Coffee can be consumed in various ways – simply black, with sugar, with cream or with milk. While it may not matter much to coffee lovers, those who like to have their coffee with cream should be in the know about the what’s in this powdered or liquid non-dairy creamer.
Creamers are fine to use but there are a lot of facts that you need to be aware of.
Presence of Milk Protein
Non-dairy creamers may not always be what they’re called. By non-dairy, it means the creamer does not contain lactose. But the absence of lactose alone does not make the product safe because it may still contain casein, a milk protein that can cause allergic reactions. And this casein is normally added to creamers to give it that milky flavor and texture. Vegans are advised to use the soymilk-based creamers instead.
Extra Ingredients
To create a taste similar to milk, other ingredients are added to the creamer. These include sugar, sodium and corn syrup as well as food colorings. For this reason, coffee lovers notably those with allergies should always make it a point to check labels before purchasing their preferred creamer.
Higher Calorie Count
Coffee that contains cream has a higher calorie count and fat content compared to the plain black coffee. As such, it is best to be conscious of the amount of non-dairy creamer you put into your cup.
A good tip is to choose the original and plain flavored varieties regardless whether they are the powdered or fluid types. This is because they are likely to contain lesser calories, fat and sugar compared to the flavored ones such as almond joy and thin mint which sometimes claim they are low-fat and sugar-free.
Trans Fat Content
Coffee drinkers should also be aware that some brands of creamers actually contain trans fat up to one gram per tablespoon. Remember that the recommended intake of trans fat per day should not exceed two grams.
Alternative Creamers
Now that you know what your creamer contains, you can choose to use the alternatives. These include coconut milk, almond milk or the real milk which contain genuine nutrients such as iron, calcium as well as vitamins A and D. You can even make your own if you want to experiment.
Many adults can’t live without their favorite coffee but if you want to stay healthy, you should think twice before using the usual creamer. It’s very important to always read the label when you’re buying the product but if you want to be really safe, then go for the genuine milk and other alternatives.
Originally posted on July 17, 2015 @ 8:02 am