Whether you are hoping to lose weight, become less reliant on coffee, or just create a more refined palate, you may want to consider switching to black coffee. Cream and sugar are delicious additions, but many people around the world are able to enjoy black coffee, so you may decide it is time to do so as well. Making this change can be difficult, but once you have eased into it, your new habit will seem quickly familiar.

Here are some tips for how to begin your switch to black coffee:

Find a coffee you like. Every blend and roast of coffee tastes different, so you should experiment a bit and try different types. You will likely enjoy the taste of one type of coffee more than the rest, and drinking this one will help you start to enjoy the taste of black coffee more quickly. Arabica coffee beans have less intense flavors than Robusta beans, so drinking Arabica coffee may be more enjoyable as you begin adding less to it. Some coffees even have creamy textures when black, which will be helpful if you are reliant on cream.

Reduce the amount of cream and sugar. While some people can cut out their milk, sugars, syrups, and creams cold turkey, it may be easier to decrease your additions over time slowly. Measure how much cream and sugar you usually use, and on the first day, consider cutting your milk or cream in half. The next day, you can reduce your sugar. Continue reducing the additives each day until you are left with a mug of bold, black coffee. As the days go on, you will eventually get used to the new flavor of your coffee, and you may even begin to enjoy it.

Change your brewing method. Similar to how different blends and roasts have different flavors, changing your brewing method will also change the taste of your coffee. Whether you use a traditional coffee machine, a Keurig, or a French press, changing the way you brew your coffee will change how much you like it. Keep trying new brewing methods until you find one that is right for you and makes drinking black coffee seem not so bad after all.

Keep an open mind. If you are adamant from the beginning that you will never like black coffee, then this will probably become your reality. Understand that no matter what you do, drinking your coffee black will not taste the same as you are used to, and that is perfectly okay. Eventually, you will get used to black coffee and will love it just as much as ever.

While black coffee is an acquired taste for many people, once you ease yourself into cutting out cream and sugar, you will never look back. You will begin to taste the true flavor of your coffee and appreciate it even more for what it is. The process may be complicated, but we highly recommend that you start making the switch to black coffee today.