What’s the Healthiest Coffee Creamer?
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There was a time when coffee was simple. The only additions to a cup of joe were milk and sugar. Today, as you stand in front of the supermarket shelves sizing up the options, you couldn’t be blamed for suffering a bout of decision fatigue. There are powders, pumps, all kinds of nondairy options, and flavors that run the gamut from classic vanilla and hazelnut to Mean Girls Pink Frosting.
So, are any of these options actually better for you than cow’s milk? Even oat milk, which had a long reign as a health food, recently came under fire, with social media posts claiming it will spike your blood sugar. Flavored creamers can have lots of added sugars, and then there are the emulsifiers, stabilizers, and preservatives that keep these products fresh and uncurdled in hot coffee.
With so many coffee add-ins to choose from, it can be tricky to figure out which is the healthiest coffee creamer. Here’s a closer look at the options, plus two easy recipes for making your own coffee creamer and cold foam without all the junk.
Different Kinds of Coffee Creamers
Coffee creamers break down into four main categories:
- Basic dairy — milk, cream, and half-and-half
- Basic nondairy — unsweetened almond, oat, soy, and coconut milk
- Powders — nonperishable products, plain or flavored
- Liquids — coffee-specific flavored products made from either dairy or nondairy ingredients
In general, the simpler the product, the better, says Grace Derocha, a registered dietitian-nutritionist based in Detroit. “Basic dairy and nondairy options are best, meaning minimal ingredients and no added or very little added sugar,” she says. “Reading the ingredient list is very helpful in this process.”
When Is Coffee Creamer Bad for You?
Here are some of the ingredients in coffee creamer you may want to be aware of, especially if you tend to overpour.
Sugar and Other Sweeteners
As for the claims about oat milk spiking blood sugar, Derocha says it’s not likely to be a problem as long as the oat milk doesn’t contain added sugars. All milk and milk substitutes have natural sugars — lactose in cow’s milk, maltose in oat milk. And in a vacuum, these could theoretically raise blood sugar. But without added sugars driving up the total amount of sugar, those natural sugars are very unlikely to spike your blood sugar, especially if the creamer contains fat or protein, both of which help prevent blood sugar spikes. “What a person eats with their coffee will also impact whether blood sugar is elevated or not,” says Derocha. An oat milk latte with a cinnamon bun will spike your blood sugar, while a cappuccino paired with an omelet won’t.
A healthy person choosing unsweetened oat milk as coffee creamer most likely will not experience any unusual blood sugar activity.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
If there are fewer than 0.5 g of saturated fat in a serving, the label can legally claim “0 grams saturated fat.” A serving of powdered coffee creamer is technically only 2 g. So powdered creamer could be up to 25 percent saturated fat without having to include a number of grams of saturated fat on the nutrition label.
“It is so important to be aware of serving sizes, because of the different rules regarding what must be listed on the nutrition label,” says Derocha. “Be diligent by reading the nutrition facts carefully. Knowledge is power.”
Dipotassium Phosphate
Carrageenan
Gellan and Other Gums
Are There Any Benefits to Coffee Creamer?
As long as you’re not lactose intolerant, any minimally processed, unsweetened dairy product is a perfectly healthy option. “It adds some calcium and protein to your coffee,” says Derocha. She’s also in favor of nondairy milks without added sugars and with minimal ingredient lists.
What About Cold Foam?
If you’ve ever seen an eye-catching iced coffee drink topped with a fluffy white cloud on social media, you’re familiar with cold foam. Widely popularized by Starbucks when the company introduced it, in 2018, cold foam is now everywhere: coffee shops, home kitchens — Reddi-Wip even makes a version in a can.
Cold foam, at its simplest, is just milk that’s been made fluffy by forcing air into the liquid. You can do this with a handheld electric milk frother, French press, or even by shaking milk vigorously in a jar. It’s like the more traditional cappuccino foam, which is frothed with steam to make it hot. With cold foam, just air (no heat) is used to make it closer in temperature to iced or cold beverages.
Cold foam will be exactly as healthy as the ingredients used to make it, according to Derocha. Start with low-fat milk, and you’ve got a healthy creamer. Start with a sugar-filled packaged creamer, and it’s not so great. Your best bet is to use an affordable, healthy, homemade cold foam.
A Healthy Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipe
Whether you prefer a cold foam, a dairy-free creamer, or something a little sweet and flavored, it’s healthier to make your own. Not only will you avoid any suspect ingredients, you’ll also save money and avoid the plastic packaging that comes with buying creamers at the store.
Everyday Health’s own registered dietitian-nutritionist Kelly Kennedy came up with two simple DIY recipes for coffee creamer and cold foam, so you can enjoy your next cup worry free.
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