Yes Coffee or no Coffee???

I am new to calorie count and wanting to develop a healthy eating habit. I need to lose around 70lbs. I am basing my eating around the 10 superfoods. I have weened myself off coffee. But it was about the only vice I had. I am hearing conflicting stories about coffee. Some say it is good. High in anti oxidents, caffines good for weight loss. Others say its best not to drink it. I am very happy to start drinking it again if its good for me

Your comments would be appreciated!!!

Many thanks

Helen

I'm not a coffee addict - in fact I only started drinking it recently when my hours changed (earlier) at work.

So I'm on the fence about the whole thing myself.
Part of me figures I should stay off it altogether because I shouldn't get addicted to caffiene. (I can't stand the "I NEED MY COFFEE TO FUNCTION" mentality)
Part of me figures there's a lot worse than one cup of coffee... and sometimes it helps so much with focus at work.

So far I've been trying to avoid it - it is easier to do when the work coffee tastes like sludge and its cold and miserable outside to go fetch a "real" coffee.

I might have 3 coffees a week. Usually one on the weekends with my bf and some fat free french vanilla coffee mate (to be honest I only have the weekend coffee beacuse I really just love the coffeemate!) and usually get talked into going to pick up a real coffee out of the office twice a week or so with coworkers.

There is no 'right' answer for me!

I'm not trying to be mean, but if you're desirous of losing 70 lbs, coffee was not the only vice you had...

This isn't judgement, I started 50 lbs over my goal, and have discovered vices I was previously in denial of. 

I don't think there is anything wrong with you drinking coffee or looking for advice, but I would ask yourself why you want someone else's permission to do it... 

I just worry with your comment with about focusing on 10 superfoods that you might fall into the trap of "good foods" vs "bad foods" that may prove to ultimately be too restrictive. 

By all means add good foods and avoid foods that don't taste good enough to waste calories on, but don't get distracted by labels.  Variety is "healthy" and so is satisfaction.

Hi,

I also  worried/wondered about coffee and, to be honest, I love it too much to give it up completely. Fortunately, i don't have issues like high BP to worry about, but my compromise is to make my coffee as half-caff/half-decaf.

I sweeten it with Torani sugar-free (0 cals) syrup (my favorite is vanilla, but will sometimes use hazelnut) and lighten it with lowfat soy milk (I can't drink milk). It tastes as good (or better) than a sugarfree vanilla soy latte from any of the big coffee shops. An 8 oz. cup of this is only 35 cals and it's all from the soymilk (which also has calcium and protein as bonuses)

I used to get a "half-caff" coffee drink at the coffee shops when I'm out, but now I only get a decaf latte with sugarfree flavoring and soy milk. Unfortunately, the soy milk used in the coffee shops is not lowfat, but it still has some good nutritional value and I find it can help me renew my willpower when I am starting to feel hungry, as it helps me stave off the hunger and satisfies my desire for something sweet when it hits.

p.s. i didn't read through all the posts in this thread, so apologies if i have repeated anything said by anyone else.

I agree with all of them, one or two cups of coffee will do noharm as long as it hasn't got a lot of added value. I use to have starbuck mocha grande and then I found out that if I substitute the milk with skim or soy and have it without whipped cream, I reduce a lot of calories. Yes the taste is different but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Won't you?

Green TEA!! I've replaced my daily cups of coffee with 2 cups of green tea, one with breakfast and one with lunch, and it helps keep me alert with healthy antioxidants!

Original Post by kezza124:

Original Post by yoyo88:

have your coffee..just dont add too much sugar or cream ...use splenda and maybe a sugar free creamer....it helps me with weight loss

I don't even see the need for splenda ..I gave up sugar and adjusted to the taste within a couple of week

Original Post by fioyne: I decided to drink black years ago, sugar free, to save cals and enjoyed it. Now I see it as two different drinks. Black no sugar sometimes to save cals, but for a bit of comfort and luxury I seem to be having 3 x 20 oz cups decaff a day made with 25% fat free milk, used to be 50% but cut back for cals, with splenda but only coffee for a 10oz cup, so half strength. It helps me to get my water in each day.  I did read years ago that for every cup, like alcohol, you should have a glass of water. Think that is for the caffeine. Many views of cholesterol and caffeine, I heard that left in the jug of the maker for hours keeping warm increases the chance of cholesterol being raised. I try to drink it fresh when I have that and avoid the sludge at the bottom.

