Iced coffee or hot coffee: which one is healthier? which is lower in caffeine?

Sipping fresh iced coffee on a hot day is like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert. However, have you ever wondered, which one is healthier between iced coffee or hot coffee? Which one has higher caffeine content to energize the day? Or are they actually the same? Find out the answer in this article.

Benefits of drinking coffee for health

Regardless of how it's served, coffee itself basically contains a number of health benefits that are good for the body. Drinking coffee regularly is reported to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, depression, and various diseases related to neurological disorders, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson's.

One report from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study states that drinking one cup of coffee every day can reduce the risk of premature death by 6 percent. Drinking 2-3 cups of coffee can even reduce the risk of premature death by up to 10 percent.

Although it is not yet known what is the reason behind these health benefits, health experts believe that the high content of antioxidants, polyphenols, and minerals in coffee plays an important role in making it happen.

Then, which one is better: drinking iced coffee or hot coffee?

A professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, Frank Hu, MD. PhD., Said that the temperature of making coffee has no effect on the nutritional content of coffee. When it comes to taste, of course, this all depends on the taste of each individual.

Both a cup of hot black coffee and a glass of iced coffee have almost zero calories and have no significant nutritional value. A cup of black coffee and cold, unsweetened coffee both contain no carbohydrates, fats, protein and other important macronutrients, such as calcium and fiber. The nutritional value of both versions of this drink will only change when flavorings or sweeteners are added.

If you want to compare which one has the stronger caffeine content between iced coffee and hot coffee, they are actually the same thing. The reason is, iced coffee was originally made from steeping hot water which was then added with ice cubes. But the effect of caffeine on iced coffee will surface more quickly than it does

Iced coffee is safer for people who have indigestion

Although the effect of caffeine in cold coffee is arguably higher than warm coffee, the taste of iced coffee is not as acidic as warm brewed coffee. The average cold coffee has a pH level of 6.31 as opposed to the hot version which contains a pH of 5.48 - on the pH scale, the lower the number the more acidic the substance is.

The reason is, the hot water used to brew coffee will release a more concentrated acid from the coffee beans. Meanwhile, the ice cubes will further dilute the coffee concentrate so that the taste is more "tame".

This means cold coffee may be a safer option for satisfying coffee cravings for people who are sensitive to caffeine or have digestive problems, such as stomach ulcers or acid reflux, explains Joan Salge Blake, RD, clinical associate associate at Boston University and author of Nutrition. & You, reported by Health.

Additionally, foods / drinks that are low in acid have been linked to a variety of health benefits, such as supporting bone health, reducing muscle mass loss, maintaining heart health and memory, to reducing the severity or incidence of hypertension and stroke, according to an article in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health.

Cold coffee does not make yellow teeth

Both iced coffee and hot coffee can stain teeth because they contain tannins (a type of polyphenol), the compounds that are responsible for changing the color of your teeth. But the yellow teeth effect of iced coffee is still lighter than regular coffee because it contains less tannins.

Also, most iced coffee is served with a straw. Drinking with a straw will minimize the direct contact between the coffee and your teeth, which will help reduce the acidic effect of the drink which stains your teeth. As a result, teeth can remain white and well groomed.

Cold coffee is better than hot coffee, but…

Iced coffee is a favorite choice of many people to quench their thirst, because it is not only fresher but also comes with a variety of additional flavors and variations in the way of serving.

However, don't be easily complacent with the colorful syrup and the sweetness of the whipped cream that adorns your iced coffee. These kinds of creative toppings will double the nutritional value and calories of black coffee, which was zero.

Not to mention, generally iced coffee is served in a larger container than hot coffee cups. The benefits of coffee will not be felt by the body if you consume it in this way because the health risks of additional calories and sugar will outweigh the true benefits of coffee.

To be able to achieve all the benefits of drinking coffee as optimally as possible, you should choose black coffee without sugar and other sweeteners. Whether it's in the ice version or accompanied by warm steam. You also still have to pay attention to your daily coffee portion every day. The reason is, drinking coffee can actually be a weapon for your master to eat.