Trying something new is never easy. Trying new coffee is downright difficult. Before coming to work at Joyride, I was guilty of frequenting sugar-saturated lattes and candied coffees packed with artificial flavorings.

But on the first day of my internship here in Woodside, I learned that I'd be tasting and rating multiple coffees a day, completely unembellished with sugars, milk products or flavored syrups. It's safe to say, I was more than a little apprehensive. Coffee chain giants had led me to believe that black coffee couldn't be enjoyable on its own.

Luckily, I was wrong. Third Wave roasters like Stumptown, Sightglass, and Blue Bottle prove that good coffee needs no ornamentation. With careful small-batch roasting and personal farmer  relationships, these roasters provide the highest quality beans they can find (and we, in turn, get them to you).

So put down that syrupy venti, no whip, soy milk, double shot, half pump iced Salted Caramel mocha -- sustainable, local roasters aren't hard to find. We promise your life will be that much easier when you don't have to strain your tongue by pronouncing your coffee order. Not to mention the calorie intake on these candied drinks make them resemble dessert foods, rather than real coffee.

Repeat after me: You don't need this

But have no fear -- opting for a healthier coffee experience doesn't mean blindly selecting foreign sounding words from an antique chalkboard menu, silently praying your drink is something you can stomach.

It's much easier than you'd think. Below is a guide to help those of us considering, or transitioning from dessert beverages to bona fide coffee drinks.

-Blog post written by Sonia Robiner, New York Operations Intern

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