It has higher levels of antioxidants thanks to the way it’s brewed. Hot coffee is brewed in minutes with boiling water, whilst cold coffee is brewed over three to 24 hours with room temperature water.
The cold brew industry claims it is less acidic than hot coffee. This is the first study to compare the health benefits of hot and cold. New experiments show hot and cold-brewed coffee have similar acidic levels. They also found hot coffee had more antioxidants thanks to the brewing process. For devout hot coffee drinkers who can't stand cold brew: you have been vindicated. Scientists have declared hot-brewed coffee is better for you than iced because it has higher levels of antioxidants. The fact that cold brew is brewed over hours using room temperature water deprives it of that extra health kick.
While the benefits of hot-brewed coffee are well-documented (from lowering diabetes and depression risk to lower the risk of some cancers), the researchers found barely anything on no-heat coffees. The research offers fresh insight into why coffee is continually held up as healthy. According to scores of health organizations - including the American Heart Association (AHA) - there is no limit to the benefits.
Last year, the AHA published a paper which found every extra cup further boosted heart health. But the new research suggests those turning to coffee for heart-healthy benefits should stick to the hot-brewed drink.
