We all learn a little something from social media and thanks to the health and wellness creators who keep putting out valuable content, we are able to catch in the knowledge for free! In such an instance Nutritionist Cory Rodriguez with 3.1 million followers on his Instagram posted a video on how can you optimize your morning coffee based on your health.

He has suggested a few additions to your morning coffee that can help you have a healthier life.

Coffee And Cocoa

He suggests that if you add cocoa to your morning coffee, it helps your heart health. As per Harvard Health Publishing, cocoa reduces inflammation associated with heart disease. In a 2010 article published on the same mentions of a randomized trial that involved 42 older women and men at high risk for cardiovascular disease. This was conducted by Spanish researchers, who gave half the participants 40 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder in 16 ounces of skim milk every day, and half of them were given plain skim milk. After one month, the cocoa drinkers had lower levels of adhesion molecules, the proteins that cause white cells and other substances to stick the walls of the arteries. The study was published in November 2009 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Coffee And Collagen

Next up, Rodriguez suggests that if you add collagen to your coffee, it helps you achieve a clearer skin. How does it work?

As per a 2022 study published in the journal Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, it was found that both oral and topical collagen supplements improve skin moisture, elasticity, and hydration when orally administered. It also found that collagen reduces the wrinkling and roughness of the skin, the existing studies have not found any side effects.

Coffee And Cinnamon

While Rodriguez suggests that cinnamon helps balance your blood sugar levels. Let us find out the truth in it.

As per a 2019 study in the International Journal of Food Science, 3 to 6 grams of cinnamon consumption was found to affect certain blood parameters of individuals positively. The study also noted that cinnamon is claimed to be a natural insulin stimulant and the agents found in it serve as insulin to keep the blood sugar level stable.

Coffee And Protein Powder

It is not unknown that protein powder helps gain muscle, this is what Rodriguez also points out when he says if you combine these two, you can help your muscle gain.

In fact, Harvard Health Publishing too notes that people, especially older adults may benefit from eating one-and-a-half to two times as much protein as the RDA. It helps boost protein that helps in increasing strength and lean body mass.

Coffee And Mushroom

This might seem like an unusual combo, but if Rodriguez is to be trusted, this combo helps you achieve a better immune system. As per the UCLA Health, mushrooms can decrease the risk of cancer. Its lower sodium intake can also help with maintaining blood pressure. Furthermore, it contains macronutrients like selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B6, which helps with your immune system as it prevents cell damage, boosts immune functions while reducing inflammation, and helps your body to form red blood cells, proteins and DNA, respectively.

Coffee And Rosemary

He suggests adding rosemary to coffee will boost your brain health. As per the University of Florida, rosemary can increase cognitive function and mood. In fact, researchers from Northumbria University said that this key component of herb is detected in bloodstream as soon as a person breathes in its aroma. Consuming it can further boost brain power by keeping neurotransmitter associated with memory in good working order.

Coffee And Salt

Many coffee roasters also agree with Rodriguez here. When you add salt to your coffee, it can in fact help reduce the perceived bitterness of coffee. The sodium in salt suppresses the taste bug that registers bitterness, making the coffee taste less harsh.

Coffee And L-theanine

If you love coffee, but get jitters, Rodriguez suggests you add L-theanine, as it helps combat jitters. It is because it has the effect of reducing anxiety. As per a 2019 study published in journal Nutrients, when L-theanine was administered on participants of a study for four weeks, they showed a sign of improvement in their cognitive functions, verbal fluency, sleep, and stress-related symptoms, and self-rating depression scale.

Coffee And Bananas

It is not just Rodriguez, but many nutritionists in the past too have suggested that bananas help with workouts. They offer key nutrients which improve exercise performance such as potassium and carbohydrate. A banana along with morning coffee makes a great combo before you hit the gym.

Note: These are just suggestions, before making any changes to your diet, please consult your doctor. It is also recommended to drink coffee without sugar for the most benefit.

Coca-Cola has officially announced that it will introduce a cane sugar-sweetened version of its flagship soda in the United States this fall. The move has comes days after former President Donald Trump’s pre-emptive Truth Social post, has sparked both nostalgia and renewed debate about the health impacts of soda sweeteners.

The new cane sugar Coke will be sold alongside the existing version that uses high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a formulation the company has used since 1984. Diet Coke and Coke Zero, which use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, will remain unchanged, reports Time.

Cane Sugar Is Coming, But Why Now?

In a statement issued during its second-quarter update, Coca-Cola said the addition is part of its “ongoing innovation agenda” aimed at offering consumers more choices to match changing tastes and dietary preferences.

“This addition is designed to complement the company’s strong core portfolio and offer more choices across occasions and preferences,” said Coca-Cola on Tuesday. CEO James Quincey, speaking on a call with investors, acknowledged Trump’s recent involvement.

“We appreciate the President’s enthusiasm for our Coca-Cola brand,” he said. “We are definitely looking to use the whole tool kit of available sweetening options.”

ALSO READ: Rakesh Roshan Undergoes Angioplasty, Shares Health Update And Asks People Over 40 To Get Regular CT Scan

Coca-Cola with cane sugar isn’t new to American shelves. Mexican Coke, or MexiCoke, has long been popular for its glass bottle and “original recipe” using cane sugar. That version has gained a cult following since its U.S. import began in 2005.

