Need Help with Healthy Coffee Alternatives
lizabellarose1234
Posts: 11 Member
in Recipes
I love my coffee with a lot of Creamer - the sweeter the better and I know that's part of my problem - I always drink way too much International Delight Creamer -- so What's something like this but healthy ? and Can help with Weight Loss ?
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I used to use half-and-half in my coffee. Before that I even used honey. I stopped using sweetener. I got used to it pretty quickly.
I switched from half-and-half to a coconut-based creamer that had very few calories. That was easy.
Eventually I stopped using any additions to my coffee. My dentist approves - polluting your coffee isn't good for your teeth. I was surprised how quickly I adapted, and now I don't even LIKE anything in my coffee.
One really important thing is to get very good coffee. Freshly roasted if possible, but not too fresh. The beans have to rest a day or three for the oils to mature and come to the surface. Grind daily. Use the right amount of beans: 55 grams per liter. I make single-serving pour-over coffee in a mug about 16 ounces. I use 24-25 grams of coffee per cup. Experiment with the roast you like best. I alternate among light and medium roasts and sometimes a little darker roast Sumatra.
If you use instant coffee, get a high-quality one. Then there's another trick: mix a tiny bit of COLD water in with the freeze-dried coffee and stir it to make it a liquid/slurry BEFORE you add the hot water. Adding boiling water to freeze-dried coffee makes it bitter. This was told to me by a friend who roasts his own beans and actually drinks instant from time to time. It's shocking. I'm still planning to try this as sometimes I will use instant when I'm on self-support multi-day kayak trips where we have to carry everything we need inside our boats (clothes, food, tent, portable toilet). Using ground coffee doesn't take THAT MUCH more room, but then you have to pack out the waste, and it's wet waste to boot. Instant leaves nothing to pack out.3 -
lizabellarose1234 wrote: »I love my coffee with a lot of Creamer - the sweeter the better and I know that's part of my problem - I always drink way too much International Delight Creamer -- so What's something like this but healthy ? and Can help with Weight Loss ?
Can you use something like Carb Master milk? You can get sweetened with vanilla or chocolate. It's low calorie, low carb, low sugar, and high protein. You could use it to sweeten and make your coffee creamier. The non-flavored is not sweet. But the chocolate or vanilla is slightly sweet.
Maybe that would work? Doesn't have to be that brand though. YOu could also use a bit of one of the Premium Flavored protein milk. You'd be adding to your protein for the day, sweetening your coffee and getting it creamier.
You could also use the powdered creamers and one of the sugar free syrups to flavor your coffee.
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Use a protein shake with flavor of choice in it.8
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I like plain coffee with frothed hot skim milk. The texture is luxurious, and it adds meaningful amounts of protein to my day (because I use a lot of milk).
But that won't work for people who need their coffee sweet.
There's an implied suggestion in there, though: Sometimes it's good to seek out lower calorie alternatives to what we used to eat/drink. But sometimes it's good to seek out more nutritious alternatives instead. We need calories (within reason); we need nutrition. The foods/drinks that are hard to fit in (IMO) are the ones that are high in calories and low in nutrition, plus not very filling. Which exact foods those are will vary from one person to the next, because different people find different things filling.2 -
I used to use half-and-half in my coffee. Before that I even used honey. I stopped using sweetener. I got used to it pretty quickly.
I switched from half-and-half to a coconut-based creamer that had very few calories. That was easy.
Eventually I stopped using any additions to my coffee. My dentist approves - polluting your coffee isn't good for your teeth. I was surprised how quickly I adapted, and now I don't even LIKE anything in my coffee.
One really important thing is to get very good coffee. Freshly roasted if possible, but not too fresh. The beans have to rest a day or three for the oils to mature and come to the surface. Grind daily. Use the right amount of beans: 55 grams per liter. I make single-serving pour-over coffee in a mug about 16 ounces. I use 24-25 grams of coffee per cup. Experiment with the roast you like best. I alternate among light and medium roasts and sometimes a little darker roast Sumatra.
If you use instant coffee, get a high-quality one. Then there's another trick: mix a tiny bit of COLD water in with the freeze-dried coffee and stir it to make it a liquid/slurry BEFORE you add the hot water. Adding boiling water to freeze-dried coffee makes it bitter. This was told to me by a friend who roasts his own beans and actually drinks instant from time to time. It's shocking. I'm still planning to try this as sometimes I will use instant when I'm on self-support multi-day kayak trips where we have to carry everything we need inside our boats (clothes, food, tent, portable toilet). Using ground coffee doesn't take THAT MUCH more room, but then you have to pack out the waste, and it's wet waste to boot. Instant leaves nothing to pack out.
Ok, I can tell you own a grinder. Is it conical or flat? Just kidding. I'm guilty of coffee brain.0 -
I still use a blade grinder. Yeah. I know. I bet I'd enjoy having a burr grinder. I just haven't sprung for it yet.
