Takeaway coffee

xmissxamyx
xmissxamyx Posts: 70 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This is basically a staple in my diet 3-4 times a week I stop off at a cafe and buy a large skinny cappuccino but I always have trouble when it comes to logging coffee because there's like 5000000 different types in the database and for a 500ml cup (which is what my coffee is) calories can range from like 80 to 180 for the same drink!

So what do you guys think the average amount of calories would be in 500ml of coffee with skim milk? What do you count your coffee as?

Replies

  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited May 2018
    I guess it depends what they put in it and how much.
    I get take out coffee every morning. I get black or maybe 2 half and half so it's easy enough to log for me .
    I'm not sure what they put in your order though. Is there any sweeteners or sugar? Whole milk or cream? Or is it always skim milk?
    Any flavorings?
  • strongwouldbenice
    strongwouldbenice Posts: 153 Member
    I would try and see which brand and type of milk your barista is using and then log around 440ml of that.
  • xmissxamyx
    xmissxamyx Posts: 70 Member
    It's always just either a straight up cappuccino no sugar no flavourings nothing fancy or a straight latte same deal no sugar no flavours no full cream milk...im not sure what half & half even is and definitely no cream.

    I thought I was on to it when I started checking out what milk my regular cafe was using but I went there earlier this week and noticed that it wasn't the same brand as last week so they obviously change brands I suppose whatever is cheaper that week. Even so though I dont always go to the same place so each place is likely to use different milks.

    It just does my head in that there can be such a variation for such a simple everyday thing
  • rj0150684
    rj0150684 Posts: 227 Member
    If it’s just a regular medium (16oz or about 500ml) coffee with skim milk (no sugar, no flavorings, not a latte, etc), it should be less than 50 calories. 100ml of skim milk is 35-40 calories and I’d be shocked if it was more than 1/5th milk.

    Also, half and half is half light cream, half whole milk.
  • rj0150684
    rj0150684 Posts: 227 Member
    h1udd wrote: »
    it isnt though .. its a cappaccino or latte ... the latter its going to be a double shot of espresso (60g) topped up with steamed milk (~440ish ml) .. so nearer 180calories

    slightly less if its a cappaccino as they should be frothing half that milk so more volume, less milk

    Yeah, I completely missed that part of the original post.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    if it helps, a basic skinny latte has been pretty consistently 150 calories wherever i go with similar make up
  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
    I’d log it as about 415 ml of whatever type of milk they’re using (most likely skim milk if they call it “skinny” but not necessarily).
  • strongwouldbenice
    strongwouldbenice Posts: 153 Member
    Yeah, depending on where you're located ~most~ places will use either skim or light milk, so just see what seems to be the trend and log your preferred brand every time.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    mbaker566 wrote: »
    if it helps, a basic skinny latte has been pretty consistently 150 calories wherever i go with similar make up

    Lattes have typically more milk than cappuccinos though. I'd log it at 100 calories and call it a day (it's 80 calories at Starbucks for a 16oz skim cappuccino).
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,092 Member
    h1udd wrote: »
    it isnt though .. its a cappaccino or latte ... the latter its going to be a double shot of espresso (60g) topped up with steamed milk (~440ish ml) .. so nearer 180calories

    slightly less if its a cappaccino as they should be frothing half that milk so more volume, less milk

    Doesn't steaming it make it frothy, so that 440 ml of steamed milk might have started out as 250 ml of cold liquid nonfat milk, which is more like 80 kcal? When I faux froth milk at home (shake in a jar and then microwave), it about doubles in volume -- sometimes more if I shake longer and pour it quickly after nuking.
  • Pastaprincess1978
    Pastaprincess1978 Posts: 371 Member
    I've been in China for nearly 2 yrs - they don't do takeaway coffee like in the west. At home I can get a small flat white for 80cents AUD. I miss it so badly - I salute you takeaway coffee drinkers!!
  • xmissxamyx
    xmissxamyx Posts: 70 Member
    SEE look at the confusion here! Takeways coffee should not be that complicated :p
    I think I'll just stick to about 180-200cals for the coffee I have, sticking with the idea that it's better to over estimate intake than under estimate.
    Really I should get in to the habit of making my coffee at home in my reuseable take-away cup and taking that to work with me. That would save me a heck of a lot of confusion not to mention ca$h money!.....But I'm not that much of an organised individual as of yet.
  • xmissxamyx
    xmissxamyx Posts: 70 Member
    Pastaprincess1978 wrote: »
    I've been in China for nearly 2 yrs - they don't do takeaway coffee like in the west. At home I can get a small flat white for 80cents AUD. I miss it so badly - I salute you takeaway coffee drinkers!!

    I spent time in Japan and ugh the struggle to find a decent coffee is REAL! I got sick of green tea REALLY quick! There was like 1 chain restaurant that did an alright cup I'd go out of my way to try and find the nearest store in whatever city I ended up in.

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