Coffee Is Good For You

Coffee is good for you if you don’t order anything from this display.

I love Caribou Coffee. I work there several days a week. I like all coffee shops, but my go-to is the Caribou near my house. But, I was disappointed seeing this display. Coffee shops used to sell coffee, black or with cream. Now, few people drink black coffee. In fact, a survey showed that only 18% of Americans drink their coffee black.

Coffee, without unhealthy additives like sugar and too much cream, is good for you. I wrote a blog detailing the benefits. Even cream is not bad unless you drink buckets of it. Some people get anxiety or acid reflux from too much coffee. And there are medical conditions where you might want to avoid caffeine. If you have such problems, talk to your doctor.

The problem with coffee shops is all the other crap they sell. I know why Caribou and Starbucks sell pastries and sugary drinks, but they are unhealthy. If you eat a cheese danish and drink a latte with sugar syrup every day, you are likely to develop a weight problem. As you know from my book, most people can’t or don’t moderate. I can’t do it. So, at Caribou, I get coffee (black) or tea. Sometimes, I add cream. There is not much wrong with a sugar-free sweetener. I recommend stevia without additives. That is unavailable in coffee shops. At home, I use the stevia from Now Foods. Don’t be scared by the price—there are more than 2000 servings in the small container.

When you go into the coffee shop, make a plan. Decide if you are going to be healthy or not. Once in a while, a treat like a muffin and blended coffee mocha won’t hurt you. Remember that a daily treat is a habit. Make a plan and order at Caribou with intent. Bring an apple and get a coffee or tea. At least my Caribou allows bringing in your own food. Of course, I always order a drink when I’m there.

I understand why Caribou sells junk food. It is the same reason that all gas stations sell junk food. They are in it for the money. That’s fine. So is Apple, and think about all the great things they do for us.

So, remember, coffee is good for you. Just don’t add crap to it.