The smell of coffee brewing at 6 am every morning is what persuades me to stay awake! I (like most people in this country) absolutely LOVE coffee, but not so much for the taste. I enjoy my 8 ounce brew every morning for the undeniable health benefits it provides my mind and body. Coffee is wonderful and all, but can only be looked at as healthy if you’re consuming it without the additives and preservatives. 1-2 cups of black coffee a day is actually proven to reap many health benefits. Proper consumption and the way we consume coffee determines the health status of our brew. Did you know it is packed with antioxidants and minerals? I thought all coffee was good for was the 80-100 mg of caffeine packed inside. Once we consume coffee, it is immediately absorbed into our bloodstream and begins taking affect on our mind and body. Once our mind begins to receive the caffeine, we respond by releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. This stimulates the brain to fire more and more neurons leading to an increased focus level. You will experience many positive effects after the consumption of black coffee. Things such as your mood, reaction time, awareness, focus, and even memory will improve. Another benefit to drinking black coffee is it will assist in shredding fat due to its moderate levels of caffeine. I even like to use a cup of coffee before the gym instead of any pre workout. This is a much better way of getting pumped up before smashing a lift. Coffee is natural and is a much healthier option to stimulate the mind and body. Most fat burners have caffeine in them as well, but  also include unnatural ingredients. Stick to black coffee as it is one of the purest forms to shredding fat and increasing metabolic rate. I also discovered the many health benefits such as decreasing your chance of getting type two diabetes, lowers risk of dementia and alzheimer’s, and decrease risk of parkinsons. There are many other benefits that black coffee help with as well as the ones listed above. Potassium, riboflavin (B2), niacin(B3), magnesium, and pantothenic acid are all essential vitamins and minerals included in every sip of coffee. It is crucial you understand that black coffee has many health benefits, but that’s not to say that a Dunkin cold ice coffee or Starbucks frappuccino reap the same benefits. These directly oppose what black coffee will do to the mind and body. Instead of shredding fat with black coffee as soon as you wake, consuming one of these sugar infested beverages will create havoc on your body. Ignore the thousands of coffee marketing ads and stick to your basic black cup of joe in the am. You will soon notice the health benefits and begin to shred that stubborn fat (as long as your diet is on point).