Coffee causes a lot of controversy about whether it is harmful or beneficial. For several centuries, coffee has attracted new connoisseurs with its bright aroma, invigorating effect and the ability to experiment with additional ingredients. The classic combination of coffee and milk has gained new popularity in drinks such as cappuccino, latte, and flat white. Coffee lovers love the velvety soft taste and delicate aroma of these drinks. Therefore, the natural question is: is coffee with milk healthy or not?
History of the drink
The combination of these two products goes by many different names:
- cappuccino;
- latte;
- frapé;
- konpanna;
- latte macchiato.
There are many recipes based on a coffee drink with the addition of dairy products. The main ingredient in the drink is, of course, ground coffee. One version says that the history of this drink began in Ethiopia. The shepherd noticed that his goats were eating some berries, after which the animals ran around the field without stopping and did not even sleep at night. The shepherd decided to try the berries himself and felt an incredible surge of energy. He shared his discovery with his neighbors, and they also began to eat the berries to stay active during the day. Much later they learned to make a drink from grains.
Currently, coffee trees are grown in South and Central America, Asia, and Africa. The coffee industry is best developed in Brazil, which is the world's largest supplier of coffee. Most people prefer Arabica for its smooth and amazing taste.
On a note! In global trade turnover, coffee is in second place after oil.
It is not known for certain who was the first to decide to add milk. There are many versions of where the name “cappuccino” came from. Perhaps the name originates from the monastic order of the Capuchins, who wore hoods whose color resembled a coffee-milk drink. Translated from the Italian word “capuccio” means “hood”.
According to another version, France is considered the birthplace of the drink. In this country, black coffee began to be diluted with milk, after which the drink became popular in Europe and America. In Russia, they did not drink natural coffee for a long time, preferring instant sublimate. Now in our country there are many fans of real taste and enchanting aroma.
Why is milk added to coffee, and how do they interact?
Coffee beans contain caffeine and tannin, which add bitterness to the taste. To soften the taste, add a portion of cream or milk to the drink. Many people like the delicate milky taste of the drink. Milk mitigates the negative effects of caffeine on the human body. In addition, this is a very useful product, which contains a lot of substances necessary for the body. It is a source of calcium, complete animal proteins, milk fat, and phosphorus. Caffeine destroys B vitamins and leaches calcium. Milk, on the contrary, is a source of calcium, protein, vitamins and microelements.
If there are no contraindications, the drink can be drunk by older people, pregnant and lactating women, and teenagers.
Is it possible to add milk to green coffee?
The media are increasingly talking about the benefits of green coffee. Many fans of this drink are wondering: can it be consumed in combination with milk?
Let's start with the fact that green coffee is promoted as an effective remedy for excess weight. Scientists prove that it promotes the breakdown of fats, resulting in active weight loss. French scientists have been observing the effect of the drink on the human body for several years and concluded that it is very effective in the fight against excess weight. Green coffee with milk is not only an excellent means for weight loss, but also serves as a preventive measure against osteoporosis.
Against diseases
Often, in order to maintain the tone of people suffering from diseases for which a concentrated drink is strictly prohibited, doctors include coffee (preferably natural) diluted with milk in their diet.
- A weak coffee-milk mixture is drunk for chronic gastritis, dumping syndrome, liver and gall bladder diseases, and in the most limited quantities for atherosclerosis.
- For heart failure, doctors sometimes consider it necessary to recommend a small amount of natural coffee with milk, because caffeine forces the heart muscle to contract more vigorously.
- Coffee with skim milk is recommended for diabetes and obesity.
- Allergies to dairy products, colitis, gastritis with low acidity of gastric juice and dysentery are diseases in which dairy products are generally prohibited.
The vigor drink has long been famous as an effective method of combating headaches caused by migraines. During attacks of the disease, the blood vessels of the brain are dilated, and caffeine, by narrowing them, relieves pain. A coffee-milk mix is not as good as black coffee, but if the latter is prohibited, it still alleviates the condition.
Is coffee with added milk healthy?
Benefits of coffee with milk:
- Positively affects the nervous system.
- Increases performance.
- Improves mood.
- Helps the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Important! Do not consume caffeine on an empty stomach. This applies to all types of drinks, including coffee with various additives.
Nutritionists say that coffee with milk is healthier than without milk.
The drink is a prevention of such serious diseases as:
- formation of gallstones;
- diabetes mellitus (type 2);
- myocardial infarction;
- Alzheimer's disease;
- Parkinson's disease.
