If you’re looking for a new way to get your coffee fix this summer, you might be enticed by a concoction that’s trending on social media: “cloud coffee,” an iced drink topped with coconut water.
Fans of cloud coffee swear it’s better for you than an ordinary cup of joe. One TikTok creator racked up almost half a million views raving about this “hydrating elixir of electrolytes.”
While recipes vary, this person started by pouring a shot of espresso over ice, then added coconut water and a splash of nut milk. Others on TikTok add coconut cream or coconut flakes to change things up or use a frother to make the drink extra cloudy.
Whether or not cloud coffee is healthy depends on the ingredients, says Samantha Heller, RD, a registered dietitian in New York City. While coconut water does have benefits, some versions of the drink, she says, contain a good dose of saturated fat, sugar, and calories.
Why Cloud Coffee May Have Health Benefits
Potential Risks of Cloud Coffee
Depending on the recipe, cloud coffee can pack in a lot of calories, saturated fat, and sugar. “For some people, it may also be easy to overdo it with the caffeine, since it is flavorful and one might consume more caffeine than normal,” Heller says.
The Bottom Line on Cloud Coffee
For most people, there probably isn’t much upside or downside to trying cloud coffee, says Connie Diekman, RD, a food and nutrition consultant and past president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
“Cloud coffee isn’t going to add much to or hurt an otherwise healthful eating plan,” Diekman says. “I would encourage people to look for coconut water with the least amount of added sugar and try a lower-fat or fat-free milk.”