Coffee has become a go-to beverage for many people across the world. Caffeine keeps the body awake while supplying the energy boost needed to fuel the day. While caffeine might help go through the day’s job, it’s advisable to take caffeine in moderation. This is because of some potential side effects.
Another advisable thing is to supplement your coffee intake with some fruits. Fruits are easy and fast to have as breakfasts when there isn’t much time. To help keep your body awake and nourished, there are some fruits you can have alongside your coffee. Moving on into this article, we’ll see what fruits you can have with your coffee and what they can do for you.
First, let’s discuss some of the importance of coffee and fruits. In their rights, they have numerous advantages to the body.
Benefits of Coffee
Many people depend on their daily cup of coffee to energize them to get through their day. Besides the energizing effect, there are other benefits to having a cup of coffee. Here’s a look at the benefits of coffee.
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Increases Energy Levels
Coffee is well known for its energy boost supply due to the presence of caffeine in it. Caffeine blocks the receptors of adenosine in the brain. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter responsible for promoting sleep.
When the receptors are blocked, the adrenal gland releases adrenaline thinking the body is in a crisis mode. This causes an increased heart rate and dilates the pupils. Likewise, the liver releases sugar in the form of glucose. As such, it raises blood sugar levels. All these are responsible for the energy boost felt when caffeine is ingested.
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May Prevent Type-2 Diabetes
Some research has identified a compound in coffee that may be responsible for reducing the chances of type-2 diabetes in the long run. Studies have found that coffee can preserve beta-cell function in the liver. The beta cells are responsible for insulin production while insulin regulates blood sugar levels.
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May Promote Weight Management
Other researchers have speculated that coffee could alter gut health and fat storage. It was also claimed that the higher levels of physical activity incurred by drinking coffee promoted weight management.
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Could Support Brain Health
Some researchers claim that drinking coffee could help to protect against neurodegenerative disorders. This includes Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Also, research suggests that moderate consumption of coffee could be linked to lowering the risks of dementia and cognitive decline.
Benefits of Fruits
Fruits have advantages that are worthy of note. Here are some of the benefits of fruits
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Nutrients
Fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, calories, and cholesterol. Fruits also contain vitamins and antioxidants.
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Fibres
Fibres boost gut health. Fruits contain fibres, but some more than others. Examples of high-fibre fruits include apples, pears, and pumpkins.
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Calories and Fat
Fruits have low calories and fat. This means you can eat more of them to be full without the extra calories or fat.
Fruit Combinations
Next, some fruits go well with coffee. Here are some of these combinations.
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Orange and Coffee Juice
Orange for the vitamin C and coffee to wake you up. These two drinks are commonly taken separately in the morning. What If they were combined? Some restaurants serve this combo drink of coffee and orange juice. In terms of appearance, the drink appears nice and without any curdling.
Myths have claimed that this combo ruins your teeth and causes stomach aches. While both drinks are slightly acidic, enjoying them in moderation should not affect your teeth. Both drinks have been taken separately without issue. An orange-coffee combo should have no cause for stomach aches. Be sure not to drink too much and do not brush immediately afterwards. It might damage the enamel. Adding milk or cream might result in curdling, so it’s advisable to drink it black.
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Coffee and Banana
A coffee-banana smoothie is a great way to start your day with a little boost. Unlike the orange-coffee juice combo where you just mix both juices and add some ice, coffee – banana combo requires blending. The ingredients you need aren’t many. You need a banana, milk, fresh cold-brew coffee, sweeteners, ice, chia seeds, and protein powder. Join all ingredients, blend, and voila.
The drink can be adjusted based on what you need. Use frozen fruits, and add less water and more ice to thicken the smoothie. Banana is a rich source of potassium, but according to some recipes, each serving has 133 calories of protein, 4.8g of carbohydrates, 23.9g of fat, 2.6g of cholesterol, and 9.8mg of sodium.
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Coffee and Strawberries
This is another great combo of fruit with coffee. Milk, water, instant coffee, sugar, and of course, strawberries are the Ingredients needed. Like the previous combo, you put it all into a blender and blend to satisfaction. Serve with ice afterwards. Not only is this combo enjoyed as a drink, but also as a cake.
To prepare, you need the following ingredients. Butter, baking powder, white sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, milk, salt, and strawberries. The steps include the following;
- Grease your baking pan and preheat the oven to about 180 degrees.
- Add eggs, sugar, and butter into a bowl and whisk it properly.
- Into another bowl, mix salt, baking powder, and 1½ cups of flour.
- Add milk, stir it well then add to the egg-butter mixture.
- Pour the entire mixture into the preheated baking pan, then add sliced strawberries as the toppings.
You could add coconut into the mix. Do this by making another mixture with sugar, flour, and butter. Add it to the rest and bake for about 35 minutes.
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Coffee and Dates
Dates are a popular source of fibre. Dates also contain vitamins and minerals. These high-fibre fruits can help with constipation, gastrointestinal problems, sexual health issues, and iron deficiencies. Coupled with coffee, this could be healthy and delicious. This is by far the simplest and possibly the easiest coffee-fruit combo to make.
All you need is your cold-brew coffee and dates. To prepare, wash your dates and then place them in a clean container. Afterwards, pour the cold-brew coffee into the container till the dates are submerged. Leave to soak for as little as 4 minutes and up to 2 hours. Enjoy your drink afterwards.
What Flavour Goes Well with Coffee?
Coffee-fruit combos have already been established to be a great upgrade. But there is more to coffee combos. Coffee can also be combined with all sorts of flavours. Our diversity gives rise to our preferences in varieties of flavours.
Flavours excite our sense of taste and make food and drink worth exploring and enjoying. Coffee isn’t exempted from this. On that note, here are some flavours that go well enough with coffee.
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Chocolate and Coffee
A combo of coffee and chocolate is called a “Mocha”“. This is a very popular coffee drink. It is a fan favourite when you want some coffee but you want it a bit sweet. This combo is well accepted and you can even purchase chocolate-coated coffee beans. People often have the misconception that coffee plants and cocoa plants are of the same family. This goes to show how well they complement each other.
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Coconut and Coffee
Another tasty flavour is the coconut-coffee mix. If you prefer your coffee with a little bit of milk or cream, indulge yourself in some coconut milk or cream. You could also add a little amount of coconut oil to your coffee to have that “coffee with a hint of coconut” flavour.
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Vanilla and Coffee
Vanilla ice creams, vanilla yogurt, and now vanilla flavoured coffee is particularly for coffee drinkers with a sweet tooth. Vanilla, unlike chocolate, has a strong flavour and tends to overshadow coffee flavour a bit. Adding some vanilla syrup to your coffee might spice things up for you.
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Cinnamon and Coffee
While cinnamon highlights the taste of coffee by making it better and sweeter, be careful of the quantity. It is advisable to add just a little amount of powdered cinnamon. This is because it packs a powerful punch in taste and could ruin the whole beverage. Likewise, you could also use cinnamon syrup instead of powder. Similarly, be sure to add just a little. Moderation is key.
Final Words
Coffee is a great beverage when taken in moderation. But sometimes you can’t help but want to spice things up to relieve yourself of the ordinary. This article has expanded on how you do just that. With fruits, you can enhance the flavour while packing better nourishment and calories.
Likewise, the different flavours raise the possibility of tastier and more satisfying coffee.
