How to cut down on sugar in my coffee?

Monklady123 · June 2015

Can we talk about coffee? (I did a search but didn't see my exact question...not sure that search feature works well)

Anyway, I use the International Delights creamers, various flavors depending on my mood. I like my coffee creamy and sweet. I know I could cut out some calories and sugar if I could cut this down. I can't imagine EVER drinking it totally black, but maybe with half-and-half and a lesser amount of regular sugar? But I do like the flavors...

For those of you who started out loving sweet and creamy coffee what have been your success stories to cut back on the sugar in your coffee?

Oh and p.s., no I'm not giving up coffee! For a few days I tried hot tea, because for some reason I don't mind tea with just a little bit of sugar. But no... I love tea, but its place is later in the day NOT first thing in the morning. lol

markiend · June 2015

I got down from 2.5 teaspoons of sugar to 1 and a sweetener. I always have had a very small dash of full cream milk but my coffee is good quality and important. I don't have many treats.. my coffees are part of the few though

isulo_kura · June 2015

Just go cold Turkey. Years ago when I was at University in the house I used to share we used to constantly run out of sugar. So in the end I just stopped using it. It'd weird to start with but after a while you just get used to it and don't go back. I personally think the 'cutting down' idea doesn't get you off the idea of sweet coffee so you still always want it.

Alternatively just work it into your daily calories

DawnieB1977 · June 2015

I used to put 2 heaped spoons of sugar in my coffee, then about 8 years ago I decided to cut it out completely. I got used to it really fast. Now I just have coffee with a small bit of milk. You really start to appreciate coffee more when you don't have it sweet. I make sure I have decent coffee. We have Nescafé Azera or Carte Noire instinct. I can't stand cheap coffee.

rachelbouc · June 2015

If you don't mind try switching to a fat free and sugar free creamer. International Delight makes a line of them. Usually I use 2 splendas (for 16 oz) and about 1/4 c of either whole milk or 1% milk depending on if I'm out somewhere or at home. I did get to the point where I could use 1 sugar packet and 1/4 c milk.

Monklady123 · June 2015

rachelbouc wrote: »

If you don't mind try switching to a fat free and sugar free creamer. International Delight makes a line of them. Usually I use 2 splendas (for 16 oz) and about 1/4 c of either whole milk or 1% milk depending on if I'm out somewhere or at home. I did get to the point where I could use 1 sugar packet and 1/4 c milk.

I've tried those sugar-free/fat-free creamers and don't like them at all. But your idea about using whole milk plus splenda is good, I might try that. I think I need the creaminess as much as the sweetness which is why the fat-free creamers don't work for me. But whole milk or even half-and-half plus the splenda could work. I've never used splenda... does it have a real artificial sweetener aftertaste? I'm not sure what all the different artificial sweeteners are but the one that's in Diet Coke is good - I have one of those every once in awhile especially in the hot summer and it tastes pretty good.

jonnybhoy · June 2015

isulo_kura wrote: »

Just go cold Turkey. Years ago when I was at University in the house I used to share we used to constantly run out of sugar. So in the end I just stopped using it. It'd weird to start with but after a while you just get used to it and don't go back. I personally think the 'cutting down' idea doesn't get you off the idea of sweet coffee so you still always want it.

Alternatively just work it into your daily calories

I would second this, I got myself to love good black coffee - means minimal hassle when out and about and I get the full flavour of the coffee.

Best thing I have bought in last 5 years is my bean to cup machine

GalaxyPants · June 2015

People are recommending sweeteners, but make sure you go for the natural ones if you do.. i.e stevia. Oooor you could look into other coffee beans which say they have more caramel like tones (they seem sweeter!)

tomatoey · June 2015

No idea, I can't do this and retain my quality of life.

professionalHobbyist · June 2015

I use a half teaspoon of refined coconut oil and a half teaspoon of heavy cream, and some apple pie spice added to the coffee grounds when making the coffee. It just takes a bit of the bite off. It does not really taste like apple pie.

I have used some Splenda

But I quit and that was about 6 months ago.

I do notice cheap bitter coffee is unbearable. I just don't drink coffee if it is old gas station coffee that had been sitting for 2 hours and needs flavored creamer and sugar injection to choke it down!

rachelbouc · June 2015

Monklady123 wrote: »

rachelbouc wrote: »

If you don't mind try switching to a fat free and sugar free creamer. International Delight makes a line of them. Usually I use 2 splendas (for 16 oz) and about 1/4 c of either whole milk or 1% milk depending on if I'm out somewhere or at home. I did get to the point where I could use 1 sugar packet and 1/4 c milk.

