Fall is here again.The thought of a pumpkin-coffee flavored latte is enticing and inviting all at the same time. In the name of healthy living, many drink combinations have been created, and the pumpkin spice latte is one of the favorite drinks for many.
Well, there are readily sold in coffee shops, but how would you love the idea of making your own? Yes, right at home, with all the ingredients and a pumpkin spice latte recipe.
I believe it’s better to make your own pumpkin spice latte because you will know what you include in it and you can make it healthier. Nonetheless, you can prepare it with lesser calories than those present in the ready-made lattes in coffee shops.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin
So, what is special about the pumpkin? What makes it so healthy, tasty and juicy? Pumpkins are healthy and organic and are packed with a lot of nutritious components.
Pumpkins are also health benefits which pretty much makes them ideal for a pumpkin spice latte recipe. They are rich in vitamins and minerals and are low-calorie as well.
Pumpkins help regulate blood pressure: one of the contents of pumpkins is potassium which helps lower high blood pressure levels.
Reduces risk of cancer: pumpkins are packed with antioxidants and beta-carotene that helps reduce risks of cancers such as colon and prostate cancer.
Aid digestion: Pumpkins contain fiber which is ideal for digestion as well as hunger and cravings. They make you feel fuller, and a pumpkin spice latte can hold up for a few hours in your tummy.
Boosts the immune system: Pumpkins are rich in vitamin C that is essential in boosting the immune system. Beta-carotene also helps with immunity by instigating the creation of White Blood Cells.
What to Avoid When Making a Pumpkin Spice Latte
The ingredients you add to your pumpkin spice latte matter a lot in terms of nutritional content and health benefits. One ingredient you should avoid at all cost in your pumpkin spice latte recipe is carrageenan.
So, what is carrageenan? It is an extract from red edible seaweeds, which is used in the preparation of pumpkin spice lattes you buy at the coffee shop.
What makes it bad?
As much as carrageenan is deemed to be organic and healthy, it contains carcinogenic and inflammatory properties. It is widely used to thicken and stabilize food and drinks, and give low-fat or non-fat products a fatty sense of taste.
Other ingredients to avoid are dairy milk and sugars. The thing with dairy milk and sugars is that they add calories to the drink, which is totally different from what we want.
A healthy pumpkin spice latte needs to be as healthy and low-calorie as possible to obtain the benefits from consuming it. In the pumpkin spice latte recipe, you can substitute milk with nut milk of your choice such as coconut oil. As for the sugars, you can substitute with maple syrup to sweeten the drink.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe Better Than Starbucks
Below are your healthy ingredients homemade pumpkin latte recipe fall drink with organic coconut milk;
The Healthy Easy Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup organic brewed coffee/espresso
- 1tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2tbsp cooked pumpkin
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Directions:
The process of making the pumpkin spice latte is very simple and only requires 5 minutes or so, to be ready. Here are the main procedures to follow in making the latte for you, your family and even friends. If you want to serve more than one cup, increase the amount of the ingredients depending on the number of people you are preparing it for.
- First things first, I poured the cup of full-fat coconut milk in a tea kettle and let it heat to warm temperatures.
- As the milk was getting warm, I took the organic brewed coffee and added it to the blender. If you don’t like the brewed coffee, you can use espresso instead.
- Next, I added the maple syrup followed by the vanilla extract.
- Then I added the cooked pumpkin into the blender as well as the pumpkin pie spice.
- Finally, I added the already-warm coconut milk into the blender before I could turn it on.
- I let the ingredients mix for about three minutes until it was smooth and creamy.
- I then served myself the pumpkin spice latte in a mug and sat down to enjoy the cup of healthy-creamy drink.
Since I’m not a spice person, I drank the latte as it was. But, if you prefer spicy, you can sprinkle some of the pumpkin spice on top of the drink.
Why Is a Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Better than a Coffee Shop’s Pumpkin Spice Latte?
A homemade pumpkin spice latte is better because you get to customize it to your taste and preference. Nevertheless, you can alter the pumpkin spice latte recipe to include all the natural and healthy ingredients you want to. You also get to save money as you make the latte using readily available ingredients at home.
Furthermore, it only takes about five minutes to have the latte ready. So why waste your money? To make matters worse, the pumpkin spice latte that you buy from the coffee shop contains excess sugars, dairy milk and unnecessary flavors such as carrageenan.
All ingredients which you should avoid. On top of that, you can make the drink suitable for your diet, i.e., vegan or paleo or dairy-free or low-calorie.
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