Why You Should Drink Your Coffee Black

Coffee to milk and sugar ratio is definitely a very personal preference. Will you drink your coffee black? Well, you might want to.

If you’re the type to drink your cream and sugar with a dash of coffee, then you’ve probably shuddered and made a face at a friend or family’s cup of black coffee. You’ve probably asked yourself many times “why do people drink black coffee?” Now if you drink your coffee black, then you have probably gotten many reactions to your cup of joe, some of disgust and some of amazement. Well, black coffee drinkers may be up to something here and we are here to tell you why you should drink your coffee black!

What is Black Coffee?

Black coffee is essentially brewed coffee from coffee grounds or instant coffee. It does not contain any added ingredients such as milk, creamer, sugar, or condensed milk. People usually call it black coffee rather than just coffee because plain coffee without add-ons are dark and look almost black in color. It can taste more bitter and slightly acidic, but the taste of coffee will vary depending on type of bean and which region it is from. Professional coffee reviewers for example evaluate the true taste of coffee while drinking it black. 

Why Do People Drink Black Coffee?

With all the health benefits of coffee and caffeine, drinking your coffee black may be the best option for a healthier lifestyle. Here are just a few reasons why you should skip the cream and sugar.

Low Calories

While it might be tempting to add a bunch of sweets to your coffee, it can all add up. Adding milk, sugar, whipped cream, chocolate or caramel syrup can really up the calorie count in your daily coffee. For instance, a Grande Iced Salted Caramel Mocha from a coffee shop with 2% milk and whipped cream is about 450 calories and has 55 grams of sugar. That is already 30 grams more than the suggested daily intake of sugar for women and 17 grams more than suggested for men. On the other hand, a regular 8 ounce of black coffee contains only about 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar. Comparing black coffee calories to a sweet coffee drink, definitely sounds like a much healthier option

Cost Efficient

A cup of black coffee is probably the cheapest type of coffee you can drink and get at your local coffee shop. Even if you decide to brew your own cup of joe at home, no need to spend extra money on creamer, sugar, or milk! Using instant coffee is even more cost efficient! (no machines, no capsules - pure coffee).

Can Help Burn Fat

Caffeine found in coffee helps stimulate the breakdown of body fat and makes fatty acids available for the body to use as energy. By adding extra milk or sugar to your coffee, this could reduce the natural positive effects of caffeine with added calories and fat.

Increases Energy Levels

Since coffee contains the stimulant caffeine, it leads to boosted alertness and energy levels. This can keep you going during the day and even help improve performance during your gym sessions. This increase in energy also helps you perceive less exhaustion throughout the day. When you drink it plain coffee, you enjoy the benefits without the unhealthy additives.

Intake of Antioxidants and Nutrients

Coffee contains a large amount of antioxidants for the body. Some important nutrients it contains are vitamin B2, B5, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. By drinking coffee black, you can help get your daily intake of nutrients.

Reduces Risk of Heart Disease

As caffeine in coffee is a stimulant, drinking a 8 ounce cup can increase your heart rate. This can have a similar effect as going for a walk and can keep your heart healthier. Regular coffee drinkers have lower rates of heart disease and 20% less risk for a stroke. While this is an added benefit, coffee should be a supplement to your daily exercise and not a replacement!

Experiencing the True Taste of Coffee

An added bonus of drinking your coffee black is that you get to experience the true taste of your coffee. Without the cover up of milk or sweetener, you are able to taste the true flavor of your coffee beans and grind.

How to Taste and Evaluate It

Now you might be thinking, “well I’m no coffee professional so how do I know how to taste it?” While taste is definitely a matter of preference, there are still things you can look for when drinking a cup of black coffee. The main four things to look out for are sweetness, acidity, body, and cleanliness.

When coffee beans are roasted, a sugar browning reaction occurs and can create a sweet aroma to your coffee. Different types of coffee produce have different levels of browning. The taste of coffee can also come from the coffee bean itself as it is a seed of a fruit. As a result, it can have floral or fruit-like aromas. This can depend on which region the coffee bean originated. Cleanliness of the coffee can refer to if there is a residue left on your tongue. If there is a chalky or salty residue left, this can indicate that the coffee was over-brewed or over-extracted.

What Different Types of Coffee Taste Like

Coffee beans from different regions have different types of taste. Each region’s coffee beans tend to have a certain kind of aroma or flavor, but it is not set in stone and many times flavors can overlap.

• Colombian coffee: Sweet like caramel or maple syrup
• Central American coffee: Fruity like mango, pear, or pineapple
• Kenya and Rwanda coffee: Acidity of raspberry, orange, or grapefruit
• Brazilian coffee: Nutty and chocolatey
• Indonesian coffee: Roasty and earthy or spicy like clove or nutmeg

What Research Says About Black Coffee Drinkers

Science says black coffee drinkers are psychopaths… Well at least that’s what many articles have touted. However, it is not as simple as many articles have made it seem. Many of these headlines are based on one research study where the researchers studied taste preferences and personality traits. They concluded that “bitter taste preferences are positively associated with antisocial personality traits” and “positively associated with malevolent personality traits”.

However, these findings have not been replicated by other researchers and there is only a very small association between the preference of taste and personality. This is because many factors can affect a person’s taste preferences such as the society they’ve grown up in and their genetics. Additionally, the link between bitter taste preference and antisocial personality traits were not longer relevant when the participants were asked to rate how much they preferred specific foods on their “bitter” list.

So if you prefer to drink your coffee black, no need to fear about what people will think about your personality. The only thing you’re guilty of is having a healthier cup of coffee! And if you’re a “milk and sugar with a dash of coffee” type of person, we hope this article has convinced you to go easy on the cream and sugar for your next cup of joe!

An easy way to get your black coffee fix in is with Waka Coffee. Waka Coffee is a high end instant coffee made with 100% Colombian Arabica beans. It is also easy to take around with our small individual serving packets. No need to wait in line at your local coffee shop or wait 20 minutes for your coffee to brew. You can get all the health benefits of black coffee on the go, wherever and whenever!

Try the best instant coffee for black coffee here.