A cuppa to perk up

Coffee enthusiasts, here’s how to switch to some tasty yet healthy variants of your favourite beverage, writes Kunal Kapur

The world we live in has undergone a change where things are no longer what it used to be. Hanging out with your colleague over a coffee break for a good-ole gossip session has long been forgotten. Getting ready for a date with someone or just meeting your friend at the coffee house is now a thing of the past. I think we can probably live vicariously through Friends’ Central Perk Café.

The weekend tamasha also seems no longer there — where one can just gorge on some delectable food, enjoy the restaurant ambience and feast on chef-style coffee treats. Since most of us are now working from home — whether it is doing your office work, studies or even the never-ending chores, we need something to pump us up and get us through the day. For all coffee enthusiasts out there, we surely have our own power cuppa to charge us up.

These unprecedented times have made us conscious about what we do and eat. Health has taken the front seat and our priority is in making the right decision on eating healthy and building our immunity. Hence, the same goes with our favourite hot beverage. How do we fuel our day but yet stay on the healthy track? Don’t sweat too much! Here are some healthy coffee options for all the coffee lovers and health-conscious people.

Green coffee

While most of us are still working from home, frequent coffee breaks are what helps you function. But, drinking too much of it can have its own cons and thus one can always switch onto its healthier version — green coffee to maintain overall health. Green coffee, unlike regular coffee, is unroasted and thus has three times more the antioxidant potential which is otherwise lost during the roasting process. Apart from being a great immunity booster, it also has 50% CGA i.e. Chlorogenic acid which is an antioxidant known to help with weight loss, regulating metabolism, blood pressure and blood sugar. It has a unique mild flavour that can easily replace your regular ole cuppas without you even noticing! Not to forget, while green coffee is surely healthier, it is also way tastier as it comes in a variety of flavours like lemon
mint, ginger basil and lemongrass lavender.

Black coffee

One of the most calorie deficit coffees, black coffee, including espresso, has less than 10 calories per cup. If your goal is to cut calories and keep your coffee as healthy as possible, go for a regular brew without any added ingredients. This beverage will lift your mood on a bad day and help you in maintaining great health. High in antioxidants, espresso is packed of polyphenols that help in fighting infections, allergies and protect from free radicals like air pollution, UV rays etc. Although, there are a few mixed
opinions about it, do consume it wisely to avoid any potential harmful effects.

Bulletproof coffee

Bulletproof coffee

For all those on keto-diets, this type of coffee is your best option. It is said that adding unsalted, grass-fed butter to coffee can give you a welcome boost of energy without adding any added sugar/cream. This is called the Bulletproof coffee, where you add a small glob of unsalted butter into your coffee and mix the mixture with a blender to whip up a latte-like coffee experience right at home!

The Latte

And lastly, a latte — made out of an espresso shot, milk and milk foam is flavourful and unique. Flavours like beetroot latte, carrot cake latte, rainbow latte etc., can definitely brighten up your day. In fact, another trend is also the turmeric latte, the fancy cousin of turmeric milk that was a rage many years back. This can help in getting that glowing skin and improving memory along with providing relief from muscle pains and protection from infections.

(The author is a celebrity chef.)