Trump and the Push for “Real Sugar”

Trump, a well-known Diet Coke loyalist, reportedly drinking up to 12 a day during his presidency, surprised many by advocating for real cane sugar.

“I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so,” Trump posted on July 16. “This will be a very good move by them. You’ll see. It’s just better!”

While the company has not confirmed if Trump’s advocacy influenced the rollout, his comments have intensified public interest in the ingredient change.

ALSO READ: Donald Trump Says Cane Sugar Is ‘Just Better’ Than Corn Syrup

The Health Debate: Is Cane Sugar Better Than Corn Syrup?

From a health standpoint, the switch has raised questions: Is cane sugar a healthier option than HFCS? According to experts, not really.

“For all practical purposes, they’re the same,” said Marion Nestle, nutritionist and professor emerita of food studies at New York University to Time. “They taste the same. They have the same number of calories. They do exactly the same things in the body. Everybody would be healthier eating less of both of them.”

High-fructose corn syrup became a staple sweetener in U.S. processed foods and beverages during the 1980s due to lower costs and a surplus of corn. But its use has declined over the past decade. According to the USDA, domestic production of corn syrup dropped nearly 20% from 2006 to 2016.

Despite the reduction, concerns about HFCS remain.

In April, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called sugar “poison” and described high-fructose corn syrup as “a formula for making you obese and diabetic.”

He praised food chains like Steak ’n Shake for switching to cane sugar Coca-Cola, saying it aligned with his campaign to “Make America Healthy Again.”

Consumer Choice or Clever Rebrand?

While the move might appeal to those who grew up drinking the pre-1984 formulation or prefer the taste of Mexican Coke, some nutritionists argue this is more of a branding play than a health initiative.

“There’s no nutritional upgrade happening here,” said a registered dietitian quoted in a recent AP report. “It’s just the same sugary drink, wearing a slightly more natural mask.”

Still, Coca-Cola’s introduction of cane sugar Coke reflects broader shifts in consumer preferences toward perceived “natural” ingredients, even when those ingredients carry the same health risks as their processed counterparts.

Whether cane sugar or HFCS, health professionals continue to stress moderation. Sugary drinks, regardless of sweetener type, have been linked to weight gain, metabolic issues, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Artificial sweeteners tend to be grouped in one category: chemical, controversial, and suspicious. But one botanical sweetener—stevia—is challenging that assumption. New studies out of Hiroshima University indicate that stevia, when fermented with a particular bacterium found on banana leaves, could do more than make your coffee taste better. It might fight one of the most lethal types of cancer—pancreatic cancer.

That's correct. Researchers have found that fermented stevia not only kills cancer cells but kills them selectively while sparing healthy cells largely intact. And it does this with powerful antioxidant effects to boot. The possibilities are staggering, not only for sweetener doubters but for the future of cancer treatment.

Pancreatic cancer boasts one of the lowest five-year survival rates of any major cancer—less than 10%. It's advanced, tends to be detected late, and is notoriously incurable with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. As co-author Narandalai Danshiitsoodol had it, "Pancreatic cancer is very invasive and metastatic in nature. There's a need for effective anticancer agents—particularly those isolated from safe, natural origins."

Long prized as a calorie-free sweetener derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, it can now potentially have a second life as a therapeutic agent.

What is The Role of Fermentation?

The innovation is in the processing of the stevia. Researchers took a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum—SN13T, to be specific, which is naturally found on banana leaves—to ferment stevia leaves. It's not your standard steeping process. The group optimized fermentation for 72 hours under oxygen-free conditions at 37°C.

They did this carefully. The fermented stevia leaf extract (FSLE) was then pitted against its non-fermented equivalent. The findings were extraordinary.

FSLE proved more lethal to pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) than plain stevia extract, but importantly, it caused very little damage to normal kidney cells—even at high concentrations. Such selectivity is unusual and much sought after in cancer studies, where most treatments find it difficult to distinguish between cancerous and normal tissue.

Benefits of Fermented Stevia

So what is so powerful about fermented stevia? The reason is chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME), a molecule formed through the fermentation process. While raw stevia includes chlorogenic acid, it's the microbial conversion—thanks to enzymes in the SN13T strain—that breaks it down into the much more potent CAME. Here's why CAME is so impressive:

Increased potency: It was more potent than chlorogenic acid having a lesser IC50 (concentration required to kill half the cancer cells)—119.1 µg/mL compared to 189.6 µg/mL.

Cell cycle arrest: CAME inhibited cancer cells from dividing by preventing them from progressing beyond the G0/G1 stage—the resting phase prior to cell division.

Apoptosis induction: It induced cell self-destruction, initiating a chain of signals that caused the cancer cells to die in a highly regulated process.

At the genetic level, CAME expressed "pro-death" genes such as Bax, Bad, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and cytochrome c. It also increased expression of E-cadherin, a gene that prevents the spread of cancer cells, and suppressed Bcl-2, a gene that prevents cells from dying. That's not indiscriminate toxicity. It's a coordinated, targeted attack.