I almost bought a hand-crank adjustable burr grinder. The advantage is that I could take it with me camping or on river trips and still have fresh-ground. The disadvantage is that from what I could tell, it would take ten minutes to grind enough for a cup. I don't play that. Otherwise it looked nice. An advantage for some people is that it's quiet so won't wake up anyone else sleeping in the house. That is not an issue for me. I'll probably get a burr grinder one of these days. I've used my blade grinder so many years that I couldn't really convert it to a spice grinder. Even if I cleaned it out, I'd never get all the essence of coffee out.1 -
Yeah, I used a Krupp for years and I like you, do pour overs and it's easy to dial a brew. Then I went down the espresso road to hell which forced me against my will to purchase a flat burr grinder, which is kind of mandatory with espresso anyway. I've seeked professional help and acupuncture, just kidding, and now I'm not focusing on espresso as much and I'm back doing pour overs and really, a blade is perfectly fine. I will say a burr grinder is much quieter than a blade, so that might work for you. imo.1
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I used to make espresso too. I never invested in a very nice machine, and they would only last so long before they'd fail. I hate that, so I just switched back to pour-over. I'm meeting a friend tomorrow to have coffee and SIT DOWN TO ENJOY IT. It's his last work day before retirement. We used to work together. I never liked to go out for coffee - too expensive. But we'd go a few times a week so we could vent our work frustrations to each other. We never had time to sit down. He had said that when he retired, he wanted to go get coffee and sit down to enjoy it.
Tomorrow is his last day, so he'll be jumping the gun. I doubt they'll discipline him...
I'm buying. I plan to have an espresso, and I hope they serve it with a side of bubbly water like they should. 3 -
I love my coffee black but on cold winter nights when everyone else is having hot chocolate I use Coffee Mate Sweet Italian Creamer Zero Sugar added (I wouldn’t call it healthy, but it’s very sweet and they also make different flavors) add whipped topping (they make a keto but the regular doesn’t have a lot of carbs and is cheaper), I sometimes also top with my own monk sugar/cinnamon blend that I made by mixing together in an old salt shaker. The whipped topping melts and gets frothy, and is so good.
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@gerlcat
I have developed a new "habit" when I want something special in a cup of decaf. I enjoyed one last night.
After I preheat my cup, I scoop in some unsweetened cocoa powder, then add a tiny splash of boiling water and stir to liquefy. Then I make coffee on top. It's really good. For sure it's not sweet, but on the rare occasion, like last night, that I want it a little sweet, I can add a little brown sugar or honey. The cocoa powder is 20 calories for a 5 gram tablespoon. A teaspoon of sugar is, I think, 16 calories. And it has no weird chemicals in it. Cocoa powder is just cacao solids. I really should get some turbinado sugar instead of brown sugar, but that's a whole other story.4 -
Cannoli's on the front label of coffee mate, THAT'S HILARIOUS. they just cant help themselves. 3
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Try some of the 40 calorie per serving Almond milk.0
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Quarter of a cup ice cold skim milk, pump by hand for about thirty seconds, microwave for about 30 seconds.
Yields about 3/4c thick milky foam.
This is a quarter cup in a chai latte:
There’s a world of zero cal sugar free syrups out there. Experiment and have fun. TJ Maxx and World Market carry a good selection. I prefer Jordan’s.
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springlering62 wrote: »
Quarter of a cup ice cold skim milk, pump by hand for about thirty seconds, microwave for about 30 seconds.
Yields about 3/4c thick milky foam.
This is a quarter cup in a chai latte:
There’s a world of zero cal sugar free syrups out there. Experiment and have fun. TJ Maxx and World Market carry a good selection. I prefer Jordan’s.
I use that same frother with hot skim milk. It works fine. With the amount of milk I put in my coffee (protein supplement!
), cold milk is a non-starter.
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I used to use half-and-half in my coffee. Before that I even used honey. I stopped using sweetener. I got used to it pretty quickly. ... Eventually I stopped using any additions to my coffee. My dentist approves - polluting your coffee isn't good for your teeth. I was surprised how quickly I adapted, and now I don't even LIKE anything in my coffee.
One really important thing is to get very good coffee. ... I alternate among light and medium roasts and sometimes a little darker roast Sumatra.
I have always been a (mostly) black coffee drinker/no sweetener, as were my parents. It's either a vote on the poor quality of a cup (and trust me I have some flexibly low standards sometimes, LOL), or just a treat, for me to add dairy. Sometimes also for gulp-and-go rushing. And Sumatra, always a go-to if available.
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Fairlife protein + cold brew, you're gonna love it!0
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springlering62 wrote: »
Quarter of a cup ice cold skim milk, pump by hand for about thirty seconds, microwave for about 30 seconds.
Yields about 3/4c thick milky foam.
This is a quarter cup in a chai latte:
There’s a world of zero cal sugar free syrups out there. Experiment and have fun. TJ Maxx and World Market carry a good selection. I prefer Jordan’s.
I use that same frother with hot skim milk. It works fine. With the amount of milk I put in my coffee (protein supplement! ), cold milk is a non-starter.
What a wise looking kitty!
The frother looks like a french press -- is there some difference I'm not seeing?
