Adding This To Your Coffee Is "Magic" For Controlling Cravings, Says An MD 

Want to hack your hunger hormones? According to integrative medicine doctor Amy Shah, M.D., author of I'm So Effing Hungry, try optimizing your caffeine intake. Caffeine, she says, provides a bit of a dopamine hit1, and all cravings are fueled by dopamine. 

"The real magic here is mixing your caffeine with fat," she declares. You see, fat slows the release of caffeine, which ultimately prolongs that dopamine hit. Caffeine itself provides more of a jolt of dopamine—that's why you may experience a rush of energy only to crash hours later. "What the fat does is slow that absorption down so that you're getting a more sustained release," Shah adds. 

In terms of which healthy fats to choose, you can go ahead and stir in a spoonful of grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil. The latter especially adds a smooth, rich taste to your drink in addition to some noteworthy benefits: The MCTs in coconut oil have been shown to be satiating,2 potentially reducing caloric needs throughout the rest of the day. 

Coconut oil is also thought to increase insulin sensitivity3, which is helpful in balancing blood sugar—coffee can spike blood sugar in the short term4, which results in that aforementioned crash later on (that's also when folks may start to reach for the sweets). 

If you fancy a sweet morning beverage, don't fret: Shah isn't against sweets entirely. "Dark chocolate is a winner all the way through for me," she adds, since cocoa also offers a dopamine boost. Just look for organic cocoa blends with zero added flavors or sugar, and you've got yourself a mighty morning mocha.