The Calorie Culprit: Coffee Creamer

I use half and half. There is fat free half and half out there. I use both. I have cut way down from what I used before. I enjoy my coffee (it's the only thing I drink besides water). I've tried giving up my half and half but couldn't. So, I cut down-gradually.

I've switched to the sugar free coffee creamers. They are 15 calories per TBS vs 30. I usually don't fix a second cup of coffee. If I want more coffee, I'll drink my cup about halfway or so, and top it off with more coffee, and not actually add any more creamer. I will do this 'til I feel like I have had enough coffee, lol.

I've slowly weaned myself off of sugar sweetened coffee and now I'm trying to do the same with my half n' half. It's slow but worth it.

I stopped drinking coffee and then said why. So, I started drinking it again and I use creamer too..I must have the french vanilla powdered stuff whereas I used to drink the International delight, and so the new creamer is about 30 calories. So what gives with this useless post? We'll, I am not giving up something I think that I want more than I need, so I gave up some other items instead...just giving up one other habit equalized it out for me. So try that...give up a donut or a candy bar or some other item that you can live without. Also, if it fits in your plan for daily intake.....don't give it up, there is no reason to give it up. I must go now, I have gone three minutes without my fix....feeling a little jittery.

I don’t count my coffee cals. But I don’t use creamer either. I do a splash of almond or cashew milk, and some truvia. The calories are negligible.

I didn't read all the responses so this has probably already been said, but I was just like you. I loved a little coffee flavor in my sugar cream. I could almost drink it straight. I slowly backed off how much I used then switched to a tasty flavored coffee and used plain whole milk. Eventually I went to really good dark roast coffee with just a splash of milk.

It took time to make the transition but now I can't hardly stand sweetness in my coffee.

I also realized that as much as anything I was covering up the bitter unpleasant taste of bad coffee. I started batch making cold brew good quality coffee. In the morning I put about 2 ounces in my mug and pour hot water over it and add the milk. It's so much tastier than anything I used to drink. I cannot abide by dip coffee now. It's either cold brew or espresso for me.

That may not be the case with you, but it's something to consider.

I certainly would not give up my joe!

pamfin wrote: »

As someone said above, this must be a US thing, because I don't think we have flavoured coffee creamer in the UK (although I have been offered regular cream before). I'm curious to know how you actually taste the coffee with the flavoured creamer in it?

I buy decent roasted beans and have it with just a little bit of semi skimmed milk. Because I don't drink much of it in a day, I want to really taste the coffee.

No, it tastes like creamer, lol. I never heard of that until recently honestly. Always just used sugar in France, sometimes milk, and I typically just used half and half and sugar after (now it's black, with milk when I want it less hot). At least half and half has some fat in it... while creamer is mostly sugar.

Anyway, OP, just start putting less creamer.

I totally feel you on the creamer. I like a lot of cream in my coffee. I put let’s say 1-2 ounces of milk - maybe 2% since milk fat is an essential flavor in coffee for me. I do not like skim. This covers the bulk of the creamy need for about 30 calories. And then I add about 1 tablespoon of the flavored creamer (or half and half, I do not always sweeten my coffee). So that makes it more like 50-60 calories.

I like to use a it more milk to get the appropriate creaminess and it gets you more calcium too. But I also top it off with the creamer.

kimny72 wrote: »

Creamer is kind of a catch all term now in the US for any random thing you put in coffee to lighten it. It can be powder or liquid, dairy or non-dairy, flavored or not. My parents ask for creamer in restaurants to get those little disposable cups of half & half. The dairy aisle has a whole section of refrigerated bottles of flavored "creamers" which are all basically flavored milk or cream.

And of course you can taste the coffee, assuming you don't add several servings to each cup. When I add chocolate to PB I can still taste both. When I add strawberries to my lemonade I can still taste both. When I add a little vanilla creamer to my coffee I taste coffee and vanilla.

And what's "half and half"? We don't have that here either.

I notice Americans (not all) seem to like a few calories with their calories. Sir, one tiny wafer-thin calorie?

Orphia wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Creamer is kind of a catch all term now in the US for any random thing you put in coffee to lighten it. It can be powder or liquid, dairy or non-dairy, flavored or not. My parents ask for creamer in restaurants to get those little disposable cups of half & half. The dairy aisle has a whole section of refrigerated bottles of flavored "creamers" which are all basically flavored milk or cream.

And of course you can taste the coffee, assuming you don't add several servings to each cup. When I add chocolate to PB I can still taste both. When I add strawberries to my lemonade I can still taste both. When I add a little vanilla creamer to my coffee I taste coffee and vanilla.

And what's "half and half"? We don't have that here either.

I notice Americans (not all) seem to like a few calories with their calories. Sir, one tiny wafer-thin calorie?

As kimny said, half milk, half cream. If it helps, it's about 10% fat by weight, compared to 20% fat by weight for what's called light cream or table cream or coffee cream in the States. Or about 20 kcal per tablespoon for half and half, compared to about 30 kcal per tablespoon for table cream. It's not flavored or sweetened -- just a regular dairy product of a particular fat percentage.

I use 2 ounces of Fairlife whole milk in my coffee. Makes it plenty creamy enough and less than 40 calories.[/quote]

Me too! I use 1/8 cup for 20 calories. Fairlife is somehow processed for higher protein content, and I find it's actually creamier than regular whole milk.

I like the International Delight creamers too. I measure out 1Tbsp of creamer and 1Tbsp of skim milk. Still get the flavor of the creamer, but not all the calories of 2 Tbsp.

I stir a serving of chocolate whey protein into my coffee. I have been doing this the last couple of weeks, and I feel like it really makes a difference. For one, no more coffee creamer. Plus, it's 24g of protein which curbs my appetite against snacking here and there later in the day.

***Note: You have to be careful about how you add it or you will get a disgusting, lumpy mess. Pour the coffee into the mug first, and then slowly pour the protein powder in while stirring constantly.

It tastes like a "poor man's mocha," similar to pouring in a hot cocoa packet but without all the sugar. I hope this is helpful for you! I haven't touched the coffee creamer in my fridge since switching over.