Drinking Black Coffee

Have you ever wished you could drink your coffee black? I have.
I spent most of my coffee-drinking years relishing in what was essentially warm, liquid dessert. I loved it. But every time someone in the room would say they’ll take theirs black, I’d raise my eyebrows, feeling a sense of respect and envy.

Apparently, coffee is the greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet. That was definitely true of my diet at one time, back in the days when the lettuce on my burger was the only trace of vegetable I had that day. I’ve enjoyed coffee in pretty much every form: cafe mochas, pumpkin lattes, with cream/brown sugar, and with LOADS of Coffeemate (which was full of trans fats at the time). One day, I took a moment to consider how frequently I was stocking up on Coffeemate… and there was no one drinking it but us.

Why would you want to switch?

My primary reason for ditching creamer was to lower my cholesterol. My LDL was high and I was sipping on a lot of saturated and trans fats every morning and afternoon. I also wanted to reduce my dependency on dairy products. By teaching myself to prefer black coffee, I succeeded in both those areas, but there were other perks I hadn’t expected! I lost more weight (another 20 pounds that year). I also noticed that drinking coffee black in the morning set my day up differently. I craved more wholesome food rather than always looking for something sweet. Learning to enjoy the earthiness of dark coffee trained my palate to appreciate other earthy flavors that are pervasive amongst healthy foods, like dark greens and fungi. It also seems to cleanse the palate and enhance the joy of whatever I’m eating with it, whether sweet or savory. And I don’t struggle with rotten breath in the afternoons like I used to when I was bathing my teeth in sugar all day. I can’t believe it took my switching to black coffee to figure that out.

Tips for Transitioning to Black Coffee

Quitting cold turkey is always an option, but it’s not my method.
She Shapes is all about slow, painless transitions – and black coffee is no exception.

1. Buy a good DARK ROAST.
I know those flavored light roasts smell amazing and tempting, but they are more of a treat for your nose than your mouth. I find they have an astringent aftertaste when sipped without cream/sugar. Instead, I suggest a dark French or Italian roast (whole bean).

2. Grind FRESH Coffee.
Consider investing in a coffee grinder. We purchased a burr mill coffee grinder for $35 and we used it to grind fresh coffee (several times a day) for nearly 7 years. A burr mill grinder is superior to a spice grinder when it comes to making coffee. You get a consistent grind (fine for an espresso machine, medium for a drip machine, or coarse for a french press) and it grinds just the right amount for whatever size pot you’re making!
Now, we have a pretty fancy coffee machine (Jura Impressa S9, pictured below) that makes the most amazing coffee! We got it second-hand and we LOVE it. And since it only makes one cup at a time (and grinds each cup fresh), we’re noticing that our coffee beans last MUCH longer.

3. Play with the strength.
We were accustomed to drinking very strong coffee (maybe so we could still taste coffee after we were done adding stuff). If you’re trying to drink it black, you might need to brew it a little on the weak side. If you’re away from home or going through a drive-thru, don’t be afraid to ask your host to add a little hot water to your cup so that you can drink it black.
On the other hand, you might enjoy a richer cup of black coffee in the form of an espresso or americano. I suggest trying an americano in a nice coffee shop if you’ve never had one.

4. Keep challenging your taste buds.
I would enjoy one cup of coffee black and choke on the next one. So, I would add cream/sugar and move on. No guilt. Try again tomorrow. It’s not a race; it’s an adjustment. In order to acquire a taste for black coffee, I recommend that you take a couple sips of black coffee everyday before deciding to add cream/sugar. One day, you might decide you don’t need it at all.

5. Wean yourself off the cream/sugar.
Measure the amount of cream/sugar that you’re adding and slowly start cutting it back. This gives your palate time to adjust. Maybe in a month’s time, you’ll only be using half the cream/sugar that you used to! That’s still progress.

6. Use a plant-based alternative.
If you’re not enjoying your coffee black or you’re still transitioning, pick up one of the many plant-based creamers to try. I used a coconut-based creamer for a year or so as I tried to transition to black coffee. It’s difficult to replicate the mouthfeel of fat in your coffee without cream/oil, but after you’ve adjusted to drinking it black, you won’t be able to drink slimy coffee anymore.

It’s not a race; it’s an adjustment.

She Shapes

With a little persistence and some good coffee beans, you’ll be looking forward to a black coffee in the morning too. And once you’ve mastered that, why not learn to like green tea too!
Cheers!

If you transitioned to drinking your coffee black, tell us how you did it in the comments below!

Feature Image by Mike Kunz from Pixabay