Coffee with milk: more advantages or disadvantages?

The relationship between coffee and the stomach is not yet fully understood. While some get heartburn or other digestive issues from a cup of coffee on an empty stomach, for others it becomes a cup of joy before they can eat or drink anything, and really brings uplifting health benefits. In fact, there’s a common misconception that black coffee irritates the stomach, according to a well-known doctor. According to heart surgeon and founder of the GundryMD clinic, Dr. Stephen Gundry, many people add milk, cream and even butter to the drink, believing it will help “calm” the stomach. But it could also undermine many of the scientifically proven health benefits of black coffee. Coffee and milk.Image source: freepik.com.What happens when you add milk to coffee? Anthony DiMarino, registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinical Nutrition Center (USA), explains that adding dairy ingredients to coffee makes the end result much more complex than other mixed drinks and meals. “Such a drink consists of several food groups that the body breaks down into simpler parts,” he says.Coffee contains mainly caffeine, antioxidants and small amounts of vitamins and minerals. While low-fat dairy products (skim and 2%) contain small amounts of calories, calcium and protein. Full-fat dairy products contain the same nutrients, but in a different ratio of fat to protein. Also, remember that high-fat cream and butter may not always provide the excess calories you want.Much of the misconception about the relationship between milk and caffeine stems from a 2014 test-tube study, according to Gundry. His results were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. He claimed that milk can enhance the antioxidant effect of coffee. However, “what happens in a test tube is not what happens in the gut, let alone the rest of the body,” Dr. Gundry points out.When you drink coffee or tea (or eat blueberries), you get polyphenols, which aren’t antioxidants at all, but prebiotics that the gut microbiome needs to function properly,” he explains. . “In the body, they are converted into biologically active compounds that improve mitochondrial health and even increase lifespan.” What happens when dairy products are included in the equation? Dr. Gundry explains that they “bind tightly to these polyphenols, making them unavailable for consumption by our fellow beneficial microorganisms in the gut.” Many studies, according to the specialist, show that blueberries mixed with yogurt are useless as polyphenols due to this bond.”This effect shows why, among cultures where tea or coffee is drunk, only those who drink it black (or green) experience health benefits,” he explains. Another food rich in polyphenols, such as chocolate, has the same effect. Its dairy version makes the polyphenols present in cocoa beans unnecessary. Even butter has the same effect on the absorption of tea polyphenols,” he adds. DiMarino takes a more muted stance – it’s not yet clear whether adding a dairy ingredient actually negates the health benefits of coffee. However, he also says that the antioxidant effects of the cancer-fighting drink may be disrupted by high-fat dairy products. “In my opinion, black is the best color. This is how we reap the benefits of coffee and limit our excess calories,” he notes. Coffee with milk.Image source: freepik.com.How can coffee taste better without sacrificing health benefits?If black isn’t your favorite morning color, you can add milk or cream with a low fat percentage to your coffee. It will not cause much harm to health, experts say. Or you can use an alternative milk base, such as coconut, almond, or hazelnut. But here you have to be careful, 4% oat milk is a whole different story. Also, don’t forget the natural spices, which can also add a touch of spiciness or reduce the bitterness of black coffee. For example, the classic ingredient for a morning drink is cinnamon, or vanilla, or even coconut flakes. “They will bring a new taste without limiting the beneficial properties of coffee,” says DiMarino.