Cancer does not originate solely from renegade cells. Oxidative stress—a free radical imbalance in the body—contributes extensively to cancer development. Fermented stevia exhibited high antioxidant potential, with:

• 94% free radical scavenging against DPPH laboratory tests
• 75% scavenging against ABTS tests
• Comprotection of normal cells against oxidative damage, such as hydrogen peroxide treatment

Through its capacity to lower oxidative stress, FSLE could potentially protect normal tissues against injury and disease, including inflammatory conditions.

Up to now, all these findings are the result of laboratory experiments with cultured cells. But the research group is already preparing the follow-up: animal trials. These will provide a solution to the larger question—can fermented stevia extract be effective within the human body, with its intricate immune functions, digestive system, and metabolic processes?

"The current work significantly deepened the knowledge on the mechanism of action of the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain," said Danshiitsoodol. "It also sheds new light on new research avenues on the possible utilization of probiotics as natural anti-tumor compounds."

That is to say, this isn't solely about stevia. It's about what occurs when we tap the power of fermentation—utilizing microbes to strengthen natural plant chemical compounds and open up new therapy potential.

Is It Time To Rethink Natural Sweeteners?

The debate over artificial sweeteners has been polarized for decades. Detractors say non-nutritive sweeteners throw off the microbiome, stimulate cravings, and may even increase cancer risk. But this study presents a compelling counterargument—when processed correctly, at least one natural sweetener could potentially combat cancer.

It is important to mention that there's no fermented stevia on the shelves, and we're not close to recommending it as a substitute for medicine but what this study does highlight is the wonderful potential of nature, science, and microbes collaborating.

All sweeteners are not created equal. Stevia, and particularly fermented stevia, may become so much more than a sugar substitute. It might someday be used to target aggressive-to-treat cancers such as pancreatic cancer, providing a natural, selective, and potentially safer therapeutic agent.

Additional studies are required—especially in animal models and ultimately in humans—but preliminary results look encouraging. Stevia is, at least for now, still a favorite zero-calorie sweetener for coffee, tea, and desserts. It may have much more to offer in the future.

It’s easy to overlook the basics when it comes to health, especially when there’s so much buzz around new diets, superfoods, and supplements. However, lifestyle expert Luke Coutinho reminds us that one essential nutrient continues to be ignored at our own risk: Vitamin D3.

He calls it a silent epidemic, and with good reason. Whether you’re a child, teenager, adult, or older adult, low Vitamin D3 levels can affect your body in ways you might not expect.

More Than Just Bone Health

Many people still associate Vitamin D3 only with bone strength or preventing rickets. However, as Coutinho points out, it does far more. It acts more like a hormone than a vitamin—interacting with nearly every cell in the body.

Low levels can disrupt hormone balance, including insulin sensitivity and the regulation of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. It can even impact the production of neurotransmitters, which play a role in your mood, stress response, and sleep cycles.

From hair fall and chronic fatigue to mood swings and fertility challenges, many of these concerns could be linked to poor D3 status. The signs may be subtle, but their impact is far-reaching.

Children, Teens, Adults; No One’s Exempt

The deficiency doesn’t discriminate. In children and teens, insufficient Vitamin D3 can slow down bone growth, trigger mood swings, and even interfere with height and hormone development. In adults, it’s tied to autoimmune conditions, metabolic disorders, and fatigue syndromes.

It’s particularly common in individuals with insulin resistance. Many of them show very low D3 levels, which can worsen their metabolic health if left unchecked.

Sunlight Isn’t Always Enough

We’ve all heard that sunlight is the best natural source of Vitamin D3. But is your morning stroll in the sun really doing the job? Not always.

Due to climate changes, air pollution, and ozone layer damage, the UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D synthesis don’t reach our skin as effectively anymore. This means relying solely on sunshine may not cut it.

Coutinho emphasizes that supplementation, food sources, and intentional exposure to sunlight are all necessary strategies to boost D3 levels safely.

Start With the Basics

Before diving into elaborate diets or expensive supplements, Coutinho suggests focusing on fundamentals. Apart from Vitamin D3, this includes Vitamin B12, iron, magnesium, thyroid function, and gut health markers.

He urges people to stop overcomplicating their health. Instead, he recommends consistency with the basics—because without a strong foundation, nothing else works well.

Getting Your Levels Right

So how much is enough? Coutinho shares that the ideal range for Vitamin D3 is between 70–80 ng/mL, while the safe range is between 30–100 ng/mL.

It’s essential, however, to get tested and follow a doctor’s guidance—because taking too much can cause toxicity, especially affecting the kidneys and other organs.

Patients who report extremely low levels (as low as 5 or 6 ng/mL) often see noticeable improvement in symptoms within just 10 to 15 days of starting the right supplementation plan.

Don’t Ignore What’s Simple

It’s easy to take Vitamin D3 for granted, especially when the symptoms of deficiency can be subtle at first. But ignoring it can have long-term consequences on your hormones, energy, mental health, and metabolism.

As Coutinho puts it, “D3 is basic—but ignoring it is a big mistake.”