Foods That Fight Fat #5 Coffee

Nothing beats a nice hot cup of coffee in the morning to get you up and moving!  Not only is your morning coffee waking you up but it is waking your metabolism up as well!  The caffeine in one cup of coffee temporarily perks up your metabolism by as much as 15%.  Caffeine also helps mobilize the forces that burn stored fat. 

Note: Coffee on an empty stomach is NOT a good idea. Be sure you are eating a balanced, whole food breakfast with carbohydrates, protein and some fats. If you want to learn how coffee can actually cause you to GAIN weight, check out the 2 day event, Healthy Edge LIVE happening November 7th and 8th in Tacoma, WA. This topic along with the latest in nutrition, weight loss, metabolism, food and so much ore will be discussed with health, wellness and fitness experts!


Grown in more than 70 countries around the world coffee has something of a contentious history with health experts, who have long cautioned that over-consumption may be detrimental to our health. More recent studies, however, paint a rosier picture for the Coffea plant's roasted berries (they're not actually beans), suggesting that when consumed in moderate amounts — and without heaping on the sugar and cream — the magical stuff can harbor numerous potential health benefits.  Numerous studies have suggested that caffeine helps the liver regulate itself. Coffee may even help keep your mind sharp as you age by slowing the onset of neurodegenerative disease. Multiple studies have suggested that coffee drinkers have up to a 60 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's and dementia, and the beverage may help reduce a person's risk of Parkinson's by 32 to 60 percent!  

Studies also have shown that caffeine — which blocks the neurotransmitters in the brain associated with sleep — can temporarily boost cognition, especially when you're not getting enough shut eye, which i'm sure we all have experienced a time or two.  
Scientists have identified approximately 1,000 antioxidants in unprocessed coffee beans, and hundreds more develop during the roasting process. Numerous studies have cited coffee as a major—and in some cases, the primary—dietary source of antioxidants for its subjects.

We suggest moderate doses and passing on the cream and sugar. One to two cups a day is about perfect!

Spiced Coffee Shake


3/4 cup strong, brewed coffee (cold or room temperature)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1 Tbsp almond butter
10-12 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Fill about half way with ice cubes.  Blend until foamy, icy and well combined.  Drink cold.