Posted on: Wednesday, July 28, 2004
COMMENTARY
Enjoy iced coffee drinks with less fat
By Chuck Martin
Cincinnati Enquirer
When the summer sun makes you warm and drowsy, an antidote (other than a nap) is available at the nearest coffee shop: Iced coffee drinks.
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| When preparing an iced coffee, add ice until the mixture doubles in volume, then add milk, cream or sugar to taste.
Gannett News Service
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After sampling 10 cold and caffeinated concoctions, we determined certain truths about what makes the best cup of frosty coffee:
- The fewer the ingredients the better.
- It doesn't have to come from a blender to taste good. Unblended, straightforward coffee drinks on the rocks are often better.
- You should be able to taste the coffee. Otherwise, you might as well sip a sweet shake or smoothie.
- No matter how the barista twirls it, whipped cream from a can isn't worth the fat and calories.
- Bottled brands of cold coffee drinks are fast but not as flavorful.
Lighten up
The way most shops make them — with whole milk, sugared syrup, chocolate and whipped cream — cold coffee drinks are high in fat and calories. The largest Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino, for instance, packs more calories and only slightly fewer fat grams (650 calories, 25 fat grams) than a Big Mac.
In response to health concerns, Starbucks this summer introduced light versions of its cold Frappuccino drinks, made with artificial sweeteners and reduced-fat milk. (We thought the Light Mocha Frappuccino tasted very much like the full-fat version.)
Here are tips from nutritionist Lauren Niemes for making your cold and caffeinated drink more healthful:
- Skip the whipped cream.
- Ask for low-fat or skim milk.
- Pass on the flavored syrups.
- Order the drink unsweetened, and sweeten it to taste.
- Buy a smaller drink.
- Consider a cold tea drink instead. Tea contains less caffeine but more healthy anti-oxidants than coffee.
Secrets of super coffee
Iced coffee is a welcome refresher that is worth making carefully. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare your icy brew:
- For a full-flavored pot of iced coffee, double the amount of ground coffee you would normally use to brew hot coffee. For an added flavor kick, try vanilla or hazelnut ground coffee.
- After brewing, add ice until the mixture doubles in volume, then add milk, cream or sugar to taste.
- Brew your coffee in the evening and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for quick access in the morning.
- As with hot coffee, always start with the highest-quality fresh coffee beans.
- Keep coffee beans at room temperature and use quickly. If coffee beans are stored in the refrigerator or freezer, they may absorb food odors and condensation, and the flavor of the coffee won't be up to par.
- Grind your coffee just before brewing; pre-grinding may cause your coffee to get stale. The grind level should match your coffee brewer or individual taste; finer grind coffee yields a stronger flavor, while coarse grind will yield a weaker flavor.
- Store unused ground coffee in an airtight container that is not see-through, in a cool, dry place, away from heat or sunlight, and not in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Clean your coffee brewer and carafe of any residue or oils from previous brewing.
- Always use fresh, cold water for brewing coffee.
