What’s your go-to brew of choice?
You can’t think of starting the day without a double shot espresso? Maybe you ride off lattes all day? Or perhaps you don’t love coffee but enjoy multiple cups of tea throughout the day?
Hot, caffeinated drinks have been part of many of our lives since our teen years, and while we constantly hear about the health benefits associated with drinking coffee and tea, it is certainly possible to have too much of both – especially if you enjoy your favourite brew with milk and added sugars.
Sadly, it is possible to have too much coffee or tea in a day, depending on how it’s served. (iStock)What do you really drink?
While we may describe tea and coffee simply enough, the reality is there is a big difference in a typical tea or coffee order.
For some, coffee may mean instant coffee with a dash of milk, for others a jumbo-sized latte with vanilla; while tea may be a cup at breakfast, or a constant stream of milky tea for most of the day.
The way you take your tea or coffee, and how often you drink, it is ultimately what determines whether it can simply be too much.
READ MORE: The single question you need to ask before gift shopping
READ MORE: ‘Andrew felt untouchable, but his past has finally caught up with him’
READ MORE: Little known ways Costco could terminate your membership
That endless stream of tea you drink all day might not be wise after all. (Getty)
Nutritionally, both black tea and coffee are positive additions to the diet.
Black tea offers antioxidants and very few calories, while a moderate intake of coffee has been shown to benefit blood flow and heart health and both offer the stimulatory effect of caffeine, coffee to a greater extent than tea.
The issue for many of us is that we add milk and/or sugar to tea and coffee, both of which increase calorie and sugar intake which can have implications for weight and blood glucose control.
How much is too much?
A moderate intake of black tea or coffee, or 2-4 cups a day, is no cause for concern.
Caffeine intake will be, at most, 100-150mg for tea or 300-400mg for coffee, unlikely to cause issues for the majority of people unless you are caffeine sensitive.
Higher amounts of this may impact sleep and heart rate for some, and certainly the tannins in tea can impact iron absorption, which is important for those who may constantly drink tea in place of water.
It’s how you drink it
If you do take your tea or coffee with milk, the key thing to remember is milk and sugar add calories and also disrupt the fast, or time without food in between meals.
A milk-based coffee such as a latte or flat white contains a similar number of calories as a piece of bread and, as such, does need to be counted as food intake rather than a low- or calorie-free drink throughout the day.
Tea and coffee orders that are small, or include a dash of milk, or a piccolo contain fewer calories but still ultimately disrupt a fast in between meals, which can impact nutrient absorption and appetite.
Adding milk to your tea or coffee makes a big difference nutritionally. (Getty)
The same can be said for orders that contain added sugars, whether sugar, syrup, flavour or honey are the sweeteners of choice.
Ideally, the less added sugar we consume in the diet, the better. If you have always enjoyed your hot drinks with added sugars, try weaning down the amount you add over time, or swapping to alternative low-calorie, natural sweeteners made with stevia, allulose or erythritol.
What are the best ways to enjoy your favourite cuppa?
If your hot drink order contains plenty of milk, you are much better off enjoying it with a meal or snack rather than an extra an hour or two after a meal.
For those who love a dash, the calorie load is much lower but be mindful of how many a day, or in between meals that may be slipping in.
For the fans of black, go for it – you do not need to worry about the calories or sugars, but a maximum of 3-4 a day is likely more than enough.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.