Latest news with #Dalgona
Medscape
4 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Cloud Coffee: A Viral Drink That May Be a Healthy Choice
Another day, another viral TikTok drink. The beverage making the rounds right now is cloud coffee. The name alone sounds light and refreshing, which is exactly what many of us look for in a summer coffee drink. But what is actually in it, and is it any good for us? Cloud coffee is a chilled espresso drink made by layering Dalgona coffee over coconut water to yield a cold coffee beverage that is as beautiful as it is refreshing. Dalgona coffee, which originated in Macau in Southern China, consists of coffee powder, hot water, and sugar well beaten and layered over milk. It can be served hot or cold and it was named after the Korean candy that shares its caramel color. This whipped 'cloud' mixture is poured over a base of ice and coconut water, inspired by the coconut water americano that was also popular this spring. A coconut water americano is a simple drink that combines coconut water and espresso for a refreshing cold coffee beverage. Health Benefits From iced coffee to mocha protein shakes, the summertime coffee drinker in us is always happy with a chilled treat with a bit of caffeine. The question is, how healthy is this coffee swap for our chronic coffee drinkers? As with most things, it can be a good choice in moderation. A 16-ounce serving with 2 teaspoons of sugar contains about 150 calories, 5 g of protein, and even with a double shot of espresso, only about 120 mg of caffeine. That's comparable to the caffeine in a 12-ounce drip coffee. The addition of coconut water makes it a good source of potassium, a nutrient that is underconsumed by most Americans. Coffee is known around the world for its effect on cognition and energy levels, but it is also high in antioxidants. Caffeine and chlorogenic acid can promote a decrease in oxidative stress and improve inflammation. A pretty great way to start a hot summer day! While some recipes call for cream, I recommend whole fat milk to ensure adequate creaminess while incorporating more protein. Protein and fat both promote satiety, and a high protein diet can promote weight loss. Protein also has the added benefit of slowing down digestion and thus absorption of caffeine to allow for a slower uptake of caffeine over a longer time. This may help maintain energy levels and reduce any unpleasant side effects of caffeine such as elevated blood pressure. While I don't often recommend artificial sweeteners, the sugar in this drink could be swapped for aspartame or stevia without affecting the integrity of the whipped Dalgona coffee for those who prefer a sugar-free option. Maybe Not for Everyone While such a beverage is likely to be a refreshing treat for most, it may not be appropriate for all. Caffeine-containing beverages may not be the right choice for those prone to gastrointestinal issues like irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea due to the stimulating effects of caffeine on the bowel or on those with high blood pressure due to its properties as a vasoconstrictor. Caffeine is a well-known diuretic, so I typically recommend limiting caffeine-containing beverages to no more than 2 or 3 a day, especially during the warm summer months when we may be more at risk of dehydration. Healthy and Refreshing Alternatives As cloud coffee may not be the right choice for everyone, I always like to have a few alternatives that are either low in caffeine or caffeine-free to encourage hydration. I have many clients who drink coffee all day long, so I have a couple of tricks to help them stay hydrated without completely giving up their caffeine or adding a lot of sugar. Green tea: Green tea has less than half the caffeine that coffee does and significantly more antioxidants, most in the form of epigallocatechin gallate that has been shown to promote weight loss and improve glucose metabolism. Hibiscus tea: Hibiscus tea is caffeine free and may help to improve mild hypertension. Caffeinated sparkling water: Many brands have less caffeine per serving than a cup of coffee and can also be a great substitute for chronic soda drinkers. Iced coffee with a protein shake: This may be especially helpful for those who are in the habit of drinking several cups of coffee a day. Mix 8 ounces of cold brewed coffee with a 12-ounce protein shake for less caffeine over several hours to stay focused while decreasing the unpleasant side effects of caffeine intake. Ultimately, I want my clients to drink water for hydration in the warm summer months. But, if a fun and refreshing coffee drink like cloud coffee has them excited and offers a few health benefits as well, I'm on board.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Pune on My Plate: here are 3 city spots that bring the Korean hype to the table
