Dietitian Sanne Mukha has stated that cold coffee with ice retains the same health benefits as hot coffee in an interview with news outlet HuffPost.
Mukha dismissed the belief that adding ice to coffee reduces its nutritional value as a myth. She stated that the healthfulness of coffee depends entirely on the ingredients used in the beverage rather than its temperature.
According to Mukha, espresso is the healthiest coffee option because it is prepared without milk or sugar. She noted that milk-heavy drinks such as lattes and latte macchiatos are less desirable choices for overall health.
Espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage produced by forcing hot water through finely ground coffee beans. Popular specialty drinks like lattes and latte macchiatos combine espresso shots with milk and dairy foam, which increases both calories and dietary fat content.
Milk and sweetener guidelines
For consumers who prefer drinking coffee with milk, Mukha outlined specific guidelines to maintain healthy choices. She stated that people who choose skimmed or semi-skimmed milk can safely drink two coffee beverages per day without issue.
However, Mukha explained that individuals selecting whole milk should limit their consumption to a single drink per day. She noted that whole milk beverages contain higher levels of fat and cautioned against consuming them in excess, while also advising people to restrict their intake of sweet syrups and flavorings.
Whole milk contains roughly 3.5 percent milk fat, whereas semi-skimmed milk contains around 1.5 percent fat and skimmed milk contains under 0.5 percent fat. Liquid coffee syrups consist largely of added sugars that increase caloric density.
Warnings on sugary beverages
The advice on coffee selection follows a separate warning from gastroenterologist Ekaterina Titova regarding the health risks of bubble tea. Titova warned that consuming bubble tea can cause intestinal obstruction.
Bubble tea is a beverage created using tea, milk, sweet syrups, and chewy tapioca pearls. Gastroenterologists note that intestinal obstruction can occur when tapioca pearls, which consist of dense starch, are swallowed without proper chewing and accumulate in the digestive tract.
