For most on-the-go people, coffee has become their staple breakfast since it can be brought anywhere and it packs them with caffeine which is responsible for their morning ‘rush’ feeling. Aside from the fact that it packs them caffeine, it also packs them with unnecessary fats and calories. Read on to see what you can do to lower the calories and make your coffee a healthier option.

* Avoid whipped cream. Although this may seem obvious, many of us think of having a specialty coffee as a special occasion, or we are in the habit of having it, so we add whipped cream. By doing so, you are adding 110-140 extra calories and nine to 13 extra grams of fat for a 16 ounce drink.

* Go for a lower fat (and calorie) version. Most drinks are prepared with whole milk but coffee shops offer skinny drinks made with skim milk. Using reduced fat (2 percent) or skim milk instead of whole milk will cut your calories by as many as 105 calories and more than 12 grams of fat per 16 ounce drink.

* Cut the syrup. If you are like me and find most of the coffee beverages with flavored syrup to be too sweet, ask for half the syrup. You save 20 calories and five grams of sugar for every pump that you cut out of your drink.

* Order sugar-free syrup. This will save you 80-120 calories and 20-25 grams of sugar for a 16 ounce drink.

* Consider your portion size. If you usually order a large drink, consider cutting it down to a medium or even a small. This will cut your caffeine, calorie and fat intake considerably.

* Try to increase your protein intake by having more milk (or soy milk) and less coffee. A simple modification is to have a cafe au lait (half coffee and half steamed milk) rather than a regular coffee. This way, you get more protein and calcium from your drink for a more nutritious drink!

* Opt for a cup of tea once a week. Teas do not generally have as much caffeine as coffee, and they offer many different antioxidants that are beneficial to your health.

There are a lot of other ways on how you can cut calories in your drink and these are just a few of them. One great way to learn about your coffee is to look in the internet. When ordering your favorite cup, most stores now have their nutrition facts guide which contains all their featured drinks and the calories in each serving size.