It sounds too good to be true. A keto pumpkin spice latte that’s actually good for you? One that delivers so many nourishing compounds you can feel great about it and even have seconds?
Yes, please. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better way to start your day than this. And if it’s still hot as the sun where you live, make cold brew instead and enjoy a cold pumpkin spice latte that’s good for you.
Both ways, so good!
Since the coffee shops are busting out the pumpkin spice despite the heat, we are too. Here’s how to make it, what it offers, and why you should avoid commercial pumpkin spice lattes like your health depends on it.
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte – Hot or Cold-Brew
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, organic if possible
- 1 scoop Keto Zone MCT Oil Powder (Pumpkin Spice)
- 1 scoop Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder + Probiotics (Vanilla)
- 1/2 tsp homemade pumpkin spice
- 8 ounces strong coffee or cold brew
- 1/2 cup almond milk, cold (for cold-brew) or heated
- organic stevia, optional and to taste
- Stovetop: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, 1/2 cup water, add the pumpkin puree, Keto Zone MCT Oil Powder, Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen, and homemade pumpkin spice. Heat and stir until melted and combined to form a syrup, about 1-2 minutes.
- Microwave: Combine all ingredients in a large microwavable mug. Stir well. Heat on high in 30-second intervals, and stirring in between, until melted and combined to form a syrup. Typically, it will take 1.5-2 minutes, or 3-4 intervals of heating and stirring.
- Cold-brew: Follow the steps above to make syrup. Allow to cool. Then, make the cold-brew concentrate as described. Dilute 4 ounces concentrate with 4 ounces water to make the cold coffee.
- For All Methods: Add coffee and heated (or cold) milk to syrup. Stir very well or place in a blender to combine and froth. Of note: when blending hot liquids in a blender, make sure to allow the steam to vent while blending by opening lid slightly. Blend with care at low speed. Make sure to not allow the hot liquid to explode out of the blender.
- Optionally, add organic stevia to taste. Enjoy!
Nutrition Info: 173 calories, 9 grams fat, 0 grams net carbs (5.5 grams carbs, 5.5 grams fiber), 16 grams protein
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte Nutrition
Our homemade pumpkin spice latte is a delicious, ultra-healthy way to start your day. In fact, with each cup, you’ll receive all the health benefits of coffee, MCT Oil Powder, Collagen, and the real spices in pumpkin spice. Together, the benefits include:
Anti-Inflammatory Action & Ketones from Healthy Fats:
There are many benefits of including enough healthy fats in your diet. They include:
- Having the right nutrients to get into ketosis. Although your body will enter ketosis anytime you consume very little carbohydrates, it will do so more efficiently when adequate fats are present in the diet.
- Weight loss without hunger. Fats help you feel full and satisfied, even when losing weight (1).
- More abdominal fat loss. When carbohydrates are replaced with fats, people lose more abdominal fat. This is great news since abdominal fat is associated with heart disease and other chronic conditions (2, 3).
- Improved health once in ketosis. Ketosis provides many health benefits including improved cholesterol ratios, reduced dangerous triglycerides, optimal blood sugars and insulin, improved brain and eye health, and reduced inflammation.
- Ketones that act as brain fuel. Not only does high-fat, Keto Zone eating provide brain fuel that improves focus and clarity, it also has neuroprotective properties (4).
- MCT oil is one of the best fats for ketosis. It is quickly digested, used for ketones, and provides many health benefits.
- Avocado fats from the Keto Zone Shake promote health in many ways, including fighting cancer cells, fighting metabolic syndrome, improving heart health, and more.
Protein for Cellular Repair and Tissue Health
The collagen in this recipe is incredible healthful for your skin, hair, nails, and tissues.
Overall, proteins do a lot in the body. They help your muscles rebuild after stressing your muscles, support immune function, support hormone balance, and help you feel full even with fewer calories.
Collagen goes beyond other proteins to encourage joint and connective tissue strength, repair, and health. To learn more about the benefits of collagen, read this post.
Antioxidants to Fight Oxidative Damage
We all encounter oxidative damage on the cellular level. Every day that you live, different biochemical reactions occur in your body. These reactions are necessary for life, but they can also produce free radicals. In addition, environmental and dietary toxins, unhealthy foods, and more can contribute to free radical build-up called oxidative stress.
One of the most dangerous things about free radicals is that they can oxidize cholesterol, allowing it to enter artery walls and form plaques. Thankfully, antioxidants neutralize free radicals and render them harmless.
In much the same way, anti-inflammatories reduce chronic inflammation in the body, which can lead to many chronic diseases including heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cognitive decline, and more(8).
Our homemade latte contains antioxidants from:
- Coffee Beans
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Pumpkin
Why You Should Avoid Commercial Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Of course, you could just buy a pumpkin spice latte from a coffee shop or fast-food restaurant. How different could it be?
Buyer beware! Most commercial pumpkin spice lattes are short on pumpkin, real spices, healthy fats, and protein. But, they are high in sugar.
In fact, check out the grams of sugar in these popular choices. Their sugar is 100% added sugar. Ours is 6 grams of naturally-occurring sugar.
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (tall): 39 grams of sugar)
- Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Spice Latte (small): 36 grams of sugar
- McDonald’s Pumpkin Spice Latte (small): 39 grams of sugar
Or, looking at your nearest grocer?
- The Starbucks Pumpin Spice Latte Espresso Beverage (1 bottle): 42 grams of sugar
Why is the Sugar in a Latte Especially Harmful?
Sugar is harmful at any time of the day, in combination with any foods. Not only can overeating sugar cause elevated blood glucose, insulin resistance, weight gain, inflammation, and high triglycerides, it’s now linked to elevated breast cancer risk (9).
But, when you mix it with caffeine, it’s especially dangerous. In fact, there is growing evidence that caffeine may interfere with insulin release and result in related metabolic issues when mixed with sugar. It makes the sugar spike more intense. (10, 11, 12).
And, that’s not all.
Sugar in liquid form makes its way especially quickly through the digestive tract, having a strong impact on blood sugars. For those with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, blood sugars are often high in the mornings. A morning caffeine and sugar latte can spell disaster.
Bottom Line
It may be pumpkin spice season, but that’s not a good reason to drink a cup full of sugar and chemicals every morning. Instead, make our Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s good for you!
