We’ve all had those days. Days where getting out of bed seems like an unattainable feat. Hopefully, during stressful times the anticipation of a fresh warm cup of coffee or an enthusiastically mixed iced coffee drink gives you the motivation to start your day off productively.

But, what if your favorite caffeine fix is actually hindering your overall health and productivity potential?

The average cup of plain old black coffee contains 4 calories. Not bad right? Well, that’s because all it contains is crushed coffee beans and water. A seemingly healthy choice.

The biggest mistake most make when indulging in the routine morning boost is the addition of extra ingredients added for flavor.

A regular sized McDonalds Mocha contains 330 calories. That’s 820 percent more calories compared to a regular cup of coffee!

Caffeine is a bitter chemical that we tend to sweeten up with ingredients like milk, sugar and syrups.

Not only does this add to the amount of sugar in our system but it also convolutes a once simple and pure drink.

Drinking coffee for the energizing effects is a smart choice. Although, when you add other products to the drink it actually takes slightly longer to feel awake and vitalized.

Black coffee also cuts down on preparation time so you can take a deep breath and enjoy the extra couple of free minutes in your morning routine. Plus, it’s cheaper to stick to the basics. Buying coffee on the go will become easier and more cost effective.

Plus, choosing not to add the extra milk or creamer actually leaves more room left over in the cup. You know what that means? Yep, you guessed it… MORE COFFEE.

The taste of black coffee isn’t for everyone. Coffee is naturally bitter. Allowing yourself to taste the different flavors of coffee will help to train the palette to recognize “good coffee” versus “bad coffee”. You might be surprised to find that you actually prefer the quick choice Sonic Drive thru caffeine fix rather than the go to Starbucks. (Your wallet will thank you.)

Coffee is brewed around the world. Every region has a different taste of coffee bean! Expand your horizons next time you find yourself in HEB or your local coffee shop, buy some coffee from a place you’ve always wanted to visit!

Try to keep these things in mind next time you reach for another packet of sweet and low.