Have you visited a coffee shop recently and noticed that milk or cream is added to almost every coffee drink? From the ever-popular Café #Latte and #Cappuccino to the indulgent #Mocha and #Macchiato, dairy products always seem to be in close partnership with coffee.
To understand why milk is used as a coffee additive, it helps to know what its main components are.
Milk is "an emulsified colloid of liquid butter globules dispersed in a water-based solution". Or to put it in easier-to-understand terms, it's a combination of insoluble proteins, fat, and water. Milk also contains various beneficial vitamins and minerals.
It has several types of protein, including milk, whey, and casein. They are magical substances that transform milk into butter, yogurt and cheese. Whey and casein also allow milk to flex and foam when heated – critical when making a cappuccino or cafe latte.
Fat makes up about 4 to 5% of milk content. It is what gives milk a delicious creamy flavor that enhances the flavor of coffee drinks. Milk also contains a large amount of sugar in the form of lactose (combination of galactose and glucose).
Why Do People Add Milk to Coffee?
Enhanced Taste
Heated milk adds a lot of sweetness to the coffee, making it more enjoyable to drink. It can mask some unpleasant tastes and reduce its astringency. Coffee drinks with milk also have a creamier taste thanks to all the fat particles contained in the milk.
Improved nutrient content
Coffee is a healthy beverage because of the polyphenols (antioxidants), #caffeine, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5), magnesium, niacin (Vitamin B3), potassium and manganese it contains. However, it does not contain any protein, calcium or vitamin D.
Adding milk adds the missing nutrients to your coffee drink. It also increases the amount of energy in your coffee, which will keep you up during a busy day.
Milk Can Create Foam
There are few things in this world more enjoyable than licking delicious #coffee-flavored froth from the top of a Café Latte or Mocha. The fat and proteins in milk can create a stable foam structure that looks and tastes great.
To reduce the acidity of coffee
Some coffee beans can produce an acidic brew. If you prefer a less acidic coffee or sometimes experience heartburn from coffee, you can add some milk to your coffee to make it more alkaline.
Helps prevent coffee from staining your teeth
One of the downsides to drinking a lot of coffee is that it contains tannins that can stain your teeth. If you add milk to your coffee, the proteins it contains will bind to the tannins and prevent them from harming them. This allows you to increase your coffee intake without risking your gorgeous smile.
Cooler Coffee
Adding milk to a cup of black coffee immediately lowers its temperature by a few degrees. Having a slightly colder coffee can improve the flavor of your coffee and make it easier to drink.
So, should you add milk to your coffee?
The answer to this question will depend on many factors, including your taste preferences and the quality of the coffee you drink.
Some coffee beans taste better when milk is added. The fats in the milk will enhance the delightful flavors in the brew while suppressing the less desirable. Other coffee beans taste better as espresso (straight shot) or Caffè #Americano (coffee and hot water).