Flavored coffee can mask the bitterness of the original coffee and some love it. But there are a lot of health concerns around flavored coffee? Are they safe? Can they make you sick? But before we take a deep dive, let’s answer the most burning question of all.
Is flavored coffee bad for you? Flavored coffee when consumed in moderation is not bad for you. Flavored coffee is usually made with stale beans by most coffee brands. While the use of propylene glycol is a concern, the amount used is very less and shouldn’t cause any harm. You should be concerned with the quality of the coffee beans used more than anything else.
Major Concerns With Flavored Coffee
Flavored coffee is nice. It is full of flavor and there are a ton of options to choose from.
But there are also a lot of concerns surrounding flavored coffee.
One of the major complaints is that flavored coffee is made from low-quality coffee beans. The coffee bean used in the flavoring process is usually at the very end of its health and the flavoring process actually helps to mask its bad quality.
Another concern we hear a lot is that flavored coffee comes with a lot of sugar. It is full of calories and has all the drawbacks of other sugary drinks.
It is also believed the flavored coffee leaves a bad and bitter aftertaste in your mouth.
These are just a few of the most common concerns we’ve come to know with flavored coffee. While there is some truth to it, you can be happy that flavored coffee is not at all that bad.
Is Flavored Coffee Bad For Your Health?
Flavors are imparted on the coffee beans in liquid form. To obtain a flavored coffee bean, they make use of a chemical called propylene glycol. This propylene glycol is a solvent that helps the flavors to stick to the coffee beans.
Propylene glycol is the main reason why many fear that flavored coffee is bad for your health.
Propylene glycol is the same chemical that is used in liquid detergents, anti-freezing, beauty products, and also in printing ink.
In fact, the risk of getting health issues is far greater during the mixing process than when you’re actually drinking your coffee. Propylene glycol can even cause serious cancer when inhaled.
That’s why workers who help in mixing this chemical and the coffee beans wear safety gear like masks and gloves.
To be honest, when you drink flavored coffee in moderation (let’s say 3 to 4 cups a day), you are not going to get sick. Over time, there is a chance that you might get some issues but that’s only a theory to keep people on the safer s
Can I Have Flavored Coffee?
You can have flavored coffee if you don’t have any health problems that can be aggravated by propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is the main problem when it comes to flavored coffee and it won’t cause any harm if you’re hale and healthy. Other than that, flavored coffee is good if you can tolerate the poor quality of the coffee beans.
Many people find black coffee a bit too strong. If you feel the same way, then a cup of flavored coffee might not be a bad choice at all.
But if you’re looking for a sophisticated flavor, then it is better to try single-origin coffees from around the world as each and every coffee bean will have a unique flavor without the addition of any artificial flavors.
If you’re still not sure about flavored coffee, then add some coffee creamer on top of your coffee for a better overall coffee flavor.
Do Flavored Coffees Have Less Caffeine?
Flavored coffee doesn’t mean it has less caffeine in it. Flavored coffee from a good brand will have pretty much the same amount of caffeine you would find in a regular black coffee. But there are many poor brands that deliver flavored coffee with much less caffeine so make sure to avoid such brands.
A cup of flavored coffee (8oz) should come with around 80 to 120 mg of caffeine. If you are looking for a caffeine boost, then it is important to find a flavored coffee that offers this level of caffeine.
If someone says that flavored coffee will always have less caffeine, then you know that’s wrong.
Can Flavored Coffee Make You Sick?
Flavored coffee that comes with a chemical solvent named propylene glycol can make you sick when you consume a lot of coffee over a long period. If your coffee intake is harmless, then the presence of propylene glycol shouldn’t harm you in any way.
The workers who work on mixing the chemical solvent with the coffee beans have a higher risk of getting sick when compared to those drinking flavored coffee. That’s why workers are usually given face masks and gloves when working with this chemical.
Can I Drink Flavored Coffee While Fasting?
You can drink flavored coffee while fasting as it doesn’t bring any calories to the table when taken as black coffee. The artificial flavor makes taking the coffee on an empty stomach and will give you enough energy to continue and complete the fasting.
Regular coffee without milk is also a good choice when fasting. But if you take your coffee with milk or creamer, then you should drink any flavored coffee when you’re fasting.
Are All Hazelnut Coffee Artificially Flavored?
Hazelnut coffee can be flavored by adding either natural or synthetic oils. If you’re looking for natural hazelnut flavor in your coffee beans, then you should go for a brand that uses natural flavoring oils and less (or none) propylene glycol.
Closing Thoughts
Flavored coffee is a good thing for those who are looking to offset the coffee’s strength and its bitterness. There are many flavors like french vanilla, hazelnut, dark chocolate, and the list goes on. From our research, we were able to find out nearly 80 flavored coffee drinks.
Flavored coffee with 85% propylene glycol can be bad for your health. So it is better to find flavored coffee that has zero chemical solvents and also uses 100% natural flavoring oils.
What’s your experience with flavored coffee? Did you like them? Did it make you sick?
We’d love to hear about your experience with flavored coffee. Do let us know if you have any questions as well. We’d be glad to help you out.
