Until recently, I wasn’t sure that a more perfect beverage than coffee existed in this world. You can drink it hot or cold and it gives you energy and focus to start your day or to keep chugging along during a long afternoon. But I have to admit, I’m guilty of adding a lot of extras to my coffee to make it taste even more amazing like sugars and cream. My coffee obsession quickly started to derail my diet efforts, adding too many unnecessary sugars and calories that made it hard to stick to my nutritional goals.
I tried eliminating coffee from my diet but that was a disaster. Not only did I turn into a grouch who constantly had a headache, but I also found it difficult to get through my morning workouts with the same gusto as before. I did some research and it turns out there are a lot of health benefits in your cup of joe, so why would I want to give it up? According to Healthcare Weekly, coffee can fuel your workouts by revving up your metabolism and also alleviating muscle pain. Researching how to keep coffee a staple part of my diet while still being healthy, I stumbled upon a growing trend, protein coffee.
What Is Protein Coffee?
Protein powder has been popular for a long time. Used by fitness junkies and health fanatics to build muscle mass and lose or maintain weight, you can add scoops of protein to smoothies, or even add it to your pancakes. Whoever thought to add it to their coffee is a certified genius.
Protein coffee combines the health benefits of caffeine and protein into one great beverage. It’s a trend that has been embraced by fitness coaches and celebrities like Kylie Jenner, making it super popular in the health and wellness niche. Adding more protein to your diet will help you build muscle and keep you feeling full and energized. It’s extremely important if you’re on a low carb diet.
I tried adding a few scoops of vanilla whey protein to my steaming hot cup of coffee but ended up with a lumpy mess that was unpleasant to drink. It turns out that protein powder absorbs into cold liquids much easier. That’s alright because ice coffee is my jam. To make my hectic mornings a teensy bit easier, I decided to try an all-in-one protein coffee mix. I tried Complete Nutrition Protein Coffee, and my life was forever changed.
I’m not being dramatic. Complete Nutrition makes a quality product that mixes into a smooth coffee-flavored beverage that’s also just the right amount of creamy and sweet without adding any extra flavorings. It’s low sugar, low calorie and with only 1g of carbs, it’s totally keto-friendly. Now I can have my coffee, keep losing weight and can continue to excel at my fitness goals.
The Benefits Of Protein Coffee
If you’re still not convinced, here is a brief list of the benefits you can expect from switching to protein coffee.
Build And Maintain Muscle – Building muscle makes you stronger, improves your workouts and helps you lose weight. People tend to naturally lose muscle mass as they age, the protein will help you build muscle or at least keep what you have.
Increased Cognitive Function – Protein coffee can help you be more focused and alert. It feeds and fuels the brain at the same time. As a stimulant, caffeine wakes up the brain and contributes to better memory as well. There have even been studies to suggest that regular coffee consumption can decrease the risk of dementia.
Weight Loss – Obesity is a huge problem in America and other developed nations around the world. The combination of protein and coffee will increase your metabolic rate, making it easier to burn calories. Especially if you are the type of person that always skips breakfast, coffee with added protein will really help your metabolism get started in the morning. It also keeps you feeling full so that you naturally eat less. The caffeine will help you work out longer and more effectively when you drink it up to an hour before your routine.
Added Stamina – While protein gives your body strength, coffee gives it a boost of energy. This power-house combo will really improve your fitness results. You can work out harder and longer than ever before. Coffee also increases your heart rate for a few hours, essential for delivering oxygen to the muscles while you do cardio.
Repair and Recover – Protein coffee will help you quickly recover after each workout because protein molecules are the building blocks muscles need to repair and grow. Protein coffee also reduces the stress hormone cortisol in your nervous system, allowing your body to cool down and heal.
Protein Coffee Makes You Happy – I mean this literally, whey protein increases the production of the brain chemical serotonin, a hormone that makes you feel good and sleep better. Improving your mood can help ease depression and anxiety.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammation – Reduce your body’s exposure to free radicals that can deteriorate your cells by drinking coffee rich in antioxidants. Coffee isn’t only delicious, it’s packed with vitamins and minerals with antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties.
Switching To Protein Coffee
Why does coffee get a bad reputation when it has so many health benefits? Like anything else, too much of a good thing can hurt you. Excessive coffee consumption can make you jittery, make you have trouble sleeping or give you high blood pressure. Also, adding lots of sugar and cream to your coffee increases your calorie and fat consumption leading to weight gain.
Protein Coffee drinks give you just the right amount of caffeine and protein to give you all the benefits without the excess. Drinking the recommended serving sizes will be an easy and tasty way to improve your overall health while using a perfect mix like the one from Complete Nutrition will save you time and money in the morning. You can say goodbye to expensive cafe drinks and grinding your own coffee beans in the morning, and say hello to ice-cold caffeinated protein drinks as a way to start your day.