Whether you are a K-pop fan, a K-drama binge-watcher, or just someone who loves good food, Pune's newest Korean cafés and restaurants are serving up everything from spicy tteokbokki to Instagram-worthy Dalgona coffee. Think croffles, Soju cocktails, bubble teas, and Seoul-style street food, all in vibrant, feel-good spaces. Here are three Korean spots in Pune that are bringing the K-hype to the table: If you have ever dreamed of wandering through Seoul's neon-lit streets with bubble tea in one hand and fried chicken in the other, Ba Da Bom in Pune might be your new favourite hangout. Opened in November 2024, this all-day café and bar blends bold Korean flavours with a playful, social vibe. 'We wanted to bring something truly Korean to Pune, beyond just traditional food,' says Siri Marella, restaurant manager at Ba Da Bom. The menu features Korean favourites like kimchi mandu, dak-galbi, hotteok, silken steamed tofu, and menbosha. Rice bowls such as bibimbap, bulgogi deopbap, kimchi rice, and shroom rice add to the comfort food appeal. Their fried chicken comes in flavour-packed options like bburinkle and yangnyeom. The name Ba Da Bom, Marella says, reflects the spirit of the place. 'It roughly translates to excess and abundance.' She adds, 'Our goal was to recreate the lively energy of Korea's streets where people unwind after work over food, drinks, and maybe even a game of Tekken.' By day, the café serves up specialty coffee, flavoured milks, and popular treats like croffles (croissant-waffles) and mascarpone toast. At night, it transforms into a buzzing bar offering Korean-inspired cocktails and Soju. Marella says, 'Our space changes with the time of day. In the morning, it is calm and cosy with coffee and bakes, but by evening, it transforms into a vibrant bar. That rhythm keeps things exciting.' She continues, 'Our Soju menu and signature cocktails are inspired by Korean flavours, but designed for the Pune crowd. It is where authenticity meets experimentation.' Customer favourites include crispy Korean fried chicken, Bibimbap, kimchi rice and a variety of matcha and bubble teas. While not strictly traditional, the food is rooted in authentic recipes with thoughtful local touches. Speaking about the response of the Pune crowd, Marella says, 'It has been amazing. We have become a neighbourhood spot for those who love Korean culture or are simply curious.' The food here is priced between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. Started by Indraja and Srihari Khaladkar as a cloud kitchen amid the pandemic in 2020, Iya's Korean Kitchen became a full-time restaurant in 2022. Indraja, whose pet name is Iya, says the place is now known for its authentic flavours, creative fusion, and homestyle Korean meals. 'About 25 to 30 per cent of our ingredients are directly sourced from Korea, but staples like kimchi and tteokbokki are made in-house,' she says. The menu reflects a balance between authenticity and innovation, from Korean ketchup-style gochujang blended with Indian hot and sweet sauces to vegetarian, Jain, and even vegan versions of classic Korean meals. Iya's Korean Kitchen serves Korean favourites like dolsot bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, tteokbokki, rabokki, japchae, shin ramyun, and jjajangmyeon. Set meals like hanjeongsik come with soup, sticky rice, and classic banchan such as egg rolls, pickled radish, and soy-braised eggs, staples of Korean dining. 'We do not copy blindly. We tweak thoughtfully. Customer curiosity has also helped shape the menu. Adaptability is our strength,' Indraja adds, summing up the kitchen's spirit of evolving without losing its essence. 'The price range is very affordable at around Rs 500 per person,' she says. Café Dalgona, launched in July 2023, has become a favourite among those craving authentic Korean flavours in a calm, cosy setting. With nearly a decade of experience in Korean cuisine, founder Joseph Chhetry set out to create a casual dining space where guests could enjoy both coffee and hearty meals. 'We wanted a place where people could relax with a pastry or have a full dinner, all under one roof. Authenticity and quality at affordable prices are what we stand for,' says Benjamin, the manager at Café Dalgona. 'The focus has always been on serving authentic food made with premium ingredients at affordable prices.' Menu highlights at Café Dalgona include tteokbokki, kimchi jjigae, bulgogi, Korean soy sauce soup, pork deopbap, Korean fried chicken, Dalgona coffee, iced teas, and twisted donuts. The name Dalgona was chosen for its familiarity and charm, inspired by the popular coffee and its playful sound. Customer favourites include tteokbokki, kimchi jjigae, Korean fried chicken, and the signature Dalgona coffee. Benjamin says, 'We do not change our recipes to suit local tastes. Many of our guests are native Koreans, and staying true to the food matters.' As Korean culture gains popularity in India, Café Dalgona offers comfort, flavour, and community all within an affordable range of Rs 500-900. Kivi Lydia Vito is an intern with The Indian Express.
