Wondering how many calories are in a coffee with cream? Read this post to know the calories and all the nutrition facts.
I personally love the after effects (higher energy level and better focusing power) of coffee. However, I couldn’t overcome one aspect of coffee in the initial days. Even after a few weeks of sticking to coffee daily, I couldn’t come to peace with the bitter taste. That is why; I began to add cream to my coffee drinks.
While it is undoubtedly an excellent way to cut out on the bitterness but before you do so, it is essential to take a look at the calories in a coffee with cream. Below I will cover those for various coffee types so you can know about the calories before switching.
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Calories in a coffee with cream
Coffee with cream certainly means that the number of calories will be higher, which the section below highlights.
| Coffee type | Small (cal) | Medium (cal) | Large (cal) | Extra large (cal) |
| Regular | 80 | 110 | 140 | 170 |
| Espresso Con Panna | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 |
| Decaf | 33 | 35 | 36 | 38 |
| Mocha | 200 | 290 | 370 | 450 |
| Latte | 130 | 180 | 220 | 250 |
| Capuccino | 100 | 130 | 170 | 230 |
1. Regular coffee
Regular coffee, in this case, is simple coffee mixed with steamed or hot milk. Of course, most coffee houses allow you to add a splash of cream to such a coffee. After you add the cream, the calorie count is as follows.
2. Espresso Con Panna
Espresso shorts usually do not consist of cream. However, Espresso Con Panna in Italian means espresso with cream. If you do not like espresso’s bitterness, this one is undoubtedly a good choice.
However, cream does add calories to the usual espresso shots. That is because, on a stand-alone basis, espresso consists of just 3 to 8 cal. The extra 30 cal are for the splash of cream you are adding.
3. Decaf coffee
Decaf coffee can help you reduce caffeine content by 90% while still consuming 1 or 2 cups of coffee daily. However, the lower quantity of caffeine doesn’t mean there isn’t a bitter aftertaste in this coffee. You can combat this with a splash of cream but be mindful of the calories it adds.
The calorie count is low because decaf coffees usually do not contain milk; therefore, they are similar to plain coffee, which has very few calories.
4. Mocha coffee
Mocha coffee usually consists of espresso, steamed milk, and bittersweet mocha sauce. Also, most coffee houses serve it with whipped cream on top.
Consequently, when you’re going for this coffee, the cream is already added to it unless you specifically ask for mocha coffee without the cream.
5. Latte
The latte consists of espresso with steamed milk and a layer of foam on top. By adding cream, you can improve the texture even more. However, it also means you are adding to the number of calories.
6. Cappuccino
Cappuccino is famous for its rich foamy texture. Once you add a bit of cream on top, the flavor and texture are enhanced. Before ordering it, look at the calories in this type of coffee.
Nutritional content in a coffee with cream
According to the US Department of Agriculture, cream consists of numerous other nutrients as well like:
- Protein: 1 g
- Vitamin A: 5.5% of DV (Daily Value)
- Vitamin D: 1% of DV (Daily Value)
- Vitamin E: 0.7% DV (Daily Value)
Apart from this, the cream also has many other nutrients in smaller quantities:
- Iron
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Sodium
- Carbs
These values are accurate when you add a splash of cream to your cup of coffee. However, the cream also consists of saturated fat. That is why the cream isn’t an ideal source to gain nutrition.
What are the benefits of cream in coffee?
Despite the saturated fats present in the cream, there are a few benefits of adding it to your coffee. These include:
1. Adds certain nutrients
Of course, when you add cream to your coffee, you also add the nutrients I mentioned above. While most coffee houses offer quite a few additions, if you want an option that adds a few nutrients as well, the cream is a worthy addition.
2. Low trans fats
Unlike what most people believe, the cream that coffee houses use differs from the one you can buy from retail outlets or online.
The process of making cream involves extracting the uppermost layer from full-fat milk. This layer is under-processed extensively. That is why this type of cream doesn’t consist of vegetable oil or sugar on a stand-alone basis. It means that this type of cream doesn’t consist of a high amount of trans fats.
Thus, by going with cream instead of creamer, you reduce the trans fats in your coffee.
Another advantage of choosing such an alternative is reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Therefore, by reducing trans fats, you also reduce the risk of these diseases.
3. Better texture
Have you tried drinking the same type of coffee without cream?
If so, you would know the smooth texture it adds to coffee.
Fun fact: your teeth have a lot of nerves connected, which is how you know where the food you’re chewing is. The extra texture the cream provides almost feels like biting into a very soft soft-serve ice-cream.
4. Reduces bitter coffee taste
Even if you ignore the benefits, you won’t be able to ignore the bitterness of coffee without the cream.
Usually, sugar is added to mask out the bitterness. But sugar contains a lot more calories than cream, making your coffees quite unhealthy especially if you drink coffee on a daily basis.
Risks of having coffee with cream:
Because adding cream to your coffee provides you with a few benefits doesn’t mean there are no risks.
1. More calories
Despite the vitamins and minerals, consuming dairy products or byproducts like cream adds to the calories.
More calories mean you are likely to exceed your daily calorie intake limit. If you are already following the diet for weight loss, the daily cream intake in your coffee will hamper that.
As it is, most of us are addicted to coffee and increase our coffee intake frequently. Add to that the cream content, and it is easy to understand why more calories can quickly add up and hamper your diet.
