--- description: New research explains why regular coffee may not be the best choice for commuters title: Why You Should Order a Latte Instead of Coffee image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcdb5abac0b8f36ac/69878120e20a8784e0a854d1/gettyimages_90719181-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Living](/tag/time-section-living/) ## Living Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Why You Should Order a Latte Instead of Coffee by [Real Simple](/author/real-simple/) ## Real Simple Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 27, 2015 10:43 PM CUT  Latte with Flower Pattern Latte with Flower PatternGetty Images by [Real Simple](/author/real-simple/) ## Real Simple Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 27, 2015 10:43 PM CUT Whether you’re carrying your cuppa from the coffee maker to the kitchen table or toting it along for your commute, your morning pick-me-up isn’t likely to make the journey without a few small spills. Turns out, though, your bleary-eyed, non-caffeinated self may not be _totally_ to blame. [New research](http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/pof2/27/2/10.1063/1.4907048 "undefined"), published in the journal _Physics of Fluids_, suggests that regular liquid is more prone to spilling than that with a little foam on top. Adding a few layers of bubbles—like the layer of milk foam in a latte—seems to significantly minimize the sloshing motion of liquid. After [a team of researchers](http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150224112915.htm "undefined") from Princeton noticed a few real-world scenarios in which foamy liquids appeared to spill less—a pint of Guinness, which is a very foamy beer, for instance, seemed less prone to spills than other pub favorites and a Starbucks latte didn’t need a lid stopper to keep it from splashing—they resolved to find out why. The scientists first constructed a narrow rectangular container made of glass, and filled it with water, glycerol (a substance that keeps fluid thick), and dishwashing detergent to create a uniform layer of bubbles to test. The container was then subjected to two types of movement—a quick side-to-side wave and a steady rocking back and forth—and the subsequent motion was recorded with a high-speed camera. The results showed that just five layers of foam decreased the height of the fluid’s waves tenfold. Beyond informing your coffee or beer order, researchers say the findings may help engineers develop affordable and easy ways to transport liquids, including hazardous fluids like oil and gas. In the meantime, though, don’t let the findings justify _too_ many latte orders: a small one will set you back about [120 calories](http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/foods-from-starbucks/9512/2 "undefined"), and [plain coffee](http://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/coffee-is-good-for-health "undefined") has plenty of health benefits—spills aside. _This_ [_article_](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/shopping-storing/beverages/latte-coffee?xid=time-rs "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_RealSimple.com_](http://www.realsimple.com/ "undefined")_._ _More from Real Simple:_ * [9 Ways Science Justifies Your Coffee Addiction](http://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/coffee-is-good-for-health?xid=time-rs "undefined") * [How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee](http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/how-make-coffee?xid=time-rs "undefined") * [The New, Surprising Health Benefit of Decaf Coffee](http://www.realsimple.com/health/decaf-coffee-liver-health?xid=time-rs "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3723873/order-latte-instead-coffee/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3723873/order-latte-instead-coffee/"},"headline":"Why You Should Order a Latte Instead of Coffee","datePublished":"2015-02-27T22:43:17.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:56:46.984Z","description":"New research explains why regular coffee may not be the best choice for commuters","url":"https://time.com/3723873/order-latte-instead-coffee/","keywords":["Living","Food & Drink","latte","Coffee"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcdb5abac0b8f36ac/69878120e20a8784e0a854d1/gettyimages_90719181-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Real Simple","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/real-simple/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcdb5abac0b8f36ac/69878120e20a8784e0a854d1/gettyimages_90719181-copy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"latte","caption":"latte","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-living/","name":"Living"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3723873/order-latte-instead-coffee/","name":"Why You Should Order a Latte Instead of Coffee"}}]}] ```