How to cut down on sugar in my coffee?

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  • maineapple
    maineapple Posts: 133 Member
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    tomatoey wrote: »
    No idea, I can't do this and retain my quality of life.

    Agree 100%. One thing I will NOT give up is coffee with half & half in it. I have tried to drink black coffee in the past and it really upset my stomach, and started staining my teeth. I cannot stand the fat free half & half so I just count the calories for this daily. I have 2 cups in the morning with 2 Tbsns in each cup and this amounts to 80 calories. For me it is not something I am willing to give up. I can easily incorporate these calories into my daily caloric intake as well. Good luck.
  • T_X_L
    T_X_L Posts: 140 Member
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    Like others, I recommend just going cold turkey. I think one has to deprogram themselves into thinking coffee is a sweet beverage. You certainly have far less tolerance for crap coffee. Having said that, I did put some 18% cream and real sugar in coffee yesterday, but I did try it black first. As well, it was a reset day (gotta keep fooling your body), so I wasn't worried about calories.
  • emlynley
    emlynley Posts: 7 Member
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    I used to love those creamers too, till I realized it's mostly chemicals. Now I add a non-dairy milk like coconut milk or cashew milk (soy milk isn't creamy enough to feel satisfying). I use a little bit of raw sugar or agave nectar. I think it's less important to cut out sugar than to cut out the fake stuff in those creamers. Try mixing half your creamer with half of cashew milk or a vanilla nut milk for a couple of days, then maybe 1/4 to 3/4, then try to cut out your creamer entirely. Even some regular milk is healthier than the flavored creamers.

    Since I do like the flavors, I find it better to use a coffee with a bit of flavor like gingerbread spice or cinnabon. You could also try adding some chai to your coffee (say a Tazo chai tea bag for a minute or two) to get some natural sources of flavoring. When I do that I add less raw sugar.

    Maybe one of those ideas will work for you.
  • 3AAnn3
    3AAnn3 Posts: 3,055 Member
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    Sweeten it with Xylitol - can't tell a difference taste wise and less calories and gylcemic impact than sugar. Then you can switch over to erythritol - it's less sweet but doesn't have calories and has a pretty good flavor.
  • kalislim
    kalislim Posts: 58 Member
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    Im like you, I like it sweet too but hate the artificial sweeteners. I recently stopped the added sugar since the flavored creamers have sugar in it already. Your taste buds will acclimate, you'll see.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    edited June 2015
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    First I stopped using the flavored syrup and used 3 packets of sugar in the raw. Then I just eliminated one and said "enough is enough". I have nothing against sugar, but really I don't NEED 3. You get used to how sweet something tastes. Now two tastes plenty sweet and honestly it only took me about 5 days to get used to it. I aim for two tablespoons of half and half. I don't always get to measure, but I have, and eyeball it okay now. Sometimes when I feel like I'm getting out of control with it I'll give it a measure to make sure I'm staying on track.

    Also sometimes I will just get this compulsion to grab the simple syrup after I've added my sugar. When I'm doing it I'm usually thinking I'm not going to log it, it's fine. But I end up always going back into my diary and adding a bit for it. Just keeps me on track as far as logging goes, more than anything.

    Also, since I've been doing this, if I were to add the flavored creamer you mentioned, there is no WAY I would need sugar added as well. Trust me, I added sugar with it when I was younger so I know how it goes, but really that stuff is very very sweet.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I prefer my coffee with about two tablespoons of Coffeemate. I will also sometimes drink it with just half n half or black. But it just isn't right without my extra sweet n creamy. So instead of giving up what I love I just don't drink as much coffee. I usually have 1-2 cups a day and then stick to water or tea which I like without any added sugar or cream.
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
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    4 cups every morning here !!!! Love my coffee.
    I take it with 2% and 1t sugar. I have cut down on the sugar.
    Just do a little less each week.
    I will refill my cup and sometimes skip the milk and sugar...warm up refill
    To me the calories are worth it... it has to be something I can do forever, not just during weight loss. I tried the sugar substitutes and they were ok but not for me.
    I find myself refilling my cup and not adding anything to it, which is helping cut down on the sugar. But the first cup is full on.
  • brendak76
    brendak76 Posts: 241 Member
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    I went from using a flavored creamer every day to half and half with sugar. I did that for a long time then elimated the sugar and just used half and half. Then I got a Keurig one year for Xmas and the coffee was so much better than my generic brew coffee that I switched to black. I quit using the Keurig and now grind my own beans and have been drinking only black coffee for years now. It was a gradual transition.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    Go to your local roaster and get the good stuff! It'll be easier to drink without all the extra stuff in it.

    I used to like that stuff too but I just stopped buying it. You get used to it eventually, then you start to like it ;) I use coconut creamer in mine now. It's like 10 calories/teaspoon.
  • barryplumber
    barryplumber Posts: 401 Member
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    I use to take 2 heaping spoonfulls i cut half a spoon at at time, now down to 1/4 spoon but just can't get rid of that last 1/4.
  • Monklady123
    Monklady123 Posts: 512 Member
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    Lots of good tips, thanks very much. -- One thing though...a couple of you seemed to think I was adding sugar TO the sweetened coffee creamer. Um no... I do like my coffee sweet but not that sweet! :wink:

    I think for tomorrow I'll try some half-and-half and sugar. I'm going to go see the calories in those things and see if it's less than what I'm using in flavored creamer. Then I'll go from there. -- I am going to cut down though, because as several of you said I'd rather eat those calories than drink them.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
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    A little late to the game, but the Hubster sometimes prefers to put in a quarter cup or so of 2% in his coffee to get the creamy taste without as many calories.

    We normally also use the flavored creamers. Right now we have the "Natural Bliss" (gag me) Cinnamon Cream. I wanted the cinnamon flavor without the pretentiousness, but had to settle. It is at least tasty. ;)
  • Meorainthemaking
    Meorainthemaking Posts: 22 Member
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    I use half and half and add organic almond extract (amaretto flavor) if I'm feeling sophisticated. The only sweetener I use is honey.

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