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Five natural ways to sweeten coffee

Has your household’s cache of will also add a unique flavor that you this one is truly for you. To sweeten
leftover Easter candy been depleted can’t get elsewhere. your morning coffee, take a square
yet? of dark chocolate and add it to your
Back when my kids were really Dates steaming coffee cup. Doing so will
little, I used one of my favorite treats Dates…in coffee? Yup. Dates are allow the chocolate to melt into your
as “filler” for their Easter baskets— one of the best natural sweeteners. beverage and blend a rich taste
much to my kids’ dismay: “Oh, darn! Who knew? Date paste is a great way through your drink. Plus, the texture
That’s right! You despise Hershey’s to boost your coffee’s flavor while si- of dark chocolate will add a creami-
Special Dark! Sorry, I keep forget- multaneously satisfying your sweet ness to your coffee that's—chef’s
ting!” was my tired refrain when they diately used for energy or sent di- tooth. Additionally, dates are jam- kiss—out of this world.
would root through their baskets for rectly to the liver for fat storage. Your packed with nutritional benefits: Cinnamon
the jellybeans, gummy candy, and blood glucose level drops quickly They’re high in antioxidants, fiber,
Peeps—you know, the good stuff— after eating added sugars, known as and trace vitamins and minerals. Use cinnamon in its powdered
and then scrunch their noses at what a sugar crash, and that leaves you Use the following recipe to make form or as a dried stick—it's a spice
remained. hungry, irritable, and usually craving date paste: that can be used to sweeten just
It didn’t take long for my kids to another pickup. When this happens, • Cover 2 cups of pitted dates about anything. It’s often used as a
catch on: The chocolate was for me you may not be able to make smart with water and allow to soak for an natural replacement for table sugar
not them. choices about what and how much to hour. or brown sugar, and it’s loaded with
My kids are older now, and my eat which could contribute to weight • Once thoroughly soaked, drain health benefits. One of cinnamon's
signature move is no longer effective. gain.” the dates and reserve the soaking liq- greatest qualities is its beneficial im-
But I’ll tell you one thing that hasn’t And so, with that in mind, the fol- uid. pact on blood sugar levels. Further-
changed: I still love sugar. And I am lowing are a few ways of sweetening • Using a blender, blend the dates more, cinnamon's anti-inflammatory
especially fond of adding it to my your coffee—without adding tons of and slowly add some of the soaking properties may ward off headaches
morning coffee. Maybe you do, too. artificial sugar. liquid until you have a smooth paste. and other health issues caused by in-
But here’s the thing: Not all sugar • Stir this homemade paste into flammation. Caution, though: When
is created equal. There’s a difference Stevia your daily coffee or use as a jam. it comes to adding cinnamon to your
between natural sugars and added You’ve likely heard of this option coffee, a little goes a long way.
sugars. Have you ever wondered why before. A popular coffee sweetener, Dark Chocolate Courtney Conover is wife, mom,
you crave sugar but then feel terrible Stevia is a natural sweetener derived Oh, goodness. Be still, my beating yoga instructor, and Chicken Soup
after eating, for instance, a cookie? from the stevia plant. It’s actually heart. If you're a fan of mochas, then for the Soul contributor.
California-based Center for Healthy 200-300 times sweeter than table
Eating and Activity Research sugar, you only need a pinch or two
(CHEAR), which provides evidence- to sweeten up your cup of Joe. Pro
based treatments for individuals tip: When purchasing Stevia, search
who struggle with their weight and for a minimally processed variety
eating habits, explained why in one made with 100% pure stevia extract,
of their recent blogs: which will ensure that your sweet-
“Foods containing natural sugars ener is free from artificial ingredi-
[i.e., apples, bananas, Greek yogurt, ents and preservatives.
and sweet potatoes] offer nutrients
that keep your body healthy, provide Organic Coconut Sugar
fast yet stable energy, and keep your This one is my personal favorite.
metabolism stable. Added sugars, on Adding coconut sugar to your coffee
the other hand, are harmful in large is a delicious and natural way to
quantities. Added sugars are typi- sweeten your coffee. Not only will co-
cally processed quickly, either imme- conut sugar sweeten your coffee, it

10 · May 2023 · The Wayne Dispatch