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How Many Calories Does Coffee Have?
Make sure that you are able to enjoy your favourite beverages and keep healthy.
Published November 11, 2021
Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
For most people, being healthy is important, but you will still want to make sure that you are able to enjoy your favourite beverages too. Sugary energy drinks or coffees that have a lot of sugar content, for example, might be something that you try and avoid. But for most people, a boost of caffeine might be needed, especially in the mornings when you need something extra to pick you up and get you going.
Coffee has long been seen as a healthy option if you want to get a quick burst of energy. But, are there calories in coffee and if so, how many calories does coffee have? Is coffee something to avoid drinking if you want to cut down on your calorie intake, or is it an ideal drink for those who want to be in a calorie deficit or reduce the number of calories that they consume?
How Many Calories Does Coffee Have?
The good news is that, for the most part, black coffee such as espresso, filter coffee, or even instant coffee is not usually high in calories. If you are drinking your coffee black and wondering how many calories does a cup of coffee have, then you’ll be glad to hear that the answer is very few. On the other hand, adding other ingredients to the coffee can have an impact on the number of calories included in the drink.
Calories in Sweetened Coffee
Sweeteners can be added to coffee in a variety of different ways. Powdered sweeteners that come in packets which are added to the coffee are commonly used as an alternative to sugar, and can be an ideal option if you want to reduce your calorie intake. Compared to 1 teaspoon sugar calories, which is quite high, a packet of sweetener will generally have around two to four calories. You can even add non-calorie sweeteners to your coffee.
Adding Sugar to Coffee
Are there calories in coffee? The truth is that the more sugar you add to your coffee, the more calories it will have. If you have a sweet tooth, then putting a teaspoon of sugar in your drink might be something that you do regularly. Although sugar is not necessarily bad in moderation, the calorie count can slowly begin to add up depending on how many cups of coffee you drink in a day. One teaspoon of brown or white sugar will have around sixteen calories per teaspoon.
Adding Honey to Coffee
Honey is a healthier alternative to consider when sweetening coffee and other beverages. Like sugar, it is naturally occurring, but not quite as bad for your health. It’s a better option if you are trying to lose weight since it is much easier for our stomachs to break down compared to regular sugar. When measured correctly, one tablespoon of honey has around 64 calories. Although it is not particularly low in calories, honey does contain a high number of antioxidants and vitamins that are good for your body. And, less honey in your coffee will have the same sweetening effect as sugar.
How to Reduce the Number of Calories in Your Coffee
Does plain coffee have calories? While the answer is yes, the good news is that if you are not adding a lot of different ingredients to your coffee, then the calorie content is very low. But if you have just learned that your favourite cup of coffee is fairly high in calories, chances are you are on the lookout for a healthier, lower-calorie alternative. The good news is that there are lots of things that you can do to consume fewer calories from coffee. Drinking plain black coffee is the best way to get the energy boost that you need without consuming as many calories, but black coffee is not for everybody.
First of all, try skimmed or low-fat milk instead if you use milk in your coffee. It can take some time to get used to the taste, but using plant-based milks such as coconut milk or almond milk, which are even lower in calories compared to dairy milk, can also help you cut back even further. Or, add some water instead of milk to dilute the taste if you are not the biggest fan of strong, plain black coffee.
For those who prefer a sweet cup of coffee, switch to low-fat creamers and sweeteners rather than using traditional sugar. Today, you can find lots of different low-calories and diet flavour options available for those who want a sweet cup of coffee while cutting down on calories. Or, use honey instead of sugar in your coffee since it is easier to digest, has more vitamins and antioxidants, and you don’t need to use as much of it in your drink to get the same sweetening effect.
When you are buying coffee out, it’s a good idea to avoid flavours that are packed with calories like caramel and mocha. Many coffee shops offer sugar-free flavouring syrups that are worth choosing instead of the regular kind to get the flavour you want in your coffee at a much lower calorie cost. Finally, making your coffee at home more often is a great choice since you are less likely to be tempted compared to when you’re faced with a menu of delicious yet high-calorie drinks at your local coffee shop. Pod coffee machines are a great option for making coffee-shop quality coffee at home that you can enjoy while watching your calorie intake.
Does Black Coffee Have Calories?
There are calories in black coffee; however, it is not enough for most people to be worried about. In general, a cup of black coffee contains zero fat and around five calories. This makes it an ideal drink to consider if you are watching your calorie intake, but be careful if you add anything to the coffee since this can cause the calorie count to jump significantly.
What About Coffee with Cream?
If you take cream in your coffee, then a standard cup of coffee with cream will add around 120 calories to the drink. Overall, the drink will now contain a total of around 125 calories – this is before any sugar, sweeteners, or flavourings are added to it. Adding milk to your coffee rather than cream is a good option for a less calorific choice.
Are There Calories in Flavoured Coffee?
Compared to regular coffee beans, you will be glad to hear that flavoured coffee beans that have oils and esters added to provide flavouring after the roasting process, do not have any additional calories compared to plain coffee. So, if you use flavoured coffee beans or flavoured instant coffee, you can usually expect it to have around the same calorie value. However, if you are adding a flavour to your coffee using a sugar-based syrup, the calorie content will be significantly increased.
Does Iced Coffee Have Calories?
Iced coffee is a popular summer drink that consists of coffee brewed with hot water before it is cooled and then served over ice. When served black with cold water, iced coffee is the same as hot black coffee, with around five calories per cup, although this can vary based on the amount of coffee used in the brewing process. Significantly more calories will be added to the beverage if any fats such as milk or creamers, sugars or syrups are added to the coffee.
Can Drinking Coffee Help You Burn Calories?
When you drink black coffee, this can actually help you burn calories faster since the caffeine content in coffee can raise your resting metabolic rate (RMR). The caffeine found in coffee stimulates burning stored fat in the body, and has been found to increase the rate of fat burning by almost 30% in lean people and 10% in obese people.
Conclusion
If you want to watch the number of calories that you consume, the best way to reduce your calorie intake is to cut back on sugary drinks. Most people like to have a cup of coffee in the morning or whenever they are in need of a pick me up, and the good news is that black coffee is a safe, low-calorie choice for your diet. However, it’s important to be careful if you want to add milk, creamer or sugary syrups to the coffee, since these additions can be much higher in calories compared to the coffee itself and will often make up most of the calorie content of popular coffee drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. The good news is that if you like a sweet coffee, there are several options to consider that are lower in calories including adding skimmed or plant-based milk rather than full-fat milk to your coffee, using sugar free syrups for flavouring, opting for flavoured coffee beans or using honey instead of sugar to add that sweet kick without the same health impact as sugar.
If you want to cut back on your calorie intake, you can still enjoy drinking coffee.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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