Original Post by kezza124:

Original Post by yoyo88:

have your coffee..just dont add too much sugar or cream ...use splenda and maybe a sugar free creamer....it helps me with weight loss

I don't even see the need for splenda ..I gave up sugar and adjusted to the taste within a couple of week

 

love my coffee and it serves as a treat too during the day, so i drink my daily pot. luckily i am not into sugar, just a bit craving after smoke cessation, so i keep my coffee bitter. soy milk or fatfree  milk is great with it.

i might add, treat yourself to some quality coffee, your stomach will thank you. some brands are highly acidic and bad for ulcers. personally i grind my own beans everytime with my cuisinart grind and brew!

it's definitely a "yes" for me, but i'm a purist.  i drink two cups of good quality, organic coffee (strong and black) at home and that's it for the day.

caffeine stays in the blood stream for 12 hours, and sleep is too important to me to sacrifice.

this is my coffee of choice.

COFFEE IN MY SUGAR...now I drink coffee black.  I use to have ten 6 ounce cups a day...now 3 cups a week.  I just do not want or need it anymore but I think at one time, I was addicted to the caffeine.

I use to drink coffee with 4 tsps sugar and 2 cream or coffee mate...Then a close friend who was drinking hers black asked me,"why add so much sugar?"

Habit I guess..I thought it tasted better...however within a year I was drinking my coffee black and I must admit I preferred it that way.  When I learned caffeine was an addicting drug ...I cut my consumption way back. 

Yet no one here is talking about that part of coffee drinking.

Original Post by pgeorgian:

this is my coffee of choice.

Thanks for the link! I'm always looking for organic, high-quality coffees to try. It's also a great plus that they have Fair Trade, not just in coffees, but in teas. I think they are going to be getting some of my moolah!

Thanks again!

Word to the wise: dark roasting is a method most mainstream coffee manufacturers utilize to hide that the bean is inferior.

cool, blackthorne!  but surely there must be a good roaster closer to home for you...?

I love coffee!! I actually had my last coffee with half and half cream today. Starting tomorrow I am using skim milk, but luckily I have been saving myself a few calories by using sweet n' Low, which I have been using for about a year now. Eevn though I like the taste of coffee, I also LOVE the taste of cream so this adjustment will be hard, but not TOO hard.

I think that coffee is fine even when you are trying to loose weight. Actually it may even be helpful if you use coffee as a "I'm bored and would love to eat" alternative. It has flavor but far less cals than (for ex.) a piece of cake or pie!

Original Post by pgeorgian:

cool, blackthorne!  but surely there must be a good roaster closer to home for you...?

It is sometimes difficult to get Fair Trade + organic + good beans all in one shot. Added to that is the aggravation of living in a city where it takes an hour to drive anywhere, even just the doctor's office. Most of the time I have to special order what I want. Where I live is usually a decade behind everyone else. Just look at my state's voting record, for instance, LOL... (actually, it's not *my* state, I just live here).

I do my best to support local businesses, however, I also do my best to use gasoline sparingly. It can be an interesting juggling act.

yeah, i know that balancing act.  try getting local produce when you live on the 53rd parallel!

well if you do try kicking horse (my favourite roast is grizzly claw), let me know what you think!  it's roasted in my home town ;)

Original Post by pgeorgian:

well if you do try kicking horse (my favourite roast is grizzly claw), let me know what you think!  it's roasted in my home town ;)

The Grizzly Claw looks like a good dark. I might give it a shot!

I'm a big fan of coffee from the Pacific Islands (specifically Indonesian), as opposed to the African and So. & Central American beans. I usually do a medium to semi-dark. But the Grizzly Claw sounds tasty!

I believe that Coffee is good for you. However if you aren't actually drinking the coffee and you are just drinking cream and sugar then you should probably rethink that. If you are using coffee for energy you should know that having an apple in the morning kicks your energy level up just like that cup of joe would. I am an avid coffee drinker and that is one thing I could never live without. However I used to have two cups a day and now i'm drinking green tea as well which I have seen a drastic difference.

I am a major coffee fiend so there is no way I could give it up.  I watch what I add like a hawk and know exactly how many calories i have in each cup.   My understanding is that it's perfectly fine but you should compensate for the coffee by drinking extra water as it is a mild diuretic.

I think coffee is ok.