black Coffee On An Empty Stomach?
Drinking coffee and black coffee is usually beneficial for your body. However, it can also be harmful, especially if you ingest too much caffeine on an empty stomach.
Let’s be honest: we’ve all had a couple of busy mornings where our only option was a cup of black coffee for breakfast, with literally zero time to grab a bite. Some people even have only a cuppa as their usual breakfast regularly.
Although this can give you an instant shot of energy, you should avoid drinking your coffee on an empty stomach, as it can release hydrochloric acid inside your digestive system. As a result, your body won’t be able to fully decompose the proteins from your breakfast, leading to several problems such as inflammation of the bowel, bloating, and irritation.
This doesn’t mean that you will poison yourself or feel immediately ill unless you already have some problems with gastritis. Besides, research suggests that drinking coffee with an empty stomach in the morning can significantly increase cortisol.
What Are the Benefits Of Drinking Black Coffee?
Drinking black coffee can be healthier than enjoying your drink with sugar or cream. This doesn’t mean that black coffee automatically acquires some special superpowers. As you can imagine, black coffee has virtually no calories or carbs, and it is thus a diet-friendly drink, which gives you all the benefits of caffeine without adding extra calories to your break.
However, coffee still is an excellent source of antioxidants for our body. Besides, coffee contains chlorogenic acid, accelerating our metabolism and supporting a proper weight loss regimen. Studies have found that chlorogenic acid found in coffee can slow down the production of glucose in our bodies and even improve the blood cholesterol profile.
Can Dark Coffee Make Me Lose Weight?
As we have already discussed, black coffee and coffee, in general, contain caffeine, which can stimulate our metabolic activity and increase our overall energy level. Research has confirmed that having a cup of black coffee as a part of your breakfast can result in lesser hunger during lunchtime.
This is because caffeine can sometimes affect the hunger hormone PYY, especially in obese or overweight people. This is, however, a short-duration effect, which shouldn’t substitute any other weight loss treatment.
Side Effects Of Black Coffee
Unless you suffer from gastritis, there is no specific side effect directly linked to drinking black coffee. However, it must be highlighted that caffeine can lead to the following:
- Stress and anxiety. A low mood may soon follow the initial shot of energy and adrenaline if you consume too much coffee.
- Sleep problems. As you might already know, excessive coffee intake can jeopardize your sleeping routine. You should avoid coffee a few hours before bedtime, and in general, you shouldn’t consume too much caffeine.
- Acidity in your stomach. Don’t forget that coffee is rich in caffeine and acid! If you already suffer from this type of problem, you should discuss it with your doctor to check whether you should consume black coffee.
- Overall, caffeine can prevent your body from properly absorbing minerals from your daily diet. Your diet should be rich in iron, calcium, and zinc, which your body needs to be strong and healthy.
Is It Safe To Drink Black Coffee?
Of course, consuming black coffee has both its benefits and side effects. Whether you decide to try black coffee or you already regularly have it without sugar or cream, it should always be up to your personal preferences.
On the other hand, consuming too much black coffee (or caffeine in general) might cause hypertension and other health issues. For this reason, you should limit your coffee intake to two cups per day, especially if you are not diluting it with milk.
Is Drinking Black Coffee Good For My Liver?
Science has confirmed that black coffee and coffee, in general, can help your liver, and this is a vital organ responsible for many core functions within your body.
Regular and moderate intake of back coffee can help prevent liver cancer, hepatitis, and fatty liver disease. This is due to the nutrients of coffee, which include precious antioxidants and other contents that can help lower the level of harmful enzymes usually found in our blood.
However, you shouldn’t drink your coffee as part of your regimen to keep your liver healthy. If you want to find out more about the benefits of black coffee for your liver and your health in general, you should discuss it with your doctor.
How Much Black Coffee Should One Drink In A Day?
Caffeine content tends to be highly variable and depends on the variety of your coffee. It ranges from 50 to 400 mg per cup as a general rule. Your espresso has about 50 mg of caffeine, whereas a giant cup of American can go up to 100 mg of caffeine.
Studies suggest that the average individual shouldn’t consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. This is roughly the equivalent of 4 cups of americano, although this applies to all coffee-based drinks.
However, you should base your decision on your feelings. For some individuals, 400 mg of caffeine is already too much. Other people tend to be more resistant to the effects of caffeine and can quickly drink up to 500 or 600 mg of caffeine without feeling any difference in their bodies.
In other words, you should follow instinct, but also make sure never to drink too much coffee. If you like the taste of your cuppa too much to limit your daily intake, you can switch to decaffeinated drinks.
Enjoy Your Cuppa!
Many people like black coffee because it allows you to enjoy the natural taste of your coffee beans. Others decide to switch to this drink because it is more diet-friendly than your average cappuccino.
As we have seen together, black coffee has numerous health benefits, and it is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. However, it can also have some side effects. As always, moderation is the key!