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Coffee creamers are a significant industry—Americans adore their coffee, and they particularly enjoy their coffee creamers. While some creamers are made with natural ingredients (such as half-and-half), others contain a plethora of unhealthy components. It’s important to read the label—even something as straightforward as heavy cream might have carrageenan included. So, what does “unhealthiest” signify in this context? If a creamer is loaded with additives, preservatives, thickeners, and is high in sugar (the American Heart Association advises no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day for women, and 9 teaspoons for men), moderation is key. In essence, the more ultraprocessed the creamer, the greater the potential harm to your health. Here are six of the unhealthiest coffee creamers you might find in your fridge.
Coffee Mate Café Mocha
Coffee Mate’s Original Powder Coffee Creamer is one of those traditional items many people are familiar with. The powder contains ingredients such as corn syrup and vegetable oils, yet it doesn’t have added sugar. On the other hand, the Café Mocha Liquid Coffee Creamer has 5g of added sugar per serving (one serving is a tablespoon, though realistically, few stick to just one tablespoon!) and includes soybean oil, gums, carrageenan, and various other additives. Tasty? Certainly. Healthy? Not so much.
International Delight French Vanilla
International Delight French Vanilla is crafted with thickeners, emulsifiers, stabilizers, and preservatives, and contains 5g of added sugar per tablespoon serving. In the reviews, customers also mention issues with the consistency of this creamer, describing it as excessively thick and gluey.
Starbucks Maple Pecan Latte Inspired Creamer
Starbucks Maple Pecan Latte Inspired Creamer contains 5g of sugar per tbsp and ingredients such as gums, additives, and preservatives. You’re better off actually going to a Starbucks and getting a real coffee.
International Delight Caramel Macchiato
International Delight Caramel Macchiato contains a host of stabilizers, emulsifiers, and other unhealthy additives. These ingredients are linked to health issues like immune and digestive problems. For example, carrageenan is widely linked to gastro issues.
Dunkin’s Salted Caramel Creamer
The pros for Dunkin’s Salted Caramel is that it contains real skim milk, cane sugar, and cream. The cons are that it also contains artificial colors, flavors, additives, and gums. Again, there is 5g of added sugar per serving, which quickly adds up if you’re not measuring every drop.
Vanilla Flavored Almond Milk Coffee Creamer
Natural Bliss Vanilla Flavored Almond Milk Coffee Creamer is another coffee creamer with 5g of added sugar per tbsp. The pros? This creamer contains “extracts from real beans from Madagascar”, according to the company. The cons? Guar gum, gellan gum, and “natural” flavor. The Natural Bliss Sweet Cream Flavored Organic Coffee Creamer is a much healthier option.
