Who needs a cup of coffee in the morning to feel human? Just me? Something like 64% of Americans drink at least one cup a day, so obviously I’m not alone in my morning ritual. Let’s talk about improvements you can make to your coffee so that it helps your mental health.
Some people can drink black coffee, and the more power to them. I am not one of those people. I need a little extra in my cup to give it some joy. It used to be things like Peppermint Mocha or Vanilla Caramel creamer from the grocery store, but those are filled with sugars and fillers and preservatives that my body doesn’t recognize as nutrition, which means it ultimately contributes to chronic inflammation, which we know causes myriad health problems, including things like depression, anxiety and other symptoms of mental health disorders. So what’s a girl to do?
In the Trim Healthy Mama community, you’ll see reference to a morning “Trimmy” quite often. That’s a reference to the coffee mix the sisters cane up with to replace store-bought creamers. It’s kind of their version of a Bulletproof coffee. I incorporate parts of that recipe in some combination every morning to give my body an extra boost.
I start with a little dairy-free creamer (half almond milk, half coconut cream), and a squirt of Sweet Leaf Stevia Sweet Drops flavor. Then I add a splash of MCT oil, a scoop of collagen and 1/8tsp of sunflower lecithin. I put the dry ingredients in a shaker cup, pour coffee over the liquid ingredients in my coffee cup, and then add the coffee to the shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds, and quickly open the shaker cap. You have to do this quickly, or the built up pressure from the heat and shaking will make your drink explode. Because physics.
I pour it back into my mug and have a yummy, frothy coffee for my morning quiet time that is not only giving me a quick energy boost, but also healing my body. Let’s review.
MCT oil is a Medium Chain Triglyceride from coconut. This oil lubricates your brain, improves hormone levels, helps your mood, provides energy and may aid in weight loss.
Collagen is a protein that aids in gut-healing and possibly the improved health of hair, skin, nails and joints.
Sunflower lecithin is taken from sunflower oil. It’s a fat source that helps the body repair cells from oxidative stress, improve brain function, memory and mood.
And let’s not forget coffee itself has powerful antioxidant qualities and some essential B vitamins and minerals. Caffeine is a stimulant that improves focus, physical performance, mood and more. However, there is a caution here. As Dr. Leslie Korn puts it, ” Coffee is a drug, not a beverage.” Don’t drink it like water, or it will start to work against you. You’ll experience anxiety, jittery-ness and trouble sleeping. A cup or two in the morning is fine for most people, but drinking more than that throughout the day is a good example of how even too much of a “good” thing can become harmful to your body.
So enjoy this healing coffee to start your day, and if you find you still need an energy boost in the afternoon, try green tea or a matcha smoothie. There is still a small amount of caffeine, but the amino acid L-theanine in the green tea will relive stress and promote relaxation. And you can still add the MCT oil, collagen and sunflower lecithin to power up your drink.
Resources
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee#section4
https://draxe.com/benefits-of-green-tea/
https://www.healthline.com/health/l-theanine#benefits-and-uses
Faith, Hope and Food 