FitSugar

Camping Can Do: Make Coffee Anywhere

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:47 -0700

A few weeks ago Starbucks sent us a sample of VIA, its new instant coffee. Being a bit of a coffee snob I was kind of grossed out but decided to try it on my upcoming climbing trip anyway.

The best thing VIA has going for it is its size - it's small. Normally when I pack for camping I bring the works: coffee beans, portable grinder, and a french press. I was so happy to have more space in my pack and I definitely noticed a lighter load on my back. Score one for VIA! Was it as good as the Blue Bottle coffee I normally bring with me? Uh, no. Not even close, but I didn't expect it to be.

I think the point of VIA is convenience - you can have a OK cup of coffee anywhere and it'll be easy. It's definitely the best instant coffee I've ever tried and it even tasted better than some drip coffee I've had. Although the Colombian blend I tried was a bit bitter at the end, it had a nice, mellow flavor too. For a touch of sweetness, I added another camping shortcut to the mix -shelf stable Horizon organic vanilla milk. My companion, who is no coffee snob, said it was the best cup of coffee he's ever had while camping.

Though I won't be using VIA at home, I think it's a good choice for backpacking, camping, or for traveling anywhere you need coffee quickly. From now on, I'll be bringing it with me on all of my climbing trips.

How Much Coffee Do You Typically Drink in a Day?

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:47:17 -0700

It is National Coffee Day. Who declared the day? I know not, but I know my love of the bean knows no boundaries. I have strong cup first thing in the morning, but while my love may be boundless, my coffee consumption isn't. I was having trouble sleeping, so it's just the one cup a day for me. We brew strong coffee with the French press every morning, which I will occasionally switch out for a latte. How about you?

Why Do You Drink Coffee?

FitSugar — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 03:30:00 -0700

There are so many reasons that we love drinking a hot cup of coffee. It wakes us up, tastes rich and delicious, warms us on a cold day, can keep us regular, and on top of that, it also has many health benefits. So tell me . . .

Coffee vs. Espresso

FitSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:00 -0700

I am an unabashed fan of coffee and I split my love evenly between regular ol' joe and espresso drinks. But how do they stack up in terms of caffeine amounts? Or more explicitly, where am I going to get more bang for my buck?

Ounce for ounce, sip for sip, espresso contains more caffeine. Using the ubiquitous Starbucks as our model: one fluid ounce of espresso contains 75 milligrams of caffeine, where a fluid ounce of coffee only contains about 20 mg.

The confusion comes when you begin to compare lattes with coffee. A 16-ounce grande coffee provides 330 mg of ~~rocket fuel~~ caffeine, where a grande latte, containing only two shots (each shot is a fluid ounce) of espresso, provides 150 mg of caffeine. Even though these coffee drinks come in the same sized cup, the caffeine amounts are substantially different. If you order a cup of coffee, instead of a latte, to save time or money, you might end up a little speedier than usual.

Caffeine: Fact or Myth

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Does the beginning of your workout week translate to an extra dose of caffeine? Before you go for that second cup (or third, or fourth . . . ), take this little quiz to test what you know about caffeine.

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Take the quiz

Do Take Your Coffee With Sugar?

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:00:00 -0700

When I was working on losing my baby weight I learned to live without a few things. One of those things was sugar in my coffee. When I was able to get back on the bean post-breastfeeding, I learned to love my coffee without adding any sweetener. I heated up the milk and started to drink my coffee cafe-au-lait style.

This habit hasn't gone away since I think of it as a great way to save calories. I'm wondering: how do you take your coffee?

Hidden Calories in Your Cup of Joe

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:30:00 -0700

Just about everyone I know consumes at least one cup of coffee a day. That roasted rich beverage actually has a lot of health benefits, and an eight ounce cup only contains two calories, so it won't bust your waistline. The thing is, not a lot of people enjoy their coffee black, and all the sweeteners and flavorings people use can add up to some major calories. I'm not saying you should ditch your cup of joe, just be mindful of how many calories your cup contains.

To see how many calories cream, sugar, and the occasional dollop of "whip" add to your coffee, read more.

