Coffee calories have jumped nearly 40%. Sugar isn't the biggest culprit
A study from Tufts University reveals that the average calorie content in American coffee has risen by 40% since 2003. This increase is primarily driven by the growing use of non-dairy creamers rather than sugar or milk.
Why it matters
Understanding hidden sources of caloric intake is essential for addressing public health issues related to nutrition and diet-related chronic diseases.
Americans are getting more calories from their daily coffee, even though the amount they drink has barely changed. Researchers at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University have identified a surprising reason for the increase: non-dairy creamer, which has overtaken sugar and milk as the largest contributor to added calories in coffee.
The study, published online in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, examined dietary information from 30,000 American adults aged 20 and older. Between 2003 and 2018, average coffee consumption stayed relatively constant at approximately 13 ounces per day. However, the average number of calories consumed from coffee increased from 43 to 60 per day, a rise of nearly 40%. By 2018, the leading sources of added coffee calories were non-dairy creamer, sugar or syrup, and dairy milk.
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