‘I’m a nutritionist – this popular autumn beverage contains 350 calories’

The UK has become a nation of coffee lovers and with the colder and darker mornings here it is even more tempting to grab a coffee on the way to work.

While many people are grabbing a pumpkin spice latte or a milky latte, an expert has revealed that some coffees are better for our health than others.

A nutrition expert has shared the healthiest and unhealthiest coffees to order in high street chains, with some boasting a high fat content while others contain a staggering amount of sugar per cup.

Speaking to Coffee Friend, nutrition expert Kelly Gray has ranked the healthiest coffee combinations and which ones people might want to enjoy a little less often.

Meanwhile, when it comes to oat or soya milk in hot beverages, the expert has shared the benefits of drinking dairy-free milk and why coffee shops don’t always have the most nutritious dairy alternatives.

Is drinking coffee good for you?

Gray revealed: “Drinking caffeine improves your physical performance, as it can help you feel more alert and on the ball – ready to take on the day ahead of you.

“They also may have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. From a health perspective, two to five cups of coffee a day are great for your health, as long as you keep the coffee clean.

“By that, I mean opting for an Americano, black coffee or an espresso. You can add a dash of milk but go for skimmed or a dairy-free alternative such as unsweetened almond milk.

“With that being said, too much caffeine can cause anxiety. It can also alter your sleeping patterns if you drink coffee too late in the day. It can also have a negative effect on people suffering from bowel conditions such as IBS. It can also give you an increased heart and breath rate.”

Which milk is healthier?

Gray said: “Everyone thinks that drinking dairy-free alternative milk means your coffee is healthier but this isn’t always the case.

“Most coffee shops only use the sweetened version of these alternative milks, meaning there is a lot of extra sugar involved. The healthiest milk is either skimmed or semi-skimmed. For a dairy-free drinker, the best one would be almond milk as it has the lowest calories and sugars.”

Healthiest coffee orders ranked, according to a nutritionist (healthiest to unhealthiest):

1. Americano

“Americanos are the healthiest coffee you can opt for as there is no added sugar or preservatives. They’re simple but effective if you need a pick-me-up in the morning.”

2. Black coffee:

“You can’t go far wrong with a black coffee. Very similar to the Americano, but a bit more watered down.”

3. Espresso

“Espressos are always a good option to go for. You can opt for a single or a double espresso. Espressos are the most pure coffee you can have, but I wouldn’t recommend too many as they’re very high in caffeine.”

4. Coffee with milk

“Coffee with skimmed milk is the healthiest as it has the least calories and fat intake. A coffee with a dash of oat milk is also healthy, while semi-skimmed milk has a few more calories than skimmed and oat milk.

“Coffee with whole milk is another option, but it has the highest amount of fat intake as well as calories, including dairy-free alternatives.”

5. Cappuccino

“A cappuccino has a good balance between milk and coffee, and that’s good to have an even mix. But as there is a lot of milk, those calories and fat can quickly add up. They will also add a sprinkle of chocolate on the top.”

6. Macchiato

“A macchiato is very similar to a cappuccino when looking at its nutritional value. However, the macchiato is a smaller drink, so you may be tempted to have another drink afterwards or even a treat with it.”

7. Flat white

“Flat whites are very similar to a cappuccino. However, a flat white is made with quite a bit of foamy milk, so your sugar and fat intake is a bit higher. You can also get through these quicker, as they’re a smaller drink.”

8. Latte without flavouring

“A latte – whether served hot or cold – is mainly milk with a little bit of coffee, so you’re easily going to consume a lot of fat and sugar when they add in quite a bit of milk. Most coffee shops will use whole milk for lattes, too.”

9. Chai latte

“The chai latte does sound like it could be a healthy option, but it has a lot more sugar than a lot of the drinks above. As tasty as they are, they’re not as healthy as they sound.”

10. Matcha latte

“Like the chai latte, matcha has connotations of being a healthier option – especially as it’s green. However, they add a lot of sugar to matcha lattes to taste good.”

11. Latte with flavouring

“Lattes already have a high amount of milk, which isn’t the healthiest option. But adding a flavouring on top of that will add another 30-40 calories from just one pump to your drink. Seasonal favourites, including salted caramel and hazelnut, are some of the unhealthiest coffee options.”

12. Mocha

“Next is the mocha. This is a firm favourite for many people. Unfortunately, they’re not very healthy due to the amount of high sugar that comes with chocolate being added in – as well as the high milk intake. These are fine on occasion, but I would stay clear of having this every day.”

13. Pumpkin spice latte

“The one we all crave this time of year, a pumpkin spice latte is the worst coffee for you health-wise. It has the highest fat content of any other coffee combination, as well as the highest sugar levels. A medium-sized PSL has around 350 calories!”