Coffee...

Ahhh, coffee.  I don’t know about you, but my morning coffee is one of the small pleasures in life that I value beyond belief.  I try not to leave the house without it, because when I do, my day just seems to start off on the wrong foot.  Unfortunately, it is one of those “limbo” substances when it comes to primal living.  Many people who follow the primal and paleo lifestyles avoid it because it was not consumed back in the (Paleolithic) day.  I’ve heard endless arguments about the health benefits of drinking coffee, possible negative effects of drinking it, and reasons why it should be avoided like the plague. 
I found this post pretty informative about integrating coffee into the primal/paleo lifestyle; and while our cavemen ancestors probably didn’t sit around drinking coffee and gabbing about the latest fashion in loincloths, I believe that it can still be integrated into the primal way of life.  

There are also many differing views on the primal-ness of certain coffee additions (such as milk and non-nutritive sweeteners).  But these are usually used in very small amounts when added to coffee, so I usually don’t stress about them as much.  For the most part, I try to stick to the most natural and organic.

My advice when it comes to coffee (and any other food, for that matter) is that if it suites your lifestyle and you believe that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages, then embrace your morning cup of coffee (or two).

How I like my coffee…

I have experimented with numerous additions to my coffee.  Some of them worked very well, and others not so much.  Here are my top 3:

The Classic:  Hot coffee with 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of stevia-based sweetener

• This is my usual morning cup of joe. I prefer using heavy cream (because of it’s higher fat content) rather than milk, but you can also use coconut milk.  Truvia is my sweetener of choice, although the jury’s still out on how “natural” it really is.  (I have yet to try out coconut or date sugar, but it's on my to-do list.)

Super Primal:  Hot coffee blended with 1 Tablespoon of grass-fed butter 

• I know this one sounds a bit strange, but the butter makes it super creamy and frothy.  I use Kerrygold butter sold at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. (Variation: In addition to the butter, blend in a whole, pitted date to add some sweetness if you don't mind little brown specks in your coffee.)

Protein-Style:  Iced coffee blended with 1 scoop of protein powder

• I think this version is particularly neat, because it makes the coffee creamy and adds a little sweetness depending on the protein powder you use.  It will begin to separate a little if it sits for too long, but all it needs is a little shake to bring it all back together.  Be sure to use iced coffee, because hot coffee will denature the protein; and only blend for about ten seconds to combine.

What are your thoughts on various sweeteners, and how do you like your coffee? Leave a comment below if you're feeling chatty...

(Did I mention that single-serving blenders are super convenient and the coolest thing ever?)