In partnership with The Fresh Toast

Coffee is the wakeup call many of us rely on, but it’s easy to make this morning ritual unhealthy.

Coffee is undoubtedly the best way to start the day, at least according to those of us addicted to the stuff. But coffee can quickly throw a wrench into our nutrition and health if we’re not careful.

Still, not all is bad news. There are plenty of coffee additions that are delicious and harmless. Here are the worst things you can add to your coffee and some replacements you could use instead:

White sugar

While adding sugar to coffee is a ritual to most people’s mornings, the use of white sugar provides no nutrition and can quickly get out of hand when added to the sugar you consume throughout the rest of your day, especially if you tend to have several cups of coffee a day.

RELATED: Here’s How To Realistically Reduce Sugar From Your Diet

Fortunately, this is one of the easiest problems to solve. While sweeteners have gotten a terrible reputation, studies are unclear on their potential side effects and are believed to be neutral elements: it’s not great for your health, but not detrimental, either. Sweeteners have much less calories and provide more sweetness than sugar, resulting in a drink with less additives. So instead of reaching for white table sugar, try SweetDrops, Stevia, maple syrup or even coconut sugar.

Flavored syrups

Right up there with sugar is flavored syrups. Next time you order your double tall vanilla latte, ask for “one pump of syrup” or else you might end up getting three, which is typical at many coffee chains. Flavored syrups are just cane sugar in liquid form. If you’re using syrups to mask the flavor of your coffee, maybe it’s time to find another coffee shop.

Powdered creamer

Powdered creamers are basically just chemicals and oils flavored as “cream.” Powdered creamer can actually be explosive. We’re not kidding. Cow’s milk or plant based milk makes for a good replacement, having less calories and less concerning stuff that could ruin your mornings. And if you want to skip all the extra hormones, which aren’t great either, head for the plant-based milks. Oat milk is possibly the closest you’ll get to the real thing.

Whipped cream

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You already knew this. Whipped cream might be the most delicious addition to any hot drink, but it adds calories, fat and sugar to your morning coffee, not to mention high cholesterol fat if you’re whipping your own using half-and-half. If you’re using the stuff from a spray can, you’re also dealing with a lot of corn syrup and nasty chemicals. It’s best to skip it all together or make your own out of coconut cream.

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