The No 1 best coffee to drink

There are so many ways you can brew best coffee these days. There’s pour-over, Chemex, French press, Aeropress, and now you can even steep coffee like it’s tea! Yet with so many different ways to make a cup of coffee, we had to ask ourselves—are any of them considered the healthiest? Quick answer: Not really. After consulting multiple dietitians, we concluded that the best coffee to drink is one that isn’t loaded with added sugars.
This may seem simple and maybe a bit vague, but the truth is coffee is actually pretty good for you. If you’re keeping your caffeine intake under 400 milligrams a day—which equates to 28 ounces, or four cups of coffee—your morning coffee can actually be highly beneficial for your body’s health. (Related: The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now)
Along with making you feel alert and energized (thank you, caffeine), studies show that coffee can actually help you lose weight, improve cognitive function, and even helps you live longer.
And yet, while adding a coffee into your daily meal plan can benefit your health, your efforts can immediately backfire if you’re adding the wrong types of ingredients to it. Specifically the overly-sugary ones.
“The best way to enjoy your coffee is by making it that way you like, but being conscious of what you add into your coffee,” says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook. “Some of the designer drinks are full of added sugars, which can be negative to your health and waistline when consumed regularly. Making a few changes to your coffee order like using low-fat milk instead of cream, limiting the syrup, or passing on the whipped topping, can help you enjoy your coffee and its plant-based nutrients without the added calories.”
Preparing your coffee at home is an easy way to cut down the calories. Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, says her favorite type of coffee to brew at home is a French roast.
“[What’s] most important is what you add to the coffee—use cow’s milk or unsweetened plant milk instead of cream, and cinnamon instead of sugar,” says Young.
Another great way to sweeten up your coffee without sugary coffee creamers is sprinkling in your favorite flavored protein powder.
“Protein coffee is probably one of the best ways to drink coffee in the morning, says Megan Byrd, RD from The Oregon Dietitian. “Not only does it boost your metabolism with protein first thing in the morning, but it also tastes great! Making coffee with protein powder adds flavor and sweetness without a ton of added carbs and artificial flavors you would get by sweetening it with creamers. It also helps to keep you full between breakfast and lunch, leading to fewer cravings during the day.”
So brew yourself a pot of your favorite coffee roast, add some almond milk with a dash of cinnamon, and you have yourself the perfect cup of coffee—free of all of those added empty calories.