With more and more studies showing the health benefits of drinking coffee – from lowering the risk of age-related diseases like type 2 diabetes to improving short-term memory and even lowering the risk of mortality in older adults – coffee is the superfood of choice for more than 60% of Americans.
Beyond the inherent benefits of regularly consuming coffee, a new company promises additional health benefits with its lineup of vitamin-infused coffees and coffee products. VitaCup, founded in 2017, offers an extensive catalog of coffees packed with vitamins, superfoods and ancient spices that promote and support a healthy lifestyle.
As a caregiver, it’s often difficult to prioritize your own health over that of an aging adult in your care, but brands like VitaCup offer simple and easy ways to integrate additional vitamins, nutrients and superfoods into your regular routine. And thanks to the medium-roast, low-acidity nature of the product, it’s also great for older adults with sensitive stomachs.
As a caregiver, it’s often difficult to prioritize your own health over that of an aging adult in your care, but brands like VitaCup offer simple and easy ways to integrate additional vitamins, nutrients and superfoods into your regular routine.
I had the opportunity to sample three varieties of VitaCup coffees – Genius, Immunity and Beauty – to see for myself the benefits of including their products into my diet. Because I’m a big fan of the single-cup coffee maker, I opted for the pods in each flavor.
Is vitamin coffee all that it seems?
VitaCup promises an easy way to add extra vitamins and “a refresh” to your normal morning routine. The pods are not only BPA-free but also 100% recyclable (unlike many other single-serve pods), and their coffee is dairy-, soy- and gluten-free.
In addition to the pods I sampled, the company also offers whole bean, ground and instant coffee to fit any preference, as well as teas, lattes, creamers and super greens powders. The price for most VitaCup products is higher than its mainstream competitors, but with the amount of vitamins, supplements, antioxidants and energizing ingredients packed into each cup, it’s easy to see the value of your investment.
Of the three flavors I tried, there were highs and lows. While I wouldn’t call myself a “health nut,” I do prioritize a healthy diet (mostly macro-focused), inclusive of vitamins and supplements where I can get them. So, obviously I was excited to start incorporating these coffees into my daily routine.
Across all three flavors, I will say this: This coffee is definitely for the medium-roast fans out there. As an avid dark-roast drinker, I’ll admit this took some getting used to. But I learned with the right creamer and strategic integration of these pods into my regular coffee-drinking schedule (it became my go-to for the second cup of morning brew, and my afternoon pod of choice), I grew to enjoy the lighter roast and cinnamon aftertaste the Genius and Beauty blends offered.
Below is a breakdown of the three blends I sampled:
Genius
“Better for you ingredients,” the VitaCup website reports. “No artificial fake stuff, just high-quality gourmet coffee and immune boosting superfoods for overall wellness.”
The Genius blend is packed with ingredients that help reduce inflammation and boost memory, so I was personally excited to give this one a try. Its main ingredients include:
- Turmeric: While it’s well-known turmeric reduces inflammation that causes chronic disease, it’s also been shown to help improve heart health and fight Alzheimer’s and cancer.
- MCT oil: Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are a form of healthy fats that are easy to digest, promote weight loss and provide a healthy source of energy, among other benefits.
- Cinnamon: Beyond providing a nice, sweet aftertaste, cinnamon contains antioxidants, helps control blood sugar and lowers cholesterol.
- Vitamins B1, B5, B6, B9, B12, and D3: The Genius blend includes well beyond your daily amounts of each of these valuable vitamins, including 10,000% of your daily value of B12, which helps improve memory and nourishes the brain and nervous system.
I’m a big fan of turmeric and find almost any way I can to incorporate it into my diet (and who doesn’t want to improve their cognitive function?), so that was the first blend I added to my shopping cart. The taste is smooth, light and well-balanced with a light cinnamon aftertaste. If you pay close attention, you get hints of the turmeric in its earthy scent and lingering sweet aftertaste—one of my favorite parts. And after incorporating this coffee into my daily routine for a few days, I did notice an improvement in my mental clarity and ability to focus throughout the day.
The Genius blend seems to be the most popular pod for VitaCup, with more than 3,500 reviews—93% of them five stars. Most reviewers commented the taste was their main reason for enjoying this coffee, with mental focus and clarity a close second.
*Genius pods are also offered in Vanilla and Decaf varieties, as well as in a pod and instant sticks bundle.
Beauty
The VitaCup website plays up this blend by writing, “Nourishing your inner goddess has never been easier (or tasted better!). When you start with expertly roasted gourmet coffee and infuse high-quality vitamins, antioxidants and superfoods, the result is exquisite.”
The Beauty blend packs a punch by blending biotin, collagen, methylfolate, cinnamon and manganese into each cup. With such a strong lineup of skin, hair and nail-enhancing ingredients it was hard to resist.
- Collagen Type 1 and 3: As the protein building blocks of our skin, hair and nails, these two types of collagen help fight the signs of aging, as the body’s ability to produce collagen decreases by 50% in those 60 and older.
- Biotin (B7) + methylfolate (B9): Biotin (vitamin B7) is known to improve hair, nails and skin health, while methylfolate, otherwise known as folate (vitamin B9), is an essential vitamin that manufactures new red blood cells and repairs DNA cells.
- Cinnamon: Like the Genius blend, the Beauty coffee includes a sweet taste, compliments of this ancient spice that reduces free radicals and delivers antioxidants.
Cinnamon takes the lead on this blend with a very spice-forward scent and first sip. More well-rounded than the Genius blend, the Beauty blend is very smooth and has less of a strong aftertaste than its counterpart. While I didn’t notice any immediate changes in my skin, nails or hair, I suspect any lasting effects require drinking this coffee for longer periods of time.
Out of the 435 reviews on the website, 93% of them are five stars, with most claiming they love the taste of this coffee over anything else.
*For an extra dose of beauty power, VitaCup offers a collagen Keto + Collagen creamer via the website.
Immunity
I’ll be honest: If I didn’t make it myself, I would question whether this was actually coffee or not. Its lack of scent and incredibly light and bland taste leave much to be desired. It appears that others agreed with me, because the Immunity blend is no longer available on the VitaCup website, suggesting it’s been discontinued.
For fans of its main ingredients, like vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin B6, echinacea, prebiotics and probiotics, check out the line of So Good Super Greens by VitaCup. It’s a powder that can be added to cold water to give you a refreshing berry lemonade-flavored healthy super drink. The Super Greens powder is a super-hero beverage just waiting to be mixed and offers boosted energy and immunity, hormone balance and detoxifying ingredients.
While it appears to be a new addition to the VitaCup catalog, all 14 of its reviews are five stars.
A socially conscious organization
VitaCup checks the CSR (corporate social responsibility) box in several ways by giving back to the community and caring for the environment. Through its Vitamin Angels program, VitaCup helps people around the world get access to vitamins and minerals to fight malnutrition. And its pods are recyclable, unlike most coffee and tea pod makers, which just require rinsing out the grounds before tossing them in the recycling bin. So, customers of the products can feel good about spending their money with a socially conscious organization.
The cherry on top? VitaCup offers several specials and promotions for both new and returning customers. From 15% off your first order to coupons sent directly to your inbox on a regular basis, VitaCup makes it easy to continue purchasing.
All in all, while this wasn’t my favorite tasting coffee, it’s hard to give up such an easy way to include extra vitamins and superfoods into my diet. I plan to continue incorporating their blends into my daily routine. For my next order, I plan to try the ground coffee so I can make a darker batch.
To learn more about VitaCup and to place your order today, visit vitacup.com.
