Coffee remains one of Americans' favorite daily rituals, but researchers say that a growing number of drinkers may be overlooking one ingredient that's quietly adding more calories to their morning cup.
Researchers from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University analyzed dietary data from 30,000 U.S. adults and found that while coffee consumption remained largely unchanged between 2003 and 2018, the calories associated with those beverages increased considerably.
According to the National Coffee Association, 66 percent of American adults drink coffee every day, consuming about three cups daily. The findings, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, showed that average coffee intake held steady at around 13 ounces per day over the 15-year period. Meanwhile, calories consumed from coffee rose from 43 kcal per day to 60 kcal per day.
Rashmi Gajree, a U.K.-based registered nutritionist who was not involved in the study, told Newsweek that non-dairy creamers are not inherently bad for health in moderation, but their nutritional value depends on the ingredients they contain.
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What's Adding the Most Calories?
To understand the change, researchers examined data from eight cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2018. They categorized coffee beverages and analyzed the ingredients being added to them.
The most common additions in 2018 were dairy milk, non-dairy creamer and sugar. However, one ingredient emerged as the biggest contributor to the increase in calories.
Consumption of non-dairy additions rose from an average of 3.65 grams per day to 10.5 grams per day over the study period. The largest increases were seen in non-dairy creamer and non-dairy milk.
By 2018, non-dairy creamer contributed an estimated 18.5 calories per day to coffee intake, surpassing both sugar, which contributed 16 calories, and dairy milk, which contributed 11 calories. In comparison, non-dairy creamer contributed just 7.71 calories per day in 2003.
"We found that non-dairy creamer being added to coffee has now passed both sugar and dairy for its contribution to the total energy consumed from coffee. Non-dairy creamers can be high in saturated fat, which is calorie dense. This could explain the increased calories that non-dairy creamer is contributing," said Yongyi Pan, the study's lead author and a Ph.D. candidate at the Friedman School.
"Even though it has been on the market since the 1950s, non-dairy creamer has increased in popularity in recent years as consumers seek plant-based or dairy alternatives," Pan added.
Gajree told Newsweek: "Liquid calories may not be very filling. A creamer adds energy without much protein or fiber, so it could leave someone reaching for a snack sooner."
Coffee's Health Halo
Coffee has frequently been linked to health benefits, but researchers say those potential benefits should be considered alongside what consumers are adding to their drinks.
"Coffee consumption has been associated with several health benefits. However, coffee is often accompanied by the addition of sugar and cream, which can contribute to an increased consumption of calories from added sugar and saturated fat," said Fang Fang Zhang, the senior author of the study and Neely Family Professor at the Friedman School.
"The more we know about what people are consuming, the better we can understand the link between nutrition and overall health," Zhang said.
Notably, researchers found no significant changes in the amounts of dairy milk or sugar being added to coffee during the study period. Consumption of black coffee and coffee without additions also remained stable. The biggest shift came from the growing popularity of non-dairy options.
The Americans Drinking the Most Coffee
The study also identified differences in coffee consumption based on lifestyle factors.
Researchers found that adults who slept fewer hours or worked longer hours consumed more coffee than those who got more sleep or worked shorter hours. Coffee consumption was also similar among people with both high- and low-quality diets.
The findings suggest that while Americans have not significantly changed how much coffee they drink, what goes into those cups is evolving. And increasingly, it is non-dairy creamers, rather than sugar, that are adding the most calories to the nation's favorite caffeinated beverage.
How to Make Better Coffee Choices
Gajree told Newsweek that you don't have to give up your coffee ritual but you can improve your coffee choices.
"Small swaps could be a simple place to start," she said.
She recommended:
- Read the ingredient list, not just the front of the pack, and choose unsweetened options with fewer ingredients.
- Add flavor with a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla instead of extra sugar.
- Try having coffee with or after breakfast rather than on an empty stomach.
- Measure your usual portion for a week and pay attention to how your energy, cravings and digestion respond.
- If you experience bloating or discomfort, change one ingredient at a time to identify the cause.
Reference
Pan Y, Zhou B, Zhang F Trends in the Consumption of Coffee and Coffee Additions Among U.S. Adults Aged 20+ Years, The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2018 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2026.
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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Paul Donnelley.