1 pump of Starbucks Chocolate Mocha Sauce

Food	Calories
1 tbsp cream	52
1 tbsp half and half	20
1 tbsp whole milk	9
1 tbsp 2% milk	7.7
1 tbsp 1% milk	6.6
1 tbsp skim milk	5.7
1 tbsp plain soymilk	6
1 tbsp vanilla soymilk	6
1 tbsp whipped cream	90
1 tbsp flavored plain non-dairy creamer	20
1 tbsp French vanilla flavored non-dairy creamer	35
1 tbsp hazelnut flavored non-dairy creamer	35
1 pump of Starbucks flavored syrup	20
1 pump of Starbucks flavored syrup, sugar-free	0
60
1 tbsp caramel	15
1 tbsp chocolate	18
1 tsp, 1 cube, or 1 packet white sugar	11
1 tsp brown sugar	11
1 tsp or packet Sugar in the Raw	20
1 tsp maple syrup	16.7
1 tsp honey	21.3
1 shot of espresso	5

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Do You Drink More or Less Caffeine on the Weekend?

FitSugar — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:30:00 -0800

I have friends that only drink coffee on the weekends, which to me is unimaginable. I also have friends that save their caffeine fix for the workweek, which I find equally unimaginable.

I keep my coffee and tea consumption fairly steady seven days a week. If I skip my morning ~~fix~~ cup of joe, I get an awful withdrawal headache, and when I drink too much I feel too jittery and can have trouble sleeping. What about you?

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Why Does Coffee Make You Have to "Go"?

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Sipping on a hot cup of coffee in the morning is one of my simple pleasures. Not only does it offer some "me time," but I love the rich flavor, and the fact that it gives me an extra pep in my step. Millions of people drink coffee for the exact same reasons, but what they may not know that drinking joe helps relieve muscle pain as well as improves memory, and that it may help prevent skin cancer while also decreasing the risk of liver cancer. These are all great reasons to enjoy a daily cup of java, but many people also love coffee because it makes them "go," and by that I mean more than an energy rush. To see why java jolt helps the final stages of the digestion process, read more.

Coffee may help you "go" for several reasons.

It's hot. Drinking warm liquids such as coffee or tea, especially in the morning, is often suggested to relieve constipation.
It's a liquid. Although coffee was always thought to be dehydrating, this is not the case. Since getting enough fluids can help keep you regular, a cup of joe counts toward your daily fluid consumption.
It's thought that the stimulant caffeine in coffee makes people "go," it's the actual coffee that has laxative and diuretic effects. People experience the urge to "go" after drinking both caffeinated and decaffeinated forms. Coffee is also a powerful stimulant when it comes to peristalsis, the set of muscle contractions in the digestive tract that moves food and bowels along. For some people, coffee can also cause diarrhea.

So there you have it. Do any of you drink coffee primarily to keep you regular?
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You Asked: How Much Coffee a Day Is Too Much?

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Dear Fit,
I just got a fancy coffee maker for Christmas, and now I'm finding myself enjoying at least three or four cups a day. My husband says that's too much. Is he right? Is there a danger in having too much caffeine?
-Caffeinated Carol

Ooh, this is a tough question for me because I'm with you - I love coffee, but it's the caffeine we need to worry about. For the average person, up to 300 milligrams of caffeine a day is considered a safe amount to consume. Since caffeine is a stimulant, if you have too much each day, it could affect your sleep patterns, heart rate, blood pressure, headaches, or digestion. Overdoing it with caffeine may also be associated with miscarriages or cause a woman to give birth to a smaller baby.

It may surprise you to find out how much caffeine is in your favorite hot beverages so read more.

Drink	Amount of Caffeine
8 oz. Short cup of Starbucks Coffee	180 mg
12 oz. Tall cup of Starbucks Coffee	260 mg
16 oz. Grande cup of Starbucks Coffee	330 mg
20 oz. Venti cup of Starbucks Coffee	415 mg
1 oz. Starbucks Espresso	75mg
8 oz. Organic Black Tea	65mg
8 oz. Organic Green Tea	50 mg
16 oz. Starbucks Hot Chocolate	25mg

I won't beat around the coffee beans here. There are definite health benefits to drinking a cup of joe, such as antioxidants for overall health and improved memory. Java may also help ease muscle pain, and coupled with working out, drinking coffee may help prevent skin cancer. A recent study also suggests that drinking a few cups a day may help you live longer.

So while coffee is good for you, too much caffeine is not. Even if you enjoy two eight-ounce cups, that's 360 mg of caffeine - 60 mg over the recommended limit. One ounce of coffee contains about 21 mg of caffeine, so stick to no more than a total of 14 ounces of joe a day. If you want to enjoy this hot beverage throughout your day, sip on four- to five-ounce cups, three times a day.

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