I do my frothing by putting my milk in a jar (typically I re-use a peanut butter jar, but one with a good deal of extra volume compared to the milk), putting the lid on, and shaking for a while until it's frothy (doesn't take very long). Remove lid and microwave while watching; kill the power as soon as the milk starts to expand.
ETA: oops, looks like I replied to the wrong post. Should have been reply to @springlering621 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »
Quarter of a cup ice cold skim milk, pump by hand for about thirty seconds, microwave for about 30 seconds.
Yields about 3/4c thick milky foam.
This is a quarter cup in a chai latte:
There’s a world of zero cal sugar free syrups out there. Experiment and have fun. TJ Maxx and World Market carry a good selection. I prefer Jordan’s.
I use that same frother with hot skim milk. It works fine. With the amount of milk I put in my coffee (protein supplement! ), cold milk is a non-starter.
What a wise looking kitty!
The frother looks like a french press -- is there some difference I'm not seeing?
I do my frothing by putting my milk in a jar (typically I re-use a peanut butter jar, but one with a good deal of extra volume compared to the milk), putting the lid on, and shaking for a while until it's frothy (doesn't take very long). Remove lid and microwave while watching; kill the power as soon as the milk starts to expand.
ETA: oops, looks like I replied to the wrong post. Should have been reply to @springlering62
Spring and I have the same Ninja frother. I learned about it from her. It's similar to a French press, yes. I've never had a French press, so I'm not sure about details. This does have a very fine-mesh screen in the plunger thingie that creates lots of froth quickly. Maybe the French press has that, too, I dunno.0 -
It’s much smaller, narrower, and only holds a half cup of milk (before frothing).
I froth mine cold and then heat, Ann does the opposite. Either works.1 -
I like the zero sugar ones from coffee mate or international delight or just a generic version too. I usually use about six or 8 creamers in my coffee as well. Also try topping with a sugar free whipped topping that makes a great creamer as well0
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springlering62 wrote: »It’s much smaller, narrower, and only holds a half cup of milk (before frothing).
I froth mine cold and then heat, Ann does the opposite. Either works.
I have two French presses. The first one I bought claimed to have a three-cup capacity, and with the typical modern excess-packaging, that didn't seem absurd based on the size of the box. But it turned out they were 4 ounce "cups." So I bought a six-cup French press, which translates to two of the mugs I use for coffee. Anyway, maybe the smaller one would work for frothing. I wouldn't want to put more than a half cup of milk into it before frothing.
I've found with my jar method of frothing, you want to shake (froth) before heating, as doing the opposite can have somewhat explosive results.
Thanks.1 -
I enjoy a mocha caramel latte occasionally and got it to be around 70 calories per serving by reducing the amount of syrups I add. But in general, I try to drink either green tea that we have at work or jasmine tea at home without any added sugar as it's zero calories and supposedly helps with weight loss.0
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My process was to move from liquid creamer to powdered + some sugar in the raw. Over time you can slowly decrease the amounts of each. Currently my biggest issue is rewarding myself every once in a while with more sugar and creamer but otherwise much less sugar and calories.0
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Walden Farms makes a zero calorie coffee creamer, it's not the same as regular creamer but it's good.0
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Premium Protein Shakes has a Cafe Latte flavor with caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee. 160 calories, 30 grams of protein 1 gram sugar. Satisfying enough to eliminate carb cravings and as a meal substitute to help me reach my goals.1
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Try getting some premier protien from Walmart or Sam's club, I use that as my creamer most days.1
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Premium Protein Shakes has a Cafe Latte flavor with caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee. 160 calories, 30 grams of protein 1 gram sugar. Satisfying enough to eliminate carb cravings and as a meal substitute to help me reach my goals.Try getting some premier protien from Walmart or Sam's club, I use that as my creamer most days.
I can confirm that both of these are good options. The Equate version from Walmart is the least expensive if you buy it by the case. If you choose the version for diabetics you can save a few calories.
Equate Diabetic Care Nutritional Shakes are currently $28.62 for a case of 24.
They’re 180 calories per bottle, and one bottle can easily flavor two to five coffees.
They come in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
Premier does have a larger variety of flavors. I seem to remember a caramel one.
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Hey @lizabellarose1234 Lots of great suggestions here. One thing that has worked for me instead of completely replacing my coffee since I love it so much, I started measuring how much cream/sugar I put in it each day. Then each week I took out just a tiny bit, enough that I could measure the difference but not enough to make it nasty.
Overtime your taste buds will start adjusting and you'll also be consuming less calories in your coffee! You don't have to go all the way to black(gross) but find a spot that you feel better about.
Hope this helps.1 -
I used to drink my coffee "candied" with lots of cream and sugar. I eventually switched to black and unsweetened because Its zero-calorie.
The way to do this is to upgrade your coffee selection. It takes a bit of effort but if you learn how coffee is grown, processed, and prepared, you can make an educated choice to fit your preferences.1 -
Latley, I’m doing my aeropress with cinnamon sprinkled in the press to brew with the coffee, and lightly frothed (best I can do at home) oatmilk.
I know oatmilk is ridiculously silly and has no benefits, but I just like the taste it gives my coffee. Sorta savory.0
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