If you always have to add something to your coffee--a shot of this, two shots of that--you're not alone.
Some people just go with the classic options and add straight cream, half-and-half, condensed milk or whole milk. But thanks to the variety of creamers available and the way they make black coffee smooth and flavorful, new creamers tend to be the most popular choices nowadays. But sometimes, those choices come at a price to your well-being.
If you’re stuck on the flavors from creamer brands and can’t imagine your morning cup without them, you should probably know which are the best and worst for your health.
Here's the list of the top seven, compiled by The Daily Meal:
7. Dunkin’ Donuts: Extra Extra
If America runs on Dunkin’ then with this extra creamer, America is running on sugar. With 40 calories and 6 grams of sugar per tablespoon, you’re going to want to pour this dessert-like creamer very lightly or switch to another one.
6. International Delight: French Vanilla
French Vanilla is a classic creamer flavor and one of the most popular, so we had to include this one. International Delight’s French Vanilla is a bit less sugary than their Almond Joy and other candy-infused editions, with 5 grams of sugar in each tablespoon. They have 35 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, as well.
5. Dunkin’ Donuts: Original
This is probably the most popular of the Dunkin' Donuts store brand. And you're in luck, this is actually your least sugary option from the donut retailer. Two grams of sugar and 25 calories await you in every serving. Dunkin’ Donuts makes this particular creamer with skim milk to keep the fat content, just 1 gram, to a minimum.
4. Coffee-Mate: Sugar-Free
Instead of regular sugar or corn syrup — main ingredients in many other creamers on this list — these sugar-free options from Coffee-Mate rely on “corn syrup solids,” a dried out and processed version of sugary corn syrup. This creamer has...
... 15 calories, 1 gram of fat, and lots of extra processed ingredients.
3. Silk Soy Creamer
Soy milk is one of those "healthy" buzz words in the world of food, but you have to read between the lines. Even though Silk’s Original flavor soy creamer has 1 gram of sugar and 20 calories per serving, one must be aware of the other side effects from soy.
2. Coffee-Mate: Original
Coffee-Mate’s Original flavor is a classic creamer that’s been in grocery aisles for ages. It’s held up over time, offering just 20 calories and less than a gram of sugar per serving. It’s a more processed option than some of the others on this list, costing it some of the ranking.
1. So Delicious Coconut Creamer
Coconut milk has less protein than almond milk so far as full beverages go, but coconut milks are almost always lower in calories than soy and almond, and this creamer is no exception. Just 10 calories and less than 1 gram of sugar is in each serving.
So what does all this mean? If you don't like any of the above brands and you’re looking to make your coffee the healthiest drink ever, then you can add 100% almond or 100% coconut milk to your coffee. Or even better yet, do what I do and drink tea (just joking)!