High Protein Coffee: Is It Really Good for You? A Dietitian's Take

Author's Bio: Katie Bailey, MS, RD, LD, FNC

Hi everyone. Welcome back to our channel.

As a dietitian, I'm often asked about the latest food trends and one that has been gaining popularity is high protein coffee.

So in today's video, I'll be diving into what is high protein coffee.

What are the potential benefits of high protein coffee?

Are there any drawbacks to drinking high protein coffee?

What impact does high protein coffee have on our gut health?

How do we make high protein coffee at home?

And lastly, is high protein coffee good for you?

I'm Katie Bailey. I'm a Gut Health Dietitian at Oswald Digestive Clinic, where we help individuals improve and resolve their bothersome gut issues.

If you're interested about learning more about gut health, I'll link our free guide Five Ways to Improve Your Gut Health here.

Alright, let's jump into today's topic.

[Video Transcript Below Video - it is the same information]

What is high protein coffee?

So high protein coffee is exactly what it sounds like. It is coffee with added protein, and this can be achieved in several different ways. Typically, high protein coffee is made by adding a protein powder or another high protein source to a regular brewed cup of coffee. Then the protein source can vary with different options, including whey proteins, plant proteins, as well as collagen protein, just to name a few. And some brands even offer pre-made coffee protein drinks while others provide coffee protein powders that can be mixed to hot water or milk.

The concept behind high protein coffee is to create a more nutritionally balanced beverage that could potentially keep you fuller for longer and support muscle growth and recovery and provide sustained energy. The result is a drink that not only provides us with that caffeine boost we're all looking for, but also delivers a significant amount of protein.

What are the potential benefits of high protein coffee?

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High protein coffee offers several benefits that make it an attractive option for many individuals. The first is enhanced satiety and sustained energy. So protein is known for its ability to increase fullness and reduce hunger. And by adding protein to your morning cup of coffee, you may feel satisfied for longer, which potentially could help with weight management and blood sugar regulation. The combination of caffeine and protein may provide a more sustained energy boost as protein can help slow down the absorption process, potentially reducing your risk of energy crashes. The next benefit is muscle growth and recovery.

So for those that are engaged in regular exercise or specifically strength training exercises, high protein coffee can contribute to their overall daily intake of supporting muscle growth and recovery. Next is just increased protein intake. We all know how important protein is to our system, but many individuals struggle to meet their daily protein needs.

So adding protein to your coffee can be an easy way to increase your daily intake. And many clients admit that breakfast is one of the hardest meals for them to get enough protein in. So adding a little protein punch to your morning coffee could be a great option for you.

Are there any downsides to drinking high protein coffee?

So while protein coffee can offer several potential benefits, it's also too important to be aware of the potential drawbacks. The first drawback is the potential for calorie overload or just empty calories, which are just calories that you're taking in that aren't providing much nutritional value. So when consuming coffee, it's important to pay attention to what you add to your coffee. So additional ingredients like excess sugar or flavorings or even protein powders that have a lot of additional ingredients that aren't necessary. This can really add up significantly if you're not paying attention to it.

The second drawback is digestive issues or food sensitivities. It's important to note that not every person is going to tolerate coffee and protein powder the same way. Some may even experience digestive discomfort like bloating or gas or abdominal pain, especially if they already struggle with IBS symptoms. You want to pay attention to how your body specifically responds to high protein coffee and make adjustments as needed. Some people just need to change the type of protein powder that they're using while others may need to avoid it completely.

Next is it may not be a great quality source of protein. So not all protein powders are created equal. So if you're choosing a protein powder that's not great quality has a lot of added fillers and artificial ingredients and excess sugar, that's not going to be a great option to be adding to your coffee.

And then lastly, if you have any preexisting conditions, especially kidney issues. So if you have any kidney issues, adding a lot of extra protein is not going to be the best choice, as it can put a lot of strain on your kidneys. So it's always important when you have any preexisting conditions to work with a healthcare professional who can help guide you in the right direction.

What impact does high protein coffee have on gut health?

So although coffee can cause digestive issues for some individuals, research does suggest that it does have some positive effects on gut health. The first is because it has prebiotic and polyphenol content. So coffee contains polyphenols which act as prebiotics to feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut, and that's going to help to promote a favorable gut microbiome.

The next thing that studies have shown is that it increases gut motility. So coffee can stimulate gut motility, which is going to help with waste elimination and reduce the risk of constipation. Now, protein as part of a balanced diet is also essential for our gut health as it's going to adequate a protein is going to help to maintain that healthy gut barrier, and it also contributes to our digestive process as it is needed for the production of our digestive enzymes.

So how do you make high protein coffee at home?

The basic recipe for high protein coffee is a cup of your regular brewed coffee of choice, a scoop of protein powder, and then sometimes a splash of unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice. Now, you can choose to have this either iced or hot, but be mindful of that depending on the type of protein powder that you have. Sometimes they don't mix well into hot liquids and can become comfy. So some people find it easier to mix their protein powder with a little bit of milk first or in water or just use a blender to mix it all together, or even a frother.

So the question that everybody wants to know,

Is high protein coffee good for you?

I would say that high protein coffee can be a valuable addition to a balanced diet for many individuals, but it is not one size fits all. It can be particularly useful for those that are super active or have higher protein needs, or for those just struggling to get enough protein in their day. I find that when it comes to getting enough protein, most individuals that I work with really struggle to get enough protein at breakfast, and this is where high protein coffee can be really helpful.

However, it's important to consider your quality of coffee as well as the quality of the protein powder that you use. Remember, while protein coffee can be really helpful and at a good addition, it shouldn't replace whole food sources of protein. So if you enjoy the combination of coffee and protein and it's supporting your individual goals and needs, then go ahead and enjoy a cup of high protein coffee as part of a balanced diet.

To wrap up our topic for today,

High protein coffee can be a great addition to a balanced diet. For many individuals, the combination of coffee and protein can be beneficial in that it can promote satiety and provide sustained energy aid in muscle growth and recovery, support gut health, and help individuals meet their individual protein needs. You want to make sure to choose high quality protein sources and be mindful of excess sugar fillers and artificial ingredients.

Alright, that's it for today's video. If you like this video, please hit the like button and subscribe for more nutrition videos. If you're interested in working with our clinic, you can click the link here schedule an appointment. We do take insurance. You can find more information about that on our website.

Thank you for watching. I'll see you next time. Bye.

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If you'd like to explore any of this information further or obtain an individualized nutrition plan, you can schedule an initial appointment at our clinic. We also take insurance and some of our clients get full coverage, which is great.