How much Cream and Sugar to put in your coffee to make it super healthy?

How much Cream and Sugar to put in your coffee to make it super healthy?

Introduction: 

How do you like your coffee? I would say “Strong”, but that is not the answer for many people. With the increasing popularity of decaffeinated coffees, let us review this popular question of how much cream and sugar to be added to your coffee to make it healthy. 

 

What is Cream in Coffee? 

While most people like adding Milk to their coffee, adding cream is also an option, the cream is usually richer than Milk and has a velvety texture. If you want your coffee to look richer and lustrous, the cream is the way to go. Three types of creams are available.

  • Heavy cream ( Contains 36% of milk fat) 
  • Light cream ( Contains approximately 20% of milk fat)
  • Half and half ( Usually around 10% of milk fat) 

 

Is Milk different from cream in coffee? 

 

Yes, it is. Milk is undoubtedly different from cream. The cream has more fat and gives your coffee a different kind of thickness. It also makes a calorie-dense coffee. The density of the cream is equal to the density of fat which is approximately 0.9, the density of Milk is more than 1, so you always see the cream floating over the Milk due to lesser density.

 

Why do we add Milk or cream to the coffee? 

 

Though black coffee has its flavor, most people feel that Milk or cream adds a little body to the coffee. It also makes it more palatable. Coffee is usually bitter and adding Milk or cream to the coffee softens the taste and adds flavor. 

How much sugar and cream to be put in coffee? 

 

The amount of sugar and cream to be put in coffee depends on the personal taste. But to make it healthy, you would need to make some tweaks to your taste. As per the design of experiments, the taste of coffee would depend on the amount of sugar to be put in the coffee. Starbucks’ standard ratio of coffee to Creamer is 1 cup to ¼ cup creamer, sugar to your taste. 

 

If you want to make it healthier, adding half and half is better than the heavy cream. It is less processed and contains healthy fats. Adding low-fat milk to your coffee is also a better option. 

 

Sugars usually come in packs of 1 teaspoon or 4 grams, most of us use 2 packets of sugar to get that coffee taste right. In general, you can say that 20 to 25 ml of cream and two sachets of sugar should make a good combination of a 200 ml coffee mug. 

 

How do sugar and cream affect caffeine in coffee?

Coffee is stronger or lighter based on the types of coffee beans used to make the roast. Caffeine is present in coffee, and nowadays, a new version of coffee i.e. decaffeinated coffee, is available in the market too, it is termed decaf. Though they remove 95% of coffee, some amount is still left in the beans as its inherent nature. Sugar and Milk do not reduce the caffeine content, but they surely lessen the effect of the caffeine. 

 

How Many Calories in Coffee with Cream and sugar? 

 

Dark coffee is a low-calorie beverage. The calories increase as you add each substance to the coffee. 

 

Here are the calorie details of each type of coffee: 

 

Dark coffee – 5 calories, One sugar packet – 20 calories, Cream 1 tablespoons – 55 calories. 

 

If you add up, it will result in 240-300 calories for having a coffee with cream twice a day. 

 

Dark coffee with 1 tablespoon of cream and 1 sachet of white sugar (4 gms) equals 55 calories plus 15 calories that amounts to 80 calories.

 If you have a similar cup of coffee thrice a day, add up the number of calories three times that is 240 calories. 

 

Here is a list of the type of coffee in Starbucks and the calories for a standard 16 oz drink:

Americano – 15 Calories

Cafe Latte – 220 Calories.

Cafe Mocha – 290 Calories.

Cafe Mocha (Whipped Cream )- 360 Calories.

Cappuccino – 140 Calories

 

How to make coffee healthier?

 

Drinking four cups of coffee reduces body fat by 4%, says a recent study by Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health Researchers. It has been used as the best pre-workout to enhance exercise performance for years. It is a good stimulant that provides you with energy. Here are some essential tenets that should help make your cuppa healthier. 

  • Drink coffee way before the evening. Do not have coffee after 4 pm to avoid any disturbances to sleep. 
  • Watch out for what is being added to your coffee. If you are a connoisseur of this wonderful beverage then coffee tastes the best without additives.
  • To make it better and healthier, add a small amount of coconut oil or clarified butter to enhance the taste and satiety. If your stomach is sensitive, then it is better to have your coffee with the best possible low-fat Creamer to reduce the effect of caffeine.  

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What does adding cream to coffee do?

Coffee is bitter, adding cream enhances the texture and makes it palatable. The proteins in Milk reduce the bitter taste by binding to tannins, polyphenolic compounds. 

 

Does Creamer weaken coffee?

The answer is no! The Creamer or sugar does not weaken the caffeine content of the coffee. They would not reduce the impact that coffee would have on the body, Creamer makes the coffee palatable and rich.

 

Does cream slow the absorption of caffeine?

Cream would not slow down the absorption of caffeine. The function of cream or milk in coffee is to make it more palatable and to give it a richer texture. 

 

What is the perfect coffee to creamer ratio?

The perfect coffee to creamer ratio is the one that suits you and your taste palate. Less cream would make the coffee strong, more cream would make it richer. 

 

What is the ratio of coffee to sugar?

The coffee to sugar ratio is dependent on personal choice. Adding 2 (8gms) sugar packets to 200-250 ml of coffee is a general observation.

Conclusion 

In the above article, we tried to answer how much sugar and cream to be added to the coffee to make it healthier. Here, the frequently asked questions are also discussed.

Coffee is the world’s most popular beverage, with numerous types available in the market. Having it with cream and sugar would enhance its texture and richness. Black coffee is a natural fat burner and is a recommended pre-workout drink for fitness enthusiasts. 

 

References:

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/four-cups-of-coffee-modest-loss-of-body-fat/

https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/the-five-best-coffee-shops-in-the-world

 

Related articles: 

Lose Weight With Clean Eating

Snehal Joshi
mugdhaaa@gmail.com

Snehal is a Certified Nutrition Coach by National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is writing about her persuits of Nutrition Science since last 4 years.

No Comments

Post A Comment