I've tried those sugar-free/fat-free creamers and don't like them at all. But your idea about using whole milk plus splenda is good, I might try that. I think I need the creaminess as much as the sweetness which is why the fat-free creamers don't work for me. But whole milk or even half-and-half plus the splenda could work. I've never used splenda... does it have a real artificial sweetener aftertaste? I'm not sure what all the different artificial sweeteners are but the one that's in Diet Coke is good - I have one of those every once in awhile especially in the hot summer and it tastes pretty good.

Honestly at this point I'm too accustomed to Splenda to really know that it does. When I suspect really sugar in something I have to have someone else taste it. But to me it's the one that tastes closest to sugar. Stevia and sweet n low have a pretty bad aftertaste and I can only use about half the packet in my coffee which sometimes doesn't make it sweet enough. I sweetener that's in diet coke is aspartame which is basically equal so you may want to try that. You can probably go to a gas station and pick up a few packs of each to try. I was also doing a splenda/sugar mixture for awhile. Believe it or not there is low fat half and half out there. Or make your own by blending some milk and light cream together.

Snip8241 · June 2015

We buy 100% arabica coffee...medium roast. (Dunkin donuts). We gradually reduced the amount of sugar and use half and half. It is an acquired taste but you can do it. Dark roast coffee is too bitter for us.
Logging all the calories from sugar and coffee creamers, we realized the calories were better spent elsewhere.
You can do this. ☕️

snickerscharlie · June 2015

I was the original triple-triple girl, and giving up that morning cuppa was so NOT an option. Dem's fightin' words!

First week I went from 3 t of sugar to 2 plus one packet of Stevia in the Raw. Reduced my cream from 3 glugs of Table Cream to 3 of 1/2 and 1/2.

Each week I gradually cut down until I now take it with no sugar at all, but with 2 packets of Stevia and I small glug of Light Cream.

I've absolutely *hated* the taste of artificial sweeteners in the past and refused to use them. The Stevia is definitely a big improvement, and it's plant-derived. I keep some in my purse when we go out, because restaurants still only offer the "other" sugar substitutes.

I never thought it would happen, but my taste buds have definitely adjusted. Had a sip of coffee made my old way last week, and it didn't taste as amazing as I thought it would. Yay!

I think it comes down to how you want to spend some of your caloric allotment each day. I quickly discovered that I'd much rather eat my calories than drink them, so this has worked well for me.

courtneylykins5 · June 2015

You sound like me. My whole day goes wrong without my morning cup. I fully agree with drinking only good coffee, whatever your definition of good happens to be. I have gone from four or five cups a day to one. The quality is important. Then cut your amounts of creamer and sugar down to what you consider acceptable right away. You'd be amazed how quickly even that becomes almost too sweet.

earlnabby · June 2015

I bought myself a carton of half and half and just started using that. Within a couple of days, I didn't even want the other stuff. No reason to go for it gradually, just do it and get used to it.

JoRocka · June 2015

> you can drink less cups a day.
> just start using less and less sugar.

I started using less sugar when I worked in construction b/c it was to hard to stir the sugar- so I sort of transitioned to milk/creamer- then at some point I just gave up on that to because quiet honestly- I'm lazy.

Francl27 · June 2015

I went to black cold turkey, and it wasn't as bad as I thought. I need my coffee, and I want more calories to eat my food, not drink it. It's all about what you want to spend your calories on.

Toadstool_ · June 2015

I cut down gradually - from 2 spoons to 1 spoon, when used to that cut down to half a spoon and when used to that just cut it out. Can't stand coffee / tea with sugar in now! I've always had my coffee black anyway.

Leslierussell4134 · June 2015

I use a liquid stevia I bought from whole foods, it was on sale for $6. The bottle is lasting forever because I only use about 6 drops in something hot, a little more in cold stuff. Hoesntly no bad aftertaste. The powders were terrible and bitter, couldn't stand it. I'm used to it now and successfully gave up suagr in my coffe. (Used to put 2 to3 sugar in the raw packs for each cup.) And I drink coffee all times of the day, about 2 to 3 cups/day.