My understanding is / was that fake sugars do not have response and do not cause you to get fat, while you've demonstrated there is an insulin response which is pretty major.

Now I have to figure out another way to deal with the bitterness of coffee other than my current 2 packets of stevia method.

Bonus points in that it's less acidic, as well. And in case anyone else is as oblivious as I originally was, "cold-brewed" doesn't actually have to equate to cold coffee. You end up with a coffee concentrate, which you dilute with water to preference (taste, caffeine content, etc). You can dilute a cup with boiling water to get a hot cup of (non-bitter) coffee just as easily as you can dilute it with ice water for a cold, ice coffee.

I live in the northeast and find the Aldi brand heavy cream is fabulous and cheap. It is processed at ultra dairy in Syracuse, NY, shop around for a brand you like, but use the plant codes on the box to figure out who makes it — each dairy is different.

I started making oatmeal "cream" at home as base for my smoothies. (Two birds, one stone.) Put oats, chia, honey, banana, water in vitamix. Frappe a bit. Walk the dog (about an hour). Voila, oatmeal cream. Then add the other ingredients as normal.

Dr Google says the enzymes break down the oatmeal. I have no idea how or why.

The only issue with it as a cream substitute for me is that it’s heavy sugar. After not sweetening coffee, I find the cream complements the coffee flavor. Like all things, ymmv :)

Cream in coffee is proof God loves us. Half & half, milk, coconut cream are okay. Almond milk and oat milk are terrible. Soy milk is a crime.

I also use a lot of cinnamon, because I once read it does something for glycemic response. And I've grown to like it. Ditto turmeric.

Soy milk and Yerba mate is pretty good. Soy milk steamers (fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg) are delicious.

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From my brief googling, I understand that oat milk needs an enzyme. That's what Oatly does. You can buy some enzyme packets for home use, which I've never done.

I've read that honey and bananas also have an enzyme that works on oats. I already use both in my smoothies, so that's what I do.

Also, most howtos I've read say to filter the bulk. But I want the dietary fiber, the more the better, so don't filter.

I also use chia seeds, which makes the oat milk creamy like yoghurt. Someone smarter than me will replicate what I do, add misc tasty fruit, freeze it, and call it vegan ice cream.

Add a bit of salt to the grinds before you brew the coffee. Alternatively, try different coffee. I find lighter roasts taste better, and cheap coffee is just bad coffee. I used to take creamer in my coffee regularly, but since I've been buying better coffee, I've stopped buying creamer.

I always liked the smell of coffee but never drank it since it made my heart race and it never tasted like it smelled.

Now with a cheap burr grinder, a French press, a scale, and coffee beans I make great coffee. I grind the beans coarse which is for the French press method. My formula is 30g ground coffee per 450g of water, brew for 5 minutes.

It's amazing how cheap coffee beans can taste great. Hints of chocolate, caramel, a toasty note.

If it's too bitter you brew too much or the grind was too fine. If it's too sour or ashy tasting it wasn't brewed long enough (seems counter intuitive I know!).

I've gone from sugary, milk or cream loaded coffee to just black. Anything in the coffee now ruins it for me.

edit: related to all this talk of coffee and insulin coffee guru James Hoffman did a test of coffee and insulin. He used a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device to measure his own metabolism.

Cold brew is much less bitter than hot brew also it varies in coffee type and roast, with time you get accustomed to the taste, to me sweet coffee tastes weird.

Yes, sugar in coffee tastes disgusting to me. Coffee is supposed to be bitter.

I think part of the reason why – my mother has always been very health-conscious (she is a doctor), and growing up she didn't allow us to have sugar in tea or coffee. She would hide the sugar at the back of the pantry, she'd bring it out when guests came over but then it would disappear again as soon as they left. And she only ever bought reduced fat milk. So make me a coffee with full cream milk and sugar, and it just tastes wrong.

Now I'm gonna ask my bro, doctor, and nutritionist bestie, make sure I remember correctly. IIRC, insulin response for Type 1 and Type 2 are totally different. So advice does not transfer. (My bestie is a severe Type 1. They get upset about generalizations. Stuff that works for Type 2 is life threatening for them.)

Doesn't insulin also push nutrients (incl. amino acids) into muscles, promoting muscle growth?