When the thermometer rises, we quickly tend to look for cold and tasty drinks to quench our thirst. Among the stars of summer: iced coffee, which has become essential on the terrace and on social networks. However, behind its apparent freshness, this drink is far from being an ideal choice for hydration.
Iced coffee: a drink more diuretic than hydrating
This is explained by Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist, who advises against consuming coffee — even iced or shaken — to fight against dehydration.
Coffee, like tea, is a so-called diuretic drink. In other words, it increases the elimination of water through urine. “It’s a drink that makes us lose more water than it provides.explains the specialist. An effect that is all the more problematic during periods of extreme heat, where the body already dehydrates more quickly. “Result: even if the coffee is cold, it does not contribute to good hydration.”
A break that is often too sweet
Another problem pointed out by Alexandra Murcier: the composition of iced coffee. Rarely eaten plain, it is often garnished with whipped cream, vegetable milk, syrup, or even sweetened crushed ice. So many additives which transform this “refreshment” into a caloric drink, rich in sugars, far removed from a real health ally.
“It’s very rare for people to drink their iced coffee without sugar or without any additives. And so that makes it a much sweeter and less interesting drink.” specifies the nutritionist.
Obviously, an occasional iced coffee is no problem. But don’t be fooled by its temperature. “You can consume it from time to time, it doesn’t matter. But you shouldn’t think that drinking iced coffee means hydrating yourself.”
Alternative drinks when it’s hot
If you really want to vary your pleasures without falling into the trap of industrial or diuretic drinks, nutritionist Raphaël Gruman suggested in a previous article some simple ideas to prepare at home:
- Homemade flavored waters : a few mint leaves, slices of lemon or cucumber, red fruits, etc. Leave to infuse in a carafe in a cool place, for a naturally flavored drink;
- Homemade iced tea : prepare the day before by letting a tea bag infuse in a bottle of water in the fridge. Zero added sugar, and a delicate taste that encourages you to drink more;
- A virgin mojito : sparkling water, lemon, mint and a touch of cane sugar. Festive, light, and much more thirst-quenching than a soda;
- A recovery drink at home: in a bottle of water, replace 20 cl with grape juice, with two pinches of salt to compensate for mineral losses linked to perspiration.
Water, always at the center of hydration
However, even if other alternatives can occasionally help to vary the pleasures, none replaces water in terms of hydration. It alone allows you to maintain a good water balance without excessive diuresis, hidden sugar, or side effects.s.
“The only essential drink, really, is water”insistently reminds Alexandra Murcier.
So if iced coffee makes you happy, there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying one from time to time. But to hydrate effectively under the sun, always keep a bottle of water close at hand.