Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, in large part due to its caffeine content.
While plain coffee can provide a boost of energy, it contains almost no calories. However, common additions like milk, sugar, and other flavorings contribute further calories.
This article reviews how many calories are in common coffee drinks.
Since coffee is made by brewing coffee beans, it contains mostly water and therefore hardly any calories (
That said, not all drinks made with coffee are low in calories. The table below outlines the approximate number of calories in various coffee drinks (
Drink | Calories per 8 ounces (240 mL) |
---|---|
Black coffee | 2 |
Iced black coffee | 2 |
Espresso | 20 |
Cold press (nitro cold brew) | 2 |
Brewed coffee from flavored beans | 2 |
Coffee with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of French vanilla creamer | 32 |
Coffee with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of skim milk | 7 |
Coffee with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) half-and-half and 1 teaspoon of sugar | 38 |
Nonfat latte | 72 |
Flavored latte | 134 |
Nonfat cappuccino | 46 |
Nonfat macchiato | 52 |
Nonfat mocha | 129 |
Nonfat frozen coffee drink | 146 |
Bulletproof coffee with 2 cups (470 mL) of coffee, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of butter, and 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil | about 325 |
Note: Where applicable, cow’s milk was used.
As you can see, espresso contains more calories than brewed coffee per ounce, as it’s more concentrated. However, a shot of espresso is typically only 1 ounce (30 mL), which has approximately 2 calories (
Additionally, coffee drinks made with milk and sugar are much higher in calories than plain coffee. Keep in mind that the number of calories in a milk-based coffee drink depends on what type of milk is used.
summaryWhile plain brewed coffee contains almost no calories, coffee with dairy products, sugar, and other flavorings is much higher in calories.
Depending on what you put in your coffee, as well as how much of it you drink, you may be consuming more calories than you think.
This may be especially true for those who use more than a couple of tablespoons of creamer or milk and a lot of sugar.
Drinking bulletproof coffee, which is made by blending brewed coffee with butter and coconut or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, can also contribute a significant number of calories to your daily intake.
If you are watching your calorie intake or trying to lose weight, you may want to limit coffee drinks that have excessive amounts of sugar, milk, creamers, or flavorings.
In addition to calories, sweetened coffee drinks are typically high in added sugars. Consuming too much added sugar may be linked to health issues, such as heart disease, obesity, and poor blood sugar management (
summaryDrinking coffee with too much milk, creamers, and sugar can lead to excessive calorie and added sugar intake.
Plain coffee is extremely low in calories. However, several popular coffee drinks contain high calorie additions, such as milk, creamer, and sugar.
While consuming these types of beverages in moderation is not a concern, drinking too much of them may lead you to consume too many calories.
If you are curious about how many calories your coffee drink of choice provides, refer to the table in this article.