As temperatures warm up, many are seeking refreshing morning drinks to combat the heat. Coffee is an obvious choice and offers numerous varieties. One such choice that has recently gained in popularity is iced coffee – made by mixing hot and cold beverages together and sold at stores or made at home; its flavor can be enhanced through various toppings or flavors making it suitable as either breakfast or lunch break drinks. But is iced coffee as healthy as traditional hot coffee?

Coffee is packed with antioxidants and contains many essential nutrients, such as magnesium, trigonelline and phenolic compounds that may help stabilize blood pressure, increase insulin sensitivity and lower cholesterol. Furthermore, caffeine found in coffee has been known to boost metabolism, alertness and promote energy. But too much caffeine consumption may lead to headaches, jitters and insomnia – so be mindful of the amount of caffeine you take.

Iced coffee can add extra calories to your diet, so to make your drink healthier try switching out for low-cal sweeteners or skim milk instead. Furthermore, use coffee ice cubes for chilling beverages without diluting their flavors.

Leftover iced coffee can also be used to create coffee popsicles or use as the basis of an irresistibly decadent frozen coffee smoothie featuring fruits like strawberries, bananas and chocolate. Add an additional decadent touch with some dollop of whipped cream for an indulgent treat!

Iced coffee has seen an upsurge in popularity among millennials. This generation favors drinking their caffeine cold rather than hot because they believe that sipping cold improves both taste and aroma, and releases deeper flavors. They also enjoy purchasing their beverages from stores with convenient packaging for on-the-go consumption.

Iced coffee contains both added sugars and fat; one litre of Dare espresso-based iced coffee contains 6 grams of fat and 25+ grams of sugar! A cup or two is fine; too much caffeine and sugar could lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes – this is why Hayley Campbell of The Healthy Mummy advises drinking an iced coffee only on days when exercising.