Beneficial features
The main advantage of coffee is its invigorating effect. Many people cannot fully wake up in the morning until they drink a cup of aromatic drink. Those whose blood pressure is below normal raise it with caffeine.
What happens to the body when caffeine enters it? It helps relieve fatigue and drowsiness. A small dose of caffeine has a positive effect on mental and physical activity. It also has a diuretic effect.
Coffee with added milk is healthier than regular coffee
Nutritionists have proven that with the addition of milk, coffee becomes much healthier. Beneficial properties of coffee with milk:
- The chemical elements of the two components of the drink do not react with each other. The more milk in the cup, the less caffeine will enter the body.
- All the beneficial properties of the two products are preserved when mixed.
- The body receives calcium, minerals and vitamins.
- During the colder months, a warm drink has a warming effect.
- This is not a high-calorie product, so its use is allowed by nutritionists even during a diet.
Harm
Adding condensed milk makes coffee more caloric.
If you consume caffeine in unlimited quantities, you can seriously harm your health. High concentrations of caffeine can cause nervous exhaustion.
Is drinking coffee with milk harmful to your health? In fact, there are few calories in it, but some people prefer to add cream, condensed milk, and sugar. The drink becomes high in calories and fat, and should not be consumed by overweight people. It is also contraindicated for those who are allergic to lactose.
Caffeine washes away beneficial substances such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, B vitamins, and sodium. Some calcium is returned through dairy products. However, if you do not regulate your diet and consume too much caffeine, your body will become deficient in these essential substances.
Coffee with milk: benefit or harm during lactation
It is important for new mothers to understand that everything they drink or eat passes into breast milk. Many pediatricians advise eliminating caffeine throughout breastfeeding. Well-known pediatrician E. Komarovsky says that there is no need to go to extremes, giving up small joys. A child is happy when his mother feels good. If you wish, you can have a cup of a weak drink diluted with a large amount of dairy product.
Calories and nutritional value
Natural coffee has very low calorie content. A serving of classic Americano contains 2 kcal. Dairy products and sugar increase the calorie content of the drink. A serving of a drink with sugar already contains 50 kcal. The calorie content of coffee with milk will depend on what cup the drink is poured into and how much sugar is added to it.
A cup of a natural drink with milk contains about 36 kcal, and if you add sugar to it, the mark jumps to 65 kcal. Nutritional information per serving: 0.2 grams fat, 1.13 grams carbohydrates, 0.44 grams protein.
The nutritional value
Vitamins
- E (TE) Vitamin E (TE) 0.36 mg
- K Vitamin K 1.3 mcg
- C Vitamin C 0.5 mg
- B1 Vitamin B1 0.11 mg
- B2 Vitamin B2 0.04 mg
- B5 Vitamin B5 0.07 mg
- B6 Vitamin B6 0.04 mg
- B9 Vitamin B9 5 mcg
- B12 Vitamin B12 0.38 mcg
- PP Vitamin PP (NE) 2.26 mg
- Choline 68 mg
Microelements
- K Potassium 831 mg
- Ca Calcium 133 mg
- Mg Magnesium 43 mg
- Na Sodium 180 mg
- P Phosphorus 183 mg
How to cook properly?
Classic recipe: pour ground coffee into a pot and add cold water. You can add cinnamon. Bring to a boil, but do not boil. Pour into a cup, add sugar and milk to taste.
You can prepare the drink in a coffee machine. In this case, you get a latte, macchiato, cappuccino.
Important! The benefits of coffee with added milk will only be if a high-quality natural ground product is used.
The most aromatic coffee comes from Turkish coffee.
What can replace milk?
Other dairy ingredients can be added to coffee:
- Soy milk. The most popular analogue, especially among vegetarians. Soy contains a large amount of protein, which has a beneficial effect on muscle tissue. Many people are interested in the question: are coffee with soy milk beneficial or harmful? Scientists have not come to a conclusion how dangerous the isoflanes contained in soy are for the human body. Some unscrupulous manufacturers add low-quality oil to soy milk, which does not have the best effect on the quality of the final product.
- Condensed milk. Does this coffee bring benefit or harm? Condensed milk is a high-calorie product in which some of the important substances were lost during preservation, so there is not much benefit from it.
Many also add cream or ice cream. The calorie content of the drink immediately increases several times, so those who are watching their figure should avoid such additives.
Does it affect cholesterol?
A high level of this fatty alcohol in the blood is considered almost fatal, although this is far from reality. Many people are interested in the question of whether there is cholesterol in coffee beans. Fatty alcohol is found in animal products. It would seem that the product should not have an effect on blood cholesterol. In practice this is not the case.
