There are different types of coffee drinks out there, from regular to decaf, lattes, americanos, cappuccinos, espressos, and others. But when it comes to just basic coffee, there’s always been two distinct groups – those who drink it straight black, and those who do not.
For the ‘black coffee’ group, they can quickly pour that cup of coffee or fill up their thermos and get straight to enjoying it. It’s basic and quick – with not waiting around to get their caffeine fix going.
Then there’s the other crowd – who needs to touch it up to enhance the flavor. The possibilities are endless, with everything from milk, creamer, sugar, flavored syrup, whipped cream and other toppings.
Is it good or bad to add milk or creamer to your coffee? Do you take your coffee black? Or with creamer?
Why do some coffee drinkers add milk to their coffee?
For me, this one seems obvious – they want it to taste better. I can’t say that I blame them, because I remember when I first tasted black coffee for the first time. I was actually conditioned to add milk and sugar to my coffee from my very first cup because that’s what I saw everyone else doing around me.
It was only by happenstance that I was in a situation where I was waiting at a counter to get to the milk and creamer. The coffee was just brewed and after pouring a fresh cup of black coffee from the pot, I took a casual sip to taste it. It was more of a quick wake me up, and to get something hot in me, while waiting on the creamer. But that bitter, bland hot taste isn’t something I would have wanted to endure over the next half-hour. I wanted to also enjoy my cup of coffee – which includes having it tastes good!
I would even look at those other coffee drinkers – you know, the black coffee drinkers – thinking that either there’s something wrong with their taste buds, or they’re not interested in taste, but just getting some hot caffeine in them in the simplest way possible – drinking it black.
What does milk add to our coffee?
My primary reason for every adding milk to coffee has always been for improving the taste. Also, it does something else to the coffee – it adds texture, giving it that nice, creamy, light brown color to our hot brewed coffee as opposed to having a cup of straight black coffee.
But of course, there are other components being added to our coffee as well that we can’t overlook – like additional fat and calories. In fact, a regular eight ounce cup of black coffee can contain as little as four calories. Adding that extra spot of milk or creamer to lighten it up and add flavor? That can be as high as 55 calories. And if you’re an average coffee drinker, who drinks somewhere between three to four cups of coffee daily, with milk/creamer, that can come to an additional 200 calories for the day. Just on the surface, if I was dieting, then cutting back on the amount of milk in my coffee would be something I need to look at.
Perhaps consider low-fat milk or other alternative – especially if you can’t live without that creamy taste, or can’t tolerate the bitter taste of black coffee.
What does creamer add to our coffee?
When it comes to creamer, there’s two types – the cold, liquid that looks like milk that needs to be refrigerated, and the powder version. Personally, I always preferred the liquid creamer, because it’s similar to pouring milk in my coffee, in adding that creamy texture and similar milky taste – anything to keep it from being bland and bitter black coffee!
But is there a difference when it comes to creamer vs milk? Is one healthier than the other?
Well based on the nutritional comparisons below, if it was only a difference between ordinary Whole Milk and your basic half-and-half, then I would say that it doesn’t matter. You would be getting the same about of calories, fat, proteins and sugars from both. But the heavier and sweeter it is, the more calories you get, with even one of my personal favorites – french vanilla – topping off at an average of 40 grams of sugar – Yikes!
But if you chose the healthier alternatives, it wouldn’t cost you too much, with almond milk having only 15 calories and 0 grams of fat for almond milk and the Original Coffee-Mate Creamer.
Does milk ruin your coffee?
That depends on your personal preference, and really what works best for you when it comes to dairy products in general. There’s a few other things to consider when adding milk or creamer to your coffee – other than improving the taste, of course.
Do you struggle with acidity?
Since coffee has a high PH level, adding milk or cream can help balance the PH level, especially if you love the darker roasts over the lighter roasts.
Are you trying to lose weight?
If you’re trying to shed a few pounds, but still craving that cup of coffee, you may want to consider giving up milk or creamer for a while, even the low-fat choices. Black Coffee by itself contains less than 5 calories per cup compared to the extra 40 calories you’ll gain if you continue to add milk and creamer
Conclusion
What are your thoughts? Do you take your coffee black or add milk or creamer?
Resources:
https://foodandhealth.com/coffee-creamer-comparison-chart/
https://www.coffeescience.org/impact-milk-in-coffee-good-bad/
http://www.milkfacts.info/Nutrition Facts/Nutritional Components.htm
