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Coffee creamer can be a delightful addition to your morning routine, but is it secretly sabotaging your healthy eating goals? According to Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the “Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies,” coffee creamer isn’t inherently unhealthy. However, she warns that it can quickly become a significant source of added sugar and saturated fat if you’re not mindful of portion sizes. Moreover, many creamers contain various additives, including emulsifiers like mono- and diglycerides, stabilizers such as carrageenan, preservatives like potassium sorbate, and both artificial and natural flavors and sweeteners. To keep your coffee healthy, Collingwood advises using creamer sparingly or considering eliminating it altogether. Curious to learn which coffee creamers might be adding more sugar to your cup than you realize? Below are five popular options that pack a surprising sugar punch.
First up is Coffee Mate French Vanilla. This popular creamer adds a delightful sweetness to your coffee, but it achieves its flavor through added sugars and oils, which increase calorie intake without providing much nutritional benefit, Collingwood explains.
Similarly, International Delight Caramel, while undeniably tasty, owes much of its appeal to sugar and artificial flavors. These ingredients contribute to its calorie count without offering nutritional value. Collingwood emphasizes that while these creamers are not inherently dangerous, they should be consumed in moderation to avoid derailing your dietary efforts.
Coffee Mate French Vanilla
Coffee Mate French Vanilla sweetens your coffee to perfection. “These are flavored creamers that contain added sugar and oils, which contribute calories but minimal nutritional value,” says Collingwood.
International Delight Caramel
The same goes for /International Delight Caramel: It’s delicious, but mostly because of sugar, artificial flavors, and empty calories. “That doesn’t make them dangerous, but it just means they are best used in moderation,” Collingwood points out.
Sugar-Free Coffee Mate
While Sugar-Free Coffee Mate doesn’t have real sugar, there are artificial sweeteners. Should you stay away from it? “The concern around artificial sweeteners is often overstated. These sweeteners are FDA-approved and considered safe within acceptable daily intake levels. Some people prefer to limit them due to taste preference or GI sensitivity, but they are not inherently harmful for the general population,” says Collingwood.
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato
Starbucks Caramel Macchiato is calorie-dense with processed additives. The line of Starbucks creamers, designed to taste like the expensive drinks at the coffee shop, “tends to be higher in sugar and calories per serving, so they can add up quickly if you’re using multiple servings per day,” she says.
The same goes for Dunkin’ Extra Extra Creamer: higher in sugar and calories. But you can still enjoy a splash in your coffe, according to Collingwood. “Again, the issue is quantity, not that these products need to be avoided completely,” she says.