6 surprising ways coffee can boost your health

HOW TO PICK THE BEST CREAMER Add-ins — whether a powdered creamer or a high-calorie, sugar-laden flavoring — can quickly strip coffee of its good-for-you status. “Coffee with a couple

pumps of vanilla or hazelnut syrup and heavy cream is an indulgence we should save for the rare treat,” notes Weisenberger, who recommends a nonfat latte or a cup of coffee with a splash of

low-fat milk as a healthy standard. Beyond that, be sure to check the label on any creamer. A lot of store-bought options aren’t dairy products, and you’ll want to skip those with

ingredients such as carrageenan, a thickener believed to cause inflammation and digestion problems. The best options, says the Cleveland Clinic’s Kirkpatrick, will have only one or two

ingredients.   From there, be sure to scan the Nutrition Facts label for added sugars and saturated fats. “Both should be as low as possible,” Weisenberger says. If you really want

sweetness, consider stevia, a sugar substitute. Finally, know that the serving size listed in the Nutrition Facts on most coffee creamers is typically one tablespoon. So be sure to do the

math if you’re adding creamer to multiple cups of coffee or, say, a jumbo 24-ounce cup. Not only do the calories add up, but so does the sugar — especially, Kirkpatrick notes, with many

plant-based options such as oat milk or almond milk.