After you brew the perfect cup of coffee, add a sprinkle of cinnamon right into your cup, recommends Joy Bauer, nutrition and health expert of the TODAY Show, and founder of Nourish Snacks. ¡°A little calorie-free spice is nice.¡± Cinnamon is also said to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) too.
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Invoke seasonal flavors
¡°Try a sprinkle of nutmeg for a festive feel,¡± says Joy of one of the easiest coffee hacks. ¡°It¡¯ll remind you of holiday flavors like spiced eggnog.¡± Here, answers to questions you¡¯ve always had about coffee.
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Dial up the heat
Crank up the heat by adding a dash of cayenne for a Mexican-style java jolt. Joy warns us to use this spicy addition only sparingly, but loves that it can help rev up a sluggish metabolism. ¡°This gives new meaning to ¡®hot¡¯ joe!¡± she says. Check out these other proven ways to boost metabolism.
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Try a DIY pumpkin spice latte
¡°Make your own pumpkin spice latte whenever you¡¯re in the mood¡ªwhy wait until the fall to enjoy this beloved beverage?¡± Joy says. Combine vanilla extract, skim milk, some cold or regular brew, and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice for a DIY pumpkin spice latte. ¡°You¡¯ll transform your coffee into festive holiday beverage,¡± she adds. If you¡¯re slightly less concerned about each calorie, Joy says you can sweeten the drink with either a single teaspoon of sugar or a small squirt of whipped cream, which she says has only 15 calories. You can also try this nutritionist-approved recipe for a healthier pumpkin spice latte.
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Make it a mocha
¡°Try adding pure cocoa powder to your coffee,¡± advises Stephanie Greenspan, MS, a registered dietitian in Northern New Jersey. You can even use this hack at Starbucks because most of their straw and napkin counters have cocoa sprinklers as well. ¡°It¡¯s low in calories and loaded with antioxidants, so just a sprinkle will add flavor without any risk of overdoing the calories,¡± Greenspan says.
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Mix and match
Greenspan says mixing cinnamon and cocoa powders¡ªboth nearly calorie free, is basically a flavor fiesta, giving a subtle caffeinated nod to Mexican hot chocolate and other warm spiced drinks that are usually indulgent. (These hot chocolate hacks just might challenge your love for coffee.)
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Add a hit of protein
It may sound weird, lumpy, or gross (or all three) to add your regular protein powder to coffee, but Greenspan says it¡¯s all about technique. ¡°Brew your regular cup and add it to a blender along with protein powder,¡± she says. ¡°It makes for a great breakfast, especially for those who have a tendency to skip an a.m. meal.¡± Here¡¯s what happens to your body when you skip breakfast.
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Get minty fresh
Minty coffee? Yes, please. Just don¡¯t use the dried stuff. Throw a leaf or two of the fresh-plucked green goodness that may grow in your garden or be on sale at the grocery store, because mint is loaded with antioxidants and is a known mood enhancer. Plus, it¡¯s virtually calorie-free to steep a leaf or two. If mint iced tea can be popular, we know mint espresso drinks can be too (especially since Starbucks already offers mint-flavored syrup).
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