News18
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Watch: Fans Go Wild As South Korea Hosts A Real-Life Squid Game Parade
Last Updated: Squid Game fans in South Korea celebrated the final season with a street rally, featuring iconic symbols from the show, captured in a viral video. Squid Game fever has taken over the world. As the third and final season of Netflix's blockbuster hit show premiered on June 27, fans in South Korea decided to take the excitement around it a notch higher. They organised a full-blown street rally featuring all the quintessential symbols associated with the popular survival drama. A viral video capturing this moment, shared by digital content creator Rana Adil Mushtaq, based in South Korea, has garnered over 1.2 million views, and fans of the show are loving it. It featured a group of people dressed in the iconic pink jumpsuits with masks walking down the street alongside a large motion-sensing female animatronic doll used during the Red Light, Green Light games. Black coffins, where deceased players were laid to rest in the show, were also a part of the rally. As the video continued, some people in the parade were also seen wearing two-coloured jumpsuits, just like the 456 players in Squid Game. Few men were also seen in formal suits, just like Gong Yoo's mysterious character as the Salesman. Other symbols of the show in the parade featured the iconic games like jump rope and mingle. There were large balloons featuring the shapes used in the Dalgona challenge, as well as a big piggy bank filled with 45.6 billion Korean won, just like in the show. The caption atop the video read: 'Pov: You are in South Korea watching Squid Game in real life." Online users took to the comments section to react to the Squid Game-themed parade in South Korea. One said, 'You are lucky, and we cry while watching season 3." Another added, 'Now I want to be in Korea really bad.. Please." A different user wrote, 'Seriously, you are the luckiest person living in Korea and seeing real-life Squid Game." Squid Game 3 finally answered many questions of the fans, but it turned out to be the ending that no one was expecting. Seong Gi Hun, aka Player 456, played by Lee Jung Jae, returned to the deadly games in the second season to end it once and for all. However, he dies by the end of season 3 for the 'greater good." The character's final words on the show were, 'We are not horses. We are humans", which is really important, as it relates to the show's slogan about how low humanity may descend. Besides Jung Jae, the final instalment of the show featured Lee Byung Hun, Wi Ha Joon, Im Siwan, Park Sung Hoon, Kang Ae Shim, Yang Dong Geun, and Chae Gook Hee. First Published: June 30, 2025, 12:26 IST
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Manifestation and angel numbers: The quiet search for meaning online
I check my phone as a notification lights up. The time reads 5:55. In a second, I am transported back to 2020, to a version of me chasing angel numbers and their meanings the way a dog chases a passing car: wide-eyed, relentless, totally convinced it was all leading somewhere. As a twenty-something girl coping with a complicated 'situationship', I slowly found myself pulled into the world of manifestation, affirmations, and angel numbers. For the uninitiated, angel numbers refer to numerical patterns, most often a sequence of repeated numbers, that some believe carry hidden messages from the universe, or the angels, so to speak. Though angel numbers have been around for centuries, the concept gained traction in the early 2000s in the West as part of New Age spirituality. But more recently, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Internet became obsessed with manifestations (visualising a future) and affirmations (repeating positive phrases) in hopes of making dreams come true. For me, it was a quick fix to get 'the boy' back, but over time, it became something that helped me cope with stress, uncertainty, and health scares during the pandemic. Affirmation videos on YouTube with chants like 'I am okay' and 'I am healthy' helped me get through the fear of contracting the virus, which for the longest time had no cure and had brought the world to a standstill. A way to cope Like many, I always thought I was a practical, logical person until I needed something to believe in, something to help me move forward and feel in control. And maybe that is what all of this was, at the core — a way of holding on. There were only so many loaves of banana bread you could bake, or so many whipped Dalgona coffees you could make. After a point, the stillness became unbearable, and people reached for anything that made them feel like they were still connected to a future they could no longer clearly picture. A 28-year-old business director from Mumbai shared that he reconnected with spirituality when faced with personal adversity. 