To control what goes into the iced coffee you serve with dessert, choose a black coffee base and check its ingredients, then prepare it without syrup or sugar. A latte labelled ‘reduced in sugars’ offers another way to serve coffee, but this does not mean ‘no added sugars’. If the time of day matters to you, consider decaffeinated options too.
A black coffee base lets you prepare your drink separately from your pastry. The ingredients list for L'OR Pur Black concentrate published by Carrefour shows water, coffee and an acidity regulator, with no sugar or syrup listed. You’ll still need to check the ingredients of anything else you pour into your glass.
A ready-to-drink bottle may suit you if you prefer a quick and convenient option. However, the Starbucks Caffè Latte listed by Carrefour as ‘reduced in sugars’ and ‘lactose-free’ contains milk and the sweetener acesulfame K. These claims alone don’t meet the requirements of someone looking for coffee with no added sugars.
Decaffeinated coffee that you prepare and then chill offers another base for serving with dessert. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) says caffeine can affect how quickly you fall asleep and your sleep, although its effects vary from person to person. Carte Noire describes its Décaféiné N°5 pod as roasted ground decaffeinated coffee.
First decide whether you want a black coffee base to prepare yourself or a ready-to-serve milky drink. Then check the exact wording and ingredients for the product you’ve chosen, followed by the preparation instructions and your preferences around milk, sweeteners or caffeine.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugars | If you require this claim, look for the exact wording ‘no added sugars’, then read the ingredients list, especially for sugars, honey and syrups. | I want to keep sweet additions for the dessert and know exactly what goes into my coffee. Around 36% of consumers make checking for added sugars a priority. |
| Pairing with dessert | Choose between a black coffee base to dilute and a milky recipe; check the ingredients before adding syrup or a topping. | With a pastry, I prefer to decide how much coffee and sweetness to serve. Around 29% of consumers put pairing coffee with dessert first. |
| Serving time | Compare ready-to-drink options, concentrate to prepare, and coffee that needs to be brewed and then chilled; check the serving instructions. | When dessert is served without any preparation beforehand, I need a drink that’s easy to pour into a glass. Speed is the main criterion for around 21% of consumers. |
| Milk, sweeteners and caffeine | Check the ingredients and allergen information for milk or sweeteners; if caffeine matters to you, see whether the coffee is described as decaffeinated. | My main priority is choosing a recipe that suits my preferences around lactose, sweeteners or caffeine. Around 14% of consumers put these checks first. |
These claims aren’t interchangeable. Carrefour describes the Starbucks Caffè Latte listing we checked as ‘reduced in sugars’, and its ingredients list contains acesulfame K.
If you’re looking for the claim ‘no added sugars’, check that exact wording on the packaging and check the ingredients too.
Adding syrup or honey when serving changes the coffee’s ingredients. Carrefour lists them among the sweetening ingredients to look out for.
Serve the coffee over ice and decide separately what goes into the dessert and the drink.
The Starbucks Caffè Latte described by Carrefour as lactose-free contains milk and lactase, as well as a sweetener. So choosing a product to suit your lactose preferences doesn’t necessarily meet the need to avoid milk or sweeteners.
Check the ingredients list and allergen information according to your specific dietary requirements.
Serving coffee over ice doesn’t change the choice between a regular and a decaffeinated product. Anses notes that caffeine can affect how quickly you fall asleep and your sleep.
If this matters when you’re serving coffee with dessert, look for products labelled as decaffeinated.
Pur Black concentrate is a coffee base to prepare and customise, rather than a ready-to-drink latte.
The individual Caffè Latte listed by Carrefour suits anyone looking for a ready-to-drink cold milk-based beverage labelled ‘lactose-free’.
The Décaféiné N°5 pod lets you make coffee that you can then leave to cool before serving with dessert.
The retailer’s product listings let you compare different formats, from coffee concentrate to ready-to-drink milk-based beverages.
These products are for making a coffee base that you can customise to serve with dessert: coffee portions, decaffeinated coffee and capsules. Before planning to serve it cold, check the preparation instructions and decide separately what to add to your drink.
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Worth considering if you want to prepare your coffee from individual portions and choose what to add yourself. Check the packaging for instructions on preparing it as a cold drink and to see whether the wording meets your requirements for added sugars.
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This decaffeinated coffee can be prepared and then chilled if you’d prefer to make your own drink to serve with dessert. The listed pack size is 100 g; check the preparation instructions and label before deciding what to add.
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These decaffeinated capsules are an option for making coffee to chill before serving with dessert. The pack contains 30 capsules; check they’re compatible with your machine and check the packaging for information about added sugars.
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If you make coffee using the A Modo Mio system and are looking for a decaffeinated option, check that it’s compatible with your machine. The pack contains 36 capsules; make the coffee before chilling it, and check the label for information about added sugars.
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These capsules let you make a lungo to leave to cool if you want to serve the coffee separately from dessert. The pack contains 20 capsules; check they’re compatible with your machine, and don’t choose this product solely because you’re looking for decaffeinated coffee.
No, these claims aren’t interchangeable. Carrefour describes the Starbucks Caffè Latte listing we checked as ‘reduced in sugars’ and lists acesulfame K among its ingredients. If you’re looking for the claim ‘no added sugars’, check the wording on the packaging as well as the ingredients list.
Choose a black coffee base and check its ingredients, prepare it to serve cold, then keep the treat on the side. For L'OR Pur Black concentrate, Carrefour’s listing shows water, instant coffee and sodium carbonate among the ingredients. If you’re trying to avoid added sugars, don’t then add syrup or honey to your glass.
No. The Starbucks Caffè Latte listed by Carrefour as lactose-free contains milk and lactase. If you need to avoid milk, check the drink’s ingredients and allergen information specifically, rather than relying on the ‘lactose-free’ claim alone.
Decaffeinated coffee is worth considering if caffeine matters to you in the evening. Anses says caffeine can delay the time it takes to fall asleep and reduce the duration or quality of sleep. If you’re serving the coffee cold, remember to allow time to prepare and chill it too.