Hidden Sugars and Caffeine: Navigating Healthier Choices at Coffee Shops
Coffee shops and dessert cafes are integral parts of modern life, offering a convenient escape and a sweet treat. However, a recent investigation by the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment reveals that enjoying these indulgences requires mindful choices. Consuming certain drink and dessert combinations can lead to exceeding recommended daily intakes of sugar and caffeine.
Study Findings: Sugar and Caffeine Overload
From April to August of last year, the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment analyzed 129 menu items – 83 beverages (including coffees, teas, chocolates, and custom drinks) and 46 desserts (baked goods and confections) – sold at popular coffee shops and dessert cafes. The study found that combining some drinks and desserts can result in consuming approximately 1.3 times the recommended daily sugar intake and 1.6 times the recommended daily caffeine intake.
Specifically, the combination of dessert lattes and cakes exceeded the recommended daily sugar limit (50g) by about 1.3 times. Consuming tiramisu cake with coffee resulted in approximately 1.6 times the recommended daily caffeine intake (125mg, based on a 50kg body weight for children and adolescents).
Caffeine Content in Common Beverages
The research highlighted the significant caffeine content in many popular beverages. A single cup of Americano contains around 150mg of caffeine, potentially bringing children and teenagers close to their recommended daily limit with just one serving, and adults with two to three. Approximately 64% of commercially available beverages (34 out of 53) were classified as high-caffeine products. All coffee products, excluding decaffeinated Americano, were labeled as high-caffeine. This includes Americano, cold brew, cafe latte, and cafe mocha. Over half of green tea and black tea-containing beverages likewise fell into the high-caffeine category.
Custom Drinks: A Variable Landscape
The study also examined custom drinks, which are increasingly popular through social media. The sugar and caffeine content in these beverages can vary dramatically depending on the chosen options. Adding syrups and toppings to drinks like green tea lattes, or adding shots to an Americano, can double the sugar and caffeine levels.
Making Healthier Choices
Fortunately, consumers can make healthier choices by carefully selecting menu items and customizing their orders. Replacing milk in a cafe latte with a plant-based alternative and opting for low-sugar syrup can reduce the sugar content by approximately two-thirds.
Park Joo-seong, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Health and Environment Research Institute, emphasized the importance of awareness. “Coffee and desserts are enjoyed lightly in everyday life, but sugar and caffeine intake can vary depending on the menu combination and option selection,” he stated. The institute plans to continue providing research and information to help citizens make informed decisions about their health.