'I was always spiritual, but it was during Covid-19 that I got into it again, when my mum was diagnosed with cancer. For how long can you stick to trends and keep making Dalgona coffee? When the cases started to rise, it got real. That is when I started manifesting again, mostly through practising gratitude every night. I would thank the universe for things, and I still do it.' At the peak of the pandemic, with people stuck indoors and schools, temples, and community spaces closed off, the Internet opened its arms. TikTok became an oracle, Instagram a guide, and YouTube a sanctuary. According to Google Trends, searches for 'manifesting' went up 600 per cent. Manifestation accounts gained traction all over social media, racking up followers and views. From gratitude scripting to candle rituals, creators were teaching people how to ask the universe for love, money, clarity, or peace. Every other post was about visualising your dream life, attracting the right energy, or writing your goals 33 times for three days. It did not matter whether it worked; what mattered was that it gave people something to do, a way to feel a little more in control. The business director added, 'Taking a step back and practising gratitude, chanting personal affirmations I came up with, that really helped me through the negativity.' Spirituality in the age of apps and reels The Secret, a book first published in 2006, also found a second life online. Its central idea, that your thoughts shape your reality, suddenly felt more relevant than ever. Even if you had not read the book, its messages were everywhere: 'Trust the timing of your life', 'the universe is always working in your favour', 'what you think, you attract.' Anjali Khanchandani, 20, shares: 'I first tried it because it was trending, but it actually made me feel good, so I kept going. I read The Secret, and then started following a YouTube channel that shared manifestation success stories, which really pulled me in. Once I tried it myself and saw it working, I began to believe in it. Even now, I use it for almost everything.' People started using these tricks and tools not just for peace of mind, but to manifest growth in their professional lives, too. Sharing her manifestation journey, Devanshee Arora, a 23-year-old teacher, said, 'During Covid-19, I had a lot of time, and through social media, reels, posts, I got into numerology. Even if I was doubtful, I still did it. And honestly, it worked for me.' 'I only had four students at the coaching centre I used to teach at. After getting into manifestation, I too ended up getting a class of 60 students. I still practise manifestation, I listen to and write affirmations. I even stop people when they speak negatively,' she added. Covid-19 also saw a rise in astrology apps like Astrotalk, Astroyogi, and GaneshaSpeaks. With a small joining fee and the first 'chat free', a lot of people found themselves talking to digital gurus predicting their future. Questions like 'When will I get married?' or 'Will I clear my exam?' started to appear on chat screens. Tarot readings, once seen as niche or expensive, also became widespread. Readers with soothing voices and velvet backdrops popped up on screens, asking people to pick one deck out of the three, offering collective readings on reels. They would say, 'whoever finds this, I have a message for you.' Moving on For a 26-year-old auditor, tarot became her new normal when she found herself heartbroken over a complicated crush. 'When I saw my crush with someone else, I did not know what to do. I had strong feelings for him. To understand why it was happening, I started going for tarot readings,' she said. 'I spent a lot of money, went to at least 10 readers. But out of those, only two really made sense. The rest did not help much; they just said enough to keep me coming back. I also tried astrology apps, especially after my father passed away, trying to figure out what was happening in my life,' she added. Her journey, however, was short-lived. 'I do not believe in all of this anymore. It did not really work. Angel numbers did not work for me either,' she said, adding that she cringes when she looks back at how much she believed in it, and how much she spent on it. My own connection to meditation and affirmations faded too. It started to feel a bit fake, like something I no longer fully believed in. While some may look back at it as a strange but meaningful phase, many still carry their beliefs and practices with them. Spirituality, once quiet and personal, now shows up in shopping carts. Affirmation decks, gratitude journals, crystal kits, and manifestation candles are suddenly everywhere. It makes the whole idea more approachable, even tempting to try. Whether it sparked lasting belief or served as a temporary fix, the spiritual wave of the pandemic revealed that in the absence of control, people reached for hope that made the silence feel a little less empty.
