Nutriciologist names the 5 most harmful additives in coffee

Toitumisnõustajate ja tervisetreenerite assotsiatsiooni (ANCH) president.

What are the most harmful additives in coffee?

In the fall, coffee shops spoil their guests with seasonal menus. Among the aromatic mulled wine, spiced tea and classic Americano appear variants of coffee with unusual additives, for example, salted caramel. Under the tantalizing names are often hidden harmful toppings that spoil the figure and skin.

We tell you which pumpkin latte is better to refuse and why sweet additives turn a cup of coffee into danger No. 1.

Drinking a cup of tea or a mug of aromatic coffee is a classic, and most importantly effective way to warm up in the fall weather. I am not against warming drinks based on herbs, spices, berries and fruits, as long as they do not contain sugar and artificial sweet syrups. I don’t see anything wrong with a cup of natural coffee brewed in a turbo or prepared in a coffee machine from ground beans.

But more often than not, seasonal drinks in cafes are a high-calorie carbohydrate trap with an abundance of harmful additives.

From what additives in coffee it is better to refuse

I will refer to harmful additives several products:

• sugar, including brown sugar, which is no healthier than regular refined sugar;
• sugar syrups, rich in flavorings and colorings;
• heavy cream;
• šokolaad;
• marshmallows and marshmallow.

These are classic additives that can be found on menus all year round, and they are the ones that pose serious health risks. All of these additives (except cream) are a source of sugar and fast carbohydrates, which in excessive use provoke weight gain, inflammation of the skin (acne), disrupt the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, most recipes involve the use of several toppings at once, such as syrup, sugar and chocolate chips.

Think about it: in one serving of such a drink, stuffed with additives, there can be several hundred kilocalories and the daily norm of sugar, which can be obtained from fruits and other products that are healthier for health. If you estimate the caloric content of a large portion of coffee with additives, you can say that it exceeds the norm of a full lunch with protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates, which give energy and satiety to the body.

Yes, a gingerbread-flavored cappuccino certainly seems tempting, but this particular drink will help you gain a few extra pounds while making you feel hungry. Gingerbread flavor is achieved by adding flavored syrup, which will increase the caloric content of coffee several times and provoke a sharp jump in insulin in the blood due to the abundance of sugar.

Another harmful addition is, of course, whipped cream, which is beautifully placed with a cap on top. There is no worse combination for the body than fat and sugar, which is what sweet whipped cream is.

It is difficult for the body to separate this combination of substances, so it stores them in the fat depot, and a person gains excess weight and gets skin problems, because sugar and milk are pro-inflammatory products that activate the pathogenic secretion of sebum and the development of acne.

Of course, the main disadvantage of coffee with additives is the abundance of sugar and, as a result, an excess of empty calories. But there’s another addition to a cup of flavored beverage that I didn’t put on the list: desserts. Desserts are suggested with any beverage, even healthy sugar-free herbal tea. So, if you take a muffin, croissant, or piece of cake to every cup of coffee, extra pounds and skin problems are unlikely to be avoided. There are no nutrients in this meal, only fast carbohydrates and fats.

If you care about your health, decisively refuse dessert in favor of a full meal or natural sweets, for example, sugar-free raff pastilles.

How to replace coffee with unhealthy additives

If you want to try a seasonal drink, such as a pumpkin latte, ask the barista not to add sugar and syrup to it, because pumpkin has its own sweetness and combined with the milk base, the drink will be pleasantly sweet. Choose savory spices, such as cinnamon, rather than chocolate sprinkles or marshmallows to add to the drink.

In the fall, it is best to add a mixture of cloves, cardamom, ginger and turmeric to coffee. Such a drink will help restore strength and protect against colds and flu, increasing immunity.

In winter, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, badian, orange and nutmeg will be useful.

I note that all spices help to reduce the negative effects of coffee on the body. The most useful and available additive is cinnamon, which reduces the acidifying effect of coffee on the body and has a warming effect. Cinnamon will help to beat colds, tone the nervous system and create a great mood.

I strongly recommend choosing only those drinks that have the simplest and clearest composition: natural coffee, water or milk, spices. Try coffee on vegetable milk – almond, oat milk, coconut milk. This is a healthy alternative to cow’s milk, which will fill the body with vegetable fats and protein.

How to prepare a healthy drink at home

To complete the topic, I want to share a recipe for a warming drink that will be a healthy alternative to coffee from the coffee shop – spiced chai latte.

This is a delicious sweet drink with subtle notes of cinnamon and cardamom. A little ginger and nutmeg endow it with maximum warming effect.

Sa pead:

• must tee - 500 ml;
• taimne piim - 2,5 tassi;
• nelk - 1/4 tl;
• kuivatatud ingver - 1/4 tl;
• jahvatatud kardemon - 1 tl;
• näputäis muskaatpähklit.

Brew the black tea and let it infuse for a while. Pour it into a saucepan, add milk and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately remove from the heat. Pour the tea into a French press or filter the spices with a strainer.