Espresso, cappuccino and latte: what are the differences between the most popular types of coffee?

Coffee is one of the most favorite and popular drinks in the world. It is drunk to wake up, during friendly gatherings and business meetings, to finish lunch or dinner. In general, coffee is an integral part of our lives. Let’s see how its popular types differ and which of them can be drunk without fear of harming the figure.

Note that when calculating calories, we did not take into account sugar (only if it is not included in the recipe) and various sweet additives that can be added to the drink.

Espresso

Energy value: 1 kcal per serving.

Espresso is the basis of all coffee drinks. It is instantly prepared and just as quickly drunk – hence the name. The volume of a cup of espresso is 30-35 ml, it is prepared from finely ground beans by passing water through them under high pressure. Depending on the type of beans, the amount of caffeine in espresso is 35-95 mg.

Americano

Energy value: 2 kcal per serving.

This type of coffee appeared and got its name during the Second World War. American soldiers, who were not used to strong coffee, began to add water to espresso. Then the technique was adopted by local baristas. This is how a new drink appeared, which in time gained immense popularity. Americano is prepared as a doppio – double espresso, and then diluted with hot water in the ratio of 1:1. Sometimes espresso and hot water are served separately so you can dilute the coffee to your liking.

Cappuccino

Energy value: 60-75 kcal per serving.

The name goes back to the Italian monastic order of Capuchins, who liked coffee with milk. For the resemblance of their robes – brown cassock with a high hood – to the milk cap of coffee, the drink was soon called cappuccino.

The cup contains espresso, hot milk and milk foam in equal proportions, and the main art is to keep the boundary between coffee and whipped milk. Cappuccino is served at 55 degrees in a warm cup, often with cinnamon added on top. Originally, a single cup was 90 ml, but now a 150-180 ml serving is more common.

Cappuccino can be made with skim milk, soy milk or nonfat cream, which also affects calories. And the main beauty of this type of coffee is the skill of baristas, who draw different patterns on the milk foam.

Latte

Energy value: 105-130 kcal per serving.

Latte appeared in the XIX century as a drink for foreign tourists who considered espresso and cappuccino too strong. To make a latte, one part of espresso is taken for three parts of milk. The milk is whipped into a foam, but more airy and less elastic than in a cappuccino, and then poured into the coffee. The result is a uniform light brown drink with a small cap of foam.

Macchiato

Energy value: 105-130 kcal per serving.

Macchiato latte, or spotted milk, is a type of latte. The main differences from the original are in appearance and method of preparation, as well as a more milky flavor. Macchiato is prepared by pouring a thin stream of coffee into the foamed milk. This creates three layers: milk at the bottom, coffee in the middle and foam at the top. A macchiato is a brown spot left on the foam from pouring coffee.

Like a latte, this coffee is served in tall, clear cups. Various sweet syrups are often added to macchiato, which greatly increase the caloric content.

Raf

Energy value: 130 kcal per serving.

Raf is an invention of one Moscow coffee shop in the 1990s. It was named after a regular customer who asked for a drink that was not too bitter and not too sweet. Thus was born a coffee made of espresso, cream and vanilla sugar, with a taste and color somewhat reminiscent of crème brûlée. A portion of classic raff coffee is small, only 130 ml, but it is quite caloric due to the cream.

Flat white

Energy value: 80-100 kcal per serving.

Australians and New Zealanders are still arguing about who invented the drink that eventually became popular all over the world. One thing is clear – in the 1980s coffee houses one after another began to prepare a new kind of coffee, something similar to latte and cappuccino. A portion of doppio was mixed with a little foamed milk. The drink had a more pronounced coffee flavor than latte and a special velvety foam, less thick than in cappuccino.

Frappe

Energy value: 80-100 kcal per serving.

This drink originates from Greece, and got its name from the French frappé, which refers to any drink with crushed ice. Frappé is prepared by whipping a portion of doppio, ice and sugar with a mixer to an airy homogeneous consistency. Syrups, milk, cream and even ice cream can be added if desired.