How To Give Your Morning Coffee An Even Bigger Boost

Blamed for everything from stunting growth to causing high blood pressure, coffee is often unfairly maligned as deleterious to one's health. Myths about coffee ignore the fact it's high in heart-healthy antioxidants that may actually reduce your risk of many chronic conditions. Among the newest coffee hacks is adding a scoop or two of protein powder to your morning cup of joe. Allegedly, this helps improve workout performance, aids in weight loss, and lets you easily meet daily protein needs. However, is this hack worth the hype?

Adding protein powder to coffee is a quick, simple way to add protein to your diet. Depending on the brand, protein powders typically pack 25 to 30 grams of protein per serving. While precise needs vary based on factors like age, height, and weight, most adults need around 50 grams of protein daily. Although, those who do resistance exercises frequently may need more. So a little protein powder in your morning coffee makes a sizable dent in your daily protein count and may be especially helpful for challenging workouts.

Can protein powder in coffee help with weight loss? It's certainly possible. Protein helps you feel full for longer stretches, which may reduce your urge to overeat later in the day. There is some evidence that both coffee and caffeine improve metabolism, but the precise connection is murky. While not a miracle fix, coffee and protein powder could support a weight loss journey.

Too much of a good thing is possible with everything, protein included. Protein powders are often very potent, making it easy for the average person to surpass their protein needs. Extra protein may be beneficial if you're very physically active or stick to a vegetarian or vegan diet. However, most people can get adequate protein from their regular diet, and whole foods are typically better than powders or supplements. If you would like to make your coffee healthier, there are plenty of spices that can elevate your coffee and lower your cholesterol such as turmeric and cinnamon.

Those with certain health conditions should exercise caution when hopping on the protein coffee bandwagon. If you have kidney disease, you'll need to be very careful monitoring your macronutrients, protein included. Those with existing digestive issues should talk to a healthcare provider first. The combination of coffee and protein powder can cause additional gastrointestinal discomfort.