Express Tribune
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
More than just a drink
Coffee's pop icon status is firmly established — from Starbucks' iconic Frappuccino turning 30 this year to the latest TikTok trends leading us to try Dalgona or cloud coffee. But beyond fads, coffee has been brewed in ceremonies and sipped in salons across time and geography. Its history is steeped in colonialism; establishments serving it have also fuelled revolutionary thinkers, reports DW. Today, rising global temperatures and erratic rainfall are hitting farmers hard, leading coffee prices to soar to record highs. But the beverage remains — at least for now — an intrinsic part of world culture. Here's a (non-exhaustive) look at how and why it came to be that around 2 billion cups of coffee are reportedly drunk daily worldwide. Mythical and spiritual roots Legend credits an Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi with discovering coffee after he'd noticed his goats becoming frisky from eating red berries. While the story is likely apocryphal, coffee — namely the Arabica variety — is indeed native to Ethiopia's Kaffa region, where it still plays a ritual role. The Ethiopian coffee ceremony, where beans are roasted over an open flame and brewed in a clay jebena, is a moment of pause, hospitality and community. In Senegal, cafe Touba — infused with Guinea pepper and cloves — originated from Islamic Sufi traditions and is both a beverage and spiritual practice. In Turkey, unfiltered coffee brewed in a copper cezve is often followed by a reading of the leftover grounds, a centuries-old tradition that is still cherished, even among Turkey's Gen Zs. In Brazil, the cafezinho — a tiny, sweet shot of coffee — is a symbol of welcome, offered everywhere from homes to street corners. Finally in 2020, as the world hunkered down during the COVID lockdown, South Korea's Dalgona coffee — instant coffee whipped with sugar and water — exploded on TikTok. Beyond aesthetics, the trend offered people a simple, soothing ritual. Unique flavours Across cultures, coffee has taken wildly inventive forms. In Nordic countries like Finland and Sweden, black boiled coffee is sometimes poured over cubes of kaffeost, or "coffee cheese," made from cow or reindeer milk, in a centuries-old tradition. Vietnam's ca phe trung (or egg coffee) blends whipped egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk — a wartime improvisation that is now ubiquitous. Then there's Indonesia's kopi luwak, often called the "Holy Grail of Coffees," made from partially digested beans that have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet. Though prized for its smooth, fermented flavour, kopi luwak has been ethically controversial. High demand has led some producers to cage and force-feed civets. Others now promote "wild-sourced" versions from free-roaming animals, but third-party verification has been inconsistent. From sacred brew to global commodity Coffee didn't just travel in sacks — it travelled with trade winds, spiritual journeys and imperial ambitions. Though discovered in Ethiopia, the earliest written evidence of coffee cultivation points to Yemen. There, it earned the Arabic term "qahwa" — originally meaning wine - which gave rise to the words coffee and cafe. Sufi mystics drank it to maintain spiritual focus during long night chants. The port of Mocha on Yemen's Red Sea coast became a centre of trade, shipping beans across the Islamic world and into Asia. Another legend says that an Indian Sufi saint, Baba Budan, smuggled seven fertile beans from Yemen to southern India in the 17th century, defying an Arab monopoly. That act seeded coffee plantations in Karnataka's Chikmagalur region. Soon, European colonial powers also grasped the bean's potential. The Dutch planted it in Java, the French in the Caribbean and the Portuguese in Brazil — each expansion driven by empire and built on the backs of enslaved labour. Brazil, introduced to coffee in the 1700s, would grow into the world's largest producer. Even Australia, a latecomer, has developed a robust coffee culture. Fun fact: Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the flat white in the 1980s. Conspiracies, civil unrest and cats Throughout history, cafes have been more than watering holes — they've been incubators of ideas, art and revolution. In 16th-century Istanbul, authorities repeatedly tried to ban them, fearing that caffeine-fuelled gatherings could spark unrest. In Enlightenment-era Europe, cafes offered a cup of coffee and a heady dose of radical thought, frequented by thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau. In colonial America, coffee became a patriotic substitute for British-taxed tea. Boston's Green Dragon Tavern, dubbed the "Headquarters of the Revolution," hosted meetings of the Sons of Liberty — activists who organised resistance against British rule, particularly unfair taxation and policies that eventually led to the American Revolution. Over the past decades, cafes have returned as a "third place" — neither home nor office, but somewhere in between. Coffeehouses have also evolved into refuges for modern life. In the early 1990s, when home internet access was not yet widespread, many cafes started providing public internet access, which drew people to start working from those spaces. Meanwhile, other cafe owners came up with unusual perks for their businesses. In Taipei, the world's first cat cafe — Cat Flower Garden — opened in 1998, giving urbanites a cosy space to sip and socialise among feline companions. The trend exploded in Japan and now thrives worldwide, where the blend of caffeine and calm continues to comfort overstimulated cities.
