I’ve always been a loyal coffee drinker. We have pictures of me no older than three years old chugging down the rest of my mom’s latte. It was just a few months ago that I started drinking tea and my mom sent me a text saying, “I’d rather you join a cult than convert to tea!” Luckily, I am not a full convert, and never will be. I always find myself wanting the delicious comfort of coffee. It’s just one of those things that puts me in such a good mood no matter what!

Coffee, in moderation, comes with some great benefits:

• Powerful antioxidants that boost immunity
• Lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and dementia
• People who regularly drink coffee are less likely to have certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes
• Extremely low calorie
• Energy boost (those who have caffeine before working out usually are able to work out harder and longer than those who don’t!), which can help you get over that midday hump and focus more.
• If it’s iced it can be very refreshing on hot days, and hot coffee can keep you cozy during the cold.

The downside of coffee is that if you aren’t used to the strong and bitter taste, you may want to add the trimmings, such as cream and sugar. A 6-ounce cup of black coffee contains just 7 calories. If you add some half & half and you’ll get 46 calories. If you favor a liquid nondairy creamer, that will set you back 48 calories. And just a teaspoon of sugar will add about 23 calories! I usually take my coffee black or with the tiniest amount of cream I can. It might be hard at first to get used to black coffee, but trust me, it’s possible! 

So, when you’re feeling a little lackluster and could use a tiramisú (“pick me up”), go grab yourself a yummy coffee!