The Best Ways To Drink Coffee To Avoid Unwanted Weight Gain
Turns out, black coffee may not be the only healthy option.
FrankLin
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Assistant Beauty & Health Editor
Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.
Image by Clique Images / Stocksy October 13, 2023 Don’t like the taste of black coffee but think it's the only way to reap the drink's health perks? Good news: Research shows that some coffee additives aren't as harmful to health as you might think. While loading your cup with sugar won't be ideal, adding cream or non-dairy creamer doesn't seem to make much of a difference in your brew's benefits.
Adding cream to coffee doesn’t necessarily discount its benefits
A new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adding cream or non-dairy creamer to coffee was not significantly linked to weight changes. However, researchers found that adding sugar to coffee was associated with weight gain in some individuals, so this doesn’t apply to super-sweetened creamers.
Researchers looked at three large prospective cohorts for this study, analyzing data on coffee habits and concurrent weight changes. On average, drinking unsweetened caffeinated coffee was associated with a slight reduction in weight over a four-year period. Adding one teaspoon of sugar to coffee daily was associated with modest weight gain (0.09 kg, or .19 pounds) over four years. Adding creamer or non-dairy creamer to coffee made no difference in weight, nor did drinking decaffeinated coffee instead of regular.
These findings squash the idea that adding cream to coffee automatically leads to unwanted weight gain. And while researchers did find that sugary coffee increased weight gain very slightly, it did so over a four-year period. So enjoying the occasional sweetened beverage shouldn't undo an otherwise healthy diet and lifestyle. Just be wary of making it a habit, as a diet too high in added sugar can increase your risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and various inflammatory diseases.
Balancing the urge to make your morning cup of coffee just a bit healthier without overanalyzing it is important. If you find yourself feeling anxious over what foods you consume and which ones you skip, you may want to consult a therapist or your healthcare provider to manage this diet-related stress.
Tips to build a healthy cup of coffee
The takeaway
People who just can't do black coffee may be happy to know that a new study suggests both cream and dairy-free creamers can be perfectly healthy additions. Added sugar may negatively affect overall health when consumed on a daily basis, so consider natural sweeteners if possible. Here, more on natural sweeteners if you're curious about the alternatives.
