While plain coffee can provide a boost of energy, it contains almost no calories. However, common additions like milk, sugar, and other flavourings contribute further calories.
Coffee beans have so few calories because, in nature, they hardly require any. Their one job is to create a tiny sprout when planted, then that sprout does the rest of the hard work. So, while the sprout generates a lot of energy (calories), the bean does not.
Though depending on what you put in your coffee, as well as how much of it you drink, you may be consuming more calories than you think. This is especially true for those who use more than a couple of splashes of cream or milk and a lot of sugar.
If you are watching your calorie intake or trying to lose weight, you may want to limit coffee drinks that have excessive amounts of sugar, milk, or flavourings.
An Espresso or a Cold Brew coffee is approximately just 3 calories, while an Americano is just 5 calories. Though every tablespoon of sugar or cream will add 50 calories, while the same in milk is just about 8 calories.
A Latte or Flat White could be under 200 calories, while a 16 oz Mocha could easily be over 400 calories.
And if you’ve ever heard of Bulletproof coffee, made by blending brewed coffee with butter and coconut or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, while extremely moreish, it can also contribute a significant number of your daily calorie intake.
So, what’s the solution, just drink black coffee? Of course not, though plenty do prefer the pure taste without additives. Talk to your local Barista because there are hundreds of different coffee beans and varieties, even sweet ones. They can guide you in your coffee journey.
The bottom line is, like your average potato, plain coffee is extremely low in calories. However, it depends on what you add to it as to whether it’s an issue or not. While consuming these types of beverages in moderation is not a concern, drinking too much of them may lead you to consume too many calories.
Counting the calories of coffee
While plain coffee can provide a boost of energy, it contains almost no calories. However, common additions like milk, sugar, and other flavourings contribute further calories.
Coffee beans have so few calories because, in nature, they hardly require any. Their one job is to create a tiny sprout when planted, then that sprout does the rest of the hard work. So, while the sprout generates a lot of energy (calories), the bean does not.
Though depending on what you put in your coffee, as well as how much of it you drink, you may be consuming more calories than you think. This is especially true for those who use more than a couple of splashes of cream or milk and a lot of sugar.
If you are watching your calorie intake or trying to lose weight, you may want to limit coffee drinks that have excessive amounts of sugar, milk, or flavourings.
An Espresso or a Cold Brew coffee is approximately just 3 calories, while an Americano is just 5 calories. Though every tablespoon of sugar or cream will add 50 calories, while the same in milk is just about 8 calories.
A Latte or Flat White could be under 200 calories, while a 16 oz Mocha could easily be over 400 calories.
And if you’ve ever heard of Bulletproof coffee, made by blending brewed coffee with butter and coconut or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, while extremely moreish, it can also contribute a significant number of your daily calorie intake.
So, what’s the solution, just drink black coffee? Of course not, though plenty do prefer the pure taste without additives. Talk to your local Barista because there are hundreds of different coffee beans and varieties, even sweet ones. They can guide you in your coffee journey.
The bottom line is, like your average potato, plain coffee is extremely low in calories. However, it depends on what you add to it as to whether it’s an issue or not. While consuming these types of beverages in moderation is not a concern, drinking too much of them may lead you to consume too many calories.
If you want to know more about the various types of milks to add to your beverage check out our recent article, https://www.bluebutterfly.ie/post/plant-based-and-non-dairy-milks