The results of a multi-year study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2001 answered the question of whether the drink increases cholesterol. There was an increase in LDL and total cholesterol, but HDL levels did not change. As a reason, it has been suggested that coffee oils affect the synthesis of bile and steroids from cholesterol, which causes an increase in the latter.
The inclusion of an unfiltered drink in the diet leads to an increase in the amount of fatty alcohol in the blood plasma. Coffee is not recommended for patients with high cholesterol.
Who is contraindicated for coffee with milk?
During pregnancy, doctors recommend stopping drinking coffee.
It is known that black coffee with milk is healthier, but there are still contraindications to its use:
- doctors recommend that pregnant women in the first trimester avoid drinking the drink, as the risk of miscarriage increases significantly;
- You should not give coffee to children, even with a lot of milk;
- lactase deficiency;
- intestinal diseases. Why is coffee with milk harmful for people with this disease? Dairy products cause bloating and can aggravate the disease.
- If a person has high blood pressure, he will have to give up his favorite drink.
- It is harmful and unsafe to drink coffee with milk if you have heart disease, kidney disease, or atherosclerosis. It is worth avoiding use if you have chronic insomnia and increased excitability.
- How dangerous is it to drink coffee with cream? Harmful or not? Cream contains a large amount of protein, vitamins and minerals. But it should be noted that this is a very high-calorie product, so it should be consumed only by those who have insufficient or normal body weight.
Is it possible for pregnant and breastfeeding women?
Doctors say pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid caffeinated drinks. In the early stages, caffeine can cause miscarriage. It also negatively affects the development of the baby, increasing the risk of premature birth.
It is not advisable to drink coffee while breastfeeding. Caffeine immediately passes into breast milk and then enters the baby's body. Caffeine negatively affects the growth and development of the baby and has a stimulating effect on his nervous system. If you really want to cheer up, you should drink no more than one cup of a weak drink, heavily diluted with milk, or replace it with healthy chicory.
Can it be consumed on a diet?
Coffee reduces appetite
Women often wonder whether coffee with milk is harmful to their figure. Coffee itself invigorates, gives strength and energy, so after a cup of aromatic drink you really want to move more, play sports, and lead an active lifestyle. There is also a decrease in appetite after consuming it, which pleases the fair half of humanity.
Let's figure out whether drinking coffee with added milk is beneficial when losing weight, or whether this drink will only interfere with the process and cause harm. The drink can cause weight gain if full-fat milk is used. The calorie content of the drink increases sharply if you add sugar, honey, and condensed milk to it. Many people cannot imagine a cup of coffee without sweets, sandwiches, and candies.
On a note! Brewed ground coffee with milk does not contribute to weight gain, so it can be consumed by those who are on a diet.
Is it possible for children?
The effect of caffeine on a child’s body has the most negative impact, therefore, until the age of 14-16, parents should absolutely not introduce their child to the drink. Coffee should be natural, weak, diluted with a large amount of milk or cream. Under no circumstances should you give your child soluble sublimate. It does not contain the beneficial substances contained in coffee beans, and in addition, manufacturers add harmful chemical components. You should also avoid caffeine-free drinks and 3-in-1 instant sachets - these products will cause serious harm to a growing body.
Recipes for coffee and milk based drinks
There are many different recipes available, and everyone can experiment to find new flavors.
Cappuccino "Blanco"
This recipe will not leave anyone indifferent; the taste of the drink is very delicate. Cooking process:
- Heat half a glass of milk over low heat in a small saucepan. Add vanilla, after boiling, remove from heat and cool for 2-3 minutes, covered.
- Add a teaspoon of sugar and boil again.
- Using a blender, beat the contents of the saucepan until foam forms.
- Brew espresso, pour 50% into glass glasses. Fill the glasses to the top with milk.
- You can decorate each glass with a cinnamon stick.
Macchiato "Caramel"
Making coffee according to this recipe does not require any additional skills, and even a beginner can handle it. How it's done:
- Bring milk (3/4 cup) to a boil, but do not boil.
- Brew espresso with vanilla syrup.
- Whip the heated milk until foam forms.
- Pour caramel syrup over the milk added to the coffee.
Coffee with milk is a tasty and smooth drink that has many fans among coffee lovers. It is healthy because milk partially neutralizes the effects of caffeine and is rich in calcium and other vitamins and microelements. It does not interfere with weight loss for those who are on a diet, it invigorates and gives a lot of energy for a full day.
