Is Cold Brew Healthier Than Hot Coffee? An RD Explains

Ask Keri: Is Cold Brew Coffee Healthier?

Keri Says: Cold brew went from coffee-shop novelty to everyday order, and somewhere along the way it picked up a health halo.

But is the talk about its health benefits just a lot of (caffeine-fueled) buzz?

The short answer: cold brew isn’t healthier than hot coffee, and it isn’t worse. The two are closer than the hype suggests, and a couple of the most repeated claims (less acid, more antioxidants) haven’t held up well in the lab. What matters more is how much caffeine is in your cup and what you add to it. Here’s what you need to know.

Cold Brew Coffee Vs. Iced Coffee Vs. Hot Coffee

First of all, to clarify: iced coffee is not the same as cold brew. Iced coffee is generally made by brewing coffee (either via a drip system or french press) and then cooling it. It’s cold because it’s been in the fridge or is filled with ice cubes, but the water was still heated to actually make the coffee.

Cold brew, on the other hand, is made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water for a long period of time—usually 12 to 24 hours—and then straining out the grounds.

Is Cold Brew Coffee Healthier?

Now to the claims about health benefits.

One argument that’s made often is that when you brew hot coffee, the heat destroys antioxidants. Therefore, cold brew is higher in antioxidants. The research doesn’t back that up. When chemists compared the two using the same beans and the same coffee-to-water ratio, the hot brew actually showed higher antioxidant activity. Other lab work suggests it depends on the roast and the brewing setup. Either way, both are a good source, so this isn’t a reason to pick one over the other.

The second big point relates to acidity. You’ll hear that cold brew is far less acidic than hot coffee, but in that same lab comparison, the pH of the two was nearly the same. What hot water does do is pull more total acids out of the grounds, which is part of why hot coffee tastes brighter and sharper. (And for the record, arguments about alkaline foods being healthier than acidic foods are not based on science at all.) So where does that leave your stomach? Some people do find cold brew sits better, and if that’s you, go with it. There just isn’t good research in people yet showing it reduces reflux, so I wouldn’t count on it as a fix.

Where cold brew can have a real edge is taste. Fewer of the sharp, bitter notes come through, so it’s smoother and a little sweeter on its own. If that means you reach for less sugar and fewer calorie-dense creamers, that’s a real win. The flip side: a cold brew loaded with sweet cream and flavored syrup is dessert, whatever the brewing method.

Does Cold Brew Have More Caffeine?

Often, yes, and this is the part most people skip. Cold brew is usually made with a lot more coffee per cup of water, and many shops and bottled brands start from a concentrate. In one lab comparison, cold brew made with coarse grounds had substantially more caffeine than hot coffee made from the same beans. But it varies a lot from cup to cup, depending on the recipe, how much it’s diluted, and how much ice is in there.

A few easy guardrails: Check the label on bottled cold brew (some are concentrates meant to be cut with water or milk), size down if a large leaves you jittery, and keep it to the morning if your sleep is already fragile. The FDA cites about 400 milligrams of caffeine a day as a reasonable upper limit for most healthy adults. If you’re pregnant or sensitive to caffeine, talk to your healthcare provider about what’s right for you.

One Tip If You Make Cold Brew at Home

Strain it through a paper filter. Unfiltered coffee contains oily compounds that can raise LDL cholesterol, and paper catches most of them. In a large Norwegian study that followed people for about 20 years, filtered coffee was linked to lower mortality than unfiltered coffee. That kind of study can’t prove cause and effect, but it’s an easy swap.

The Bottom Line

The most important point? All of the major health benefits of hot coffee—like a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes in people who drink it regularly—likely apply to cold brew, too. Long-term studies haven’t looked at cold brew separately, but it’s the same bean and the same beneficial compounds. So drink the one you enjoy, and pay attention to the caffeine and the add-ins. And I can personally attest to the fact that the workplace benefits, like early morning email energy, also carry over. Can’t you?

(Featured Photo: Shutterstock)

Is Cold Brew Coffee Healthier Than Hot Coffee?