Iced coffee is such a general term for coffee served with ice. There are various ways you can make iced coffee, but we’ll be talking about the most popular way to brew it: brewed coffee that’s cooled down quickly over ice.
As you can imagine, pouring hot coffee over ice results in a diluted brew. That’s why most chain food stores you get iced coffee from taste watery and flavorless. In general, iced coffee is enjoyed plain, with sugar, with milk, or both together.
From the sweetened creamers and prepared cold coffee drinks at the grocery store to the syrup and flavor shots that coffee shops add to their drinks, it's easy to end up with an iced coffee that's high in added sugar. Nothing is completely off limits when it comes to our diet, even added sugar. But when consumed in excess, these empty calories can lead to weight gain and increase your risk for unfavorable health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.
That first sip of iced coffee is likely to be one of the highlights of your day, so it's understandable if you haven't taken a critical attitude to the healthfulness of your favorite iced coffee drink. However, before you sip, it's always a good idea to take note of how much added sugar your drink contains.
As a rule of thumb, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to:
24 grams per day for women
36 grams per day for men
And believe it or not, a single iced coffee can take you beyond this limit.
Iced coffee drinks can contain more caffeine than you might expect, although the pick-me-up caffeine provides is likely why you're drinking coffee in the first place. But the amount of caffeine that may be hiding in your favorite drink could surprise you.
Have you ever got the coffee jitters? While downing iced coffee throughout the day sounds like a special treat—and a fun way to cool off in the heat—drinking too much iced coffee can leave you feeling jittery. While it may not seem like a big deal, overdoing it on coffee can lead to intense feelings of nervousness and anxiety, which is why we would say the coffee jitters and increased anxiety levels would be the first warning sign that you're drinking too much iced coffee.
If you are feeling nervous and jittery, it could be a sign that you are overdoing the caffeine. Coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages are known to boost energy levels, but their excessive use can lead to fatigue, dizziness, headache, and shakiness.
Having problems sleeping at night could be a sign you are getting too much caffeine from the iced coffee. Drinking large amounts of iced coffee could lead to dehydration. Are you urinating more often and finding your urine looks darker, like apple juice? Back off on the caffeine and drink more water.
So what should you do differently? Is it bad to drink iced coffee at all? Of course not. Coffee is perfectly fine—but in moderation. And it's especially important to eliminate the added sugars in it.
Here are five tips for making your everyday iced coffee healthier:
1. Know how much added sugar and caffeine you're getting.
2. Skip the creamers and syrups.
3. Add creaminess by adding a splash of oat milk.
4. Don't forget to dilute cold brew when needed.
5. If you don't want to adjust what's in your drink, adjust the size.