2. High saturated fat
Above, I stated that the transfats are low in cream. However, the same is not true for saturated fat.
According to American Heart Association, saturated fat intake shouldn’t exceed 6% of your daily calorie intake.
When you consume even one tablespoon of light cream, you consume 1.5 g of saturated fat. According to the American Heart Association, you should consume less than 13 g of saturated fat.
Even though a single cup of coffee won’t make you consume such a high amount of saturated fat, such fat content is also present in food items you might consume throughout the day. That is why you are adding to that list by adding cream to your coffee.
As per this report, excessive consumption of saturated fats is closely related to heart disease, including heart attacks. That is why, by regularly consuming cream, even in coffee, you also increase this risk.
Ways to reduce calories in your coffee
I know many of you might not avoid cream and coffee even after the risks associated. So, I will share a few alternate ways to reduce calories in your coffee.
1. Switch to ground coffee
If you brew coffee using grounded coffee beans, you can certainly reduce the number of calories in coffee. While I understand that this might not be possible when ordering from a coffee house like Starbucks.
However, home-brewed coffee should always be made using grounded coffee beans if you truly want to reduce the number of calories.
2. Go with decaf
Even if you check the table above, you will know that decaf consists of much less calories than other coffee variants, even if you add the cream. This is another way to reduce the calories you consume while sticking to your daily coffee schedule.
3. Opt for non-fat milk
The cream is not the only additive that adds calories to your coffee. The type of milk used plays a crucial role. Rather than using 2% milk, it is better to use non-fat or skim milk.
Especially when you go with the non-fat milk, the fat content is 0 g. Consequently, it becomes easier to cut down on calories as well.
4. Avoid syrups and liqueurs
Syrups and liqueurs can help you flavor the coffee the way you want. These can sweeten the coffee. However, these are mostly made from sugar and contain many calories.
Many varieties are made from corn syrup or vegetable oils. Merely by avoiding these, you can eliminate many unwanted calories.
Cream substitutes in coffee
Apart from avoiding other additives, you can also opt for cream substitutes in coffee, which will help you cut down the calories. Such additives include:
1. Skimmed milk
Skimmed milk is a good choice when looking to substitute cream. Even though it might not have the same thick texture as cream, it certainly waters down the bitter taste of coffee. Not only that, it is an excellent low-fat substitute to regular milk as well.
2. Protein powder
Simply add protein powder to your coffee to make it healthier. Sure enough, you might notice the powdery texture, but it is much better than consuming cream daily. It will make the consistency thicker and increase the protein content of your coffee.
3. Monk fruit extract
Monk fruit extract, especially in the powdered form, is an excellent alternative to sugar and cream. It will provide a texture to your coffee and sweeten it.
The ingredient which sweetens your coffee inside the monk fruit is mogroside. It is an antioxidant. It means that you’re substituting sugar and cream with something much healthier.
4. Cocoa Powder
Adding cocoa powder to your coffee can help you balance the strong caffeine flavor. It can result in a thick powdery texture that eliminates coffee’s usual watery texture.
This report states that it is also rich in antioxidants which can help you fight anti-aging effects and prevent heart disease.
5. Egg yolk
Adding egg yolk to your coffee might not sound great. However, it is popular in Korea to do so. It results in a frothy texture, eliminating the need to add cream.
Not only that, as we all know, egg yolk is rich in antioxidants and various vitamins, which means that your coffee is indeed healthier.
Conclusion
Before ordering your next coffee with cream, keep in mind the calories in a coffee with cream. Using my guide above, you can quickly reduce these calories and substitute cream altogether as well. It is time to opt for healthy living while still consuming your daily cup of coffee.
FAQs
How many calories are in 2 cups of Coffee with Cream?
Depending on the size of coffee, the calories in 2 cups of coffee with cream can vary from 160 cal to 340 cal cumulatively.
How many calories are present in a cup of coffee with ice Cream?
There are approximately 200 cal in a cup of coffee with ice cream. That is for the smaller size. If you increase the size, there are 260 cal in medium-sized coffee, 330 cal in large-sized coffee, and around 420 cal in extra-large-sized coffee with ice cream.
Is cream in coffee fattening?
Yes, cream in coffee is certainly fattening. Even if you add a single tablespoon of cream to your coffee, you are adding to the calories, and therefore it is not advisable to do so unless you need cream to improve the flavors. It will go against your weight-loss efforts.
What is the healthiest cream to put in coffee?
Technically, no cream type is healthy. If you want to go with one with the lowest calories, you can choose whipped cream. Coconut cream, heavy cream, and other variants have even higher calories than whipped cream.
For example, a tablespoon of cream has 44 cal (still a lot), whereas coconut cream in the same quantity has 49 cal and heavy cream has 51 cal in a single tablespoon.
What is the healthiest cream to put in coffee?
Technically, no cream type is healthy. If you want to go with one with the lowest calories, you can choose whipped cream. Coconut cream, heavy cream, and other variants have even higher calories than whipped cream.
For example, a tablespoon of cream has 44 cal (still a lot), whereas coconut cream in the same quantity has 49 cal and heavy cream has 51 cal in a single tablespoon.
Does adding cream to coffee reduce health benefits?
Adding cream to your coffee increases the number of calories in it. While it might not nullify the other benefits of coffee but it certainly makes the coffee better overall.
