SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Spices, loaded with antioxidants that help keep people younger, can make antioxidants-laden coffee zippier and even healthier, a U.S. food expert says.
Phil Lempert -- a food industry analyst, trend watcher and creator of the Web site supermarketguru.com, said as the air turns cooler try apple juice and spices to spice up a cup of coffee.
The recipe for Autumn Apple Coffee makes 2 cups and easily doubles.
The ingredients are:
1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
1 cup pure apple juice
2 cinnamon sticks
2 thin slices of orange, rind intact
2 whole cloves
1 kernel allspice or one-quarter teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons brown sugar or wildflower honey
Coffee is the No. 1 source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet, a study by researchers at the University of Scranton finds.
Rune Blomhoff and colleagues at the University of Oslo in Norway found as little as a half teaspoon of cloves will contribute more dietary antioxidant than a half-cup serving of blueberries or cranberries -- two foods famous for their antioxidant levels. Cloves, oregano, allspice, cinnamon, sage, peppermint, thyme and lemon balm lead in antioxidant levels.
Apples are one of the main sources of flavonoids in the Western diet, and its high content of flavonoids, help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases.
Among the health benefits of honey are antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties that can help improve digestion and boost immunity.
