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The Truth Behind Coffee Creamers
Cup of Joe
As I was grabbing for my second cup of coffee today, I realized I had once again drained the contents of my White Chocolate Mocha flavored creamer. What I didn’t realize before today was the pure amount of calories, accumulated over time, that this creamer actually had. Upon that realization, I started wondering if it was the creamer causing excess pop to my rear section and not a previous investigation about a new type of undergarment I recently investigated. (add link here)
Upon looking at the nutrition information, I realized I had been consuming 35 calories per 1 Tablespoon of creamer. I was going through an average of one huge bottle of creamer every week. At about 64 servings per bottle, that means I was adding about 2240 calories excessively to my diet!
This sparked some extra research. According to an article at fatsecret.com, using powdered creamer is about half the amount of calories as the liquid creamer. Yet, the serving size is actually only 1 teaspoon. With 64 servings, you will ultimately cut out more than half of the calories out of your favorite refreshment!
Since there is 3500 calories in a pound, if you did absolutely nothing to use up those excess calories, that means you could potentially be adding one extra pound to your waist every week and a half. That could add up to almost a full 35 pounds of weight gain by the end of the year! Scary - isn’t it?
Opinions here
What are you going to do?
What should you do???
Now I am contemplating whether or not I should give up my coffee creamer and suffer with just black coffee. Yet, I don’t care particularly for the bitter taste coffee actually has. I really do enjoy my coffee creamer. It is the luxury of the morning that wakes me up after staying up way to late at night.
- Option One: Give up Coffee all together! Yes - I said it! Give up that coffee. Don’t drink it at all. If you don’t drink the coffee you will not be tempted by the creamer. Then again… you will probably wake up grumpy, cause we all know, the best part of waking up, is Foldgers in you cup!
- Option Two: Switch creamers. Liquid creamer has an average of about 35 calories; powdered creamers have about 15 calories. You do the math. While there may be variance depending on the brand and flavor, it is still overwhelmingly true that powdered creamers have less calories and will not add as much to your bottom line. But, if you are a true fan of liquid creamer, are you willing to sacrifice?
- Option Three: Don’t worry about the calories, find an alternative to burn off those excessive calories instead. Assume that you only want to worry about the extra calories introduced to your diet by putting creamer in your coffee, and assuming that you drink about 2 cups of coffee a day with the suggested serving amount, as an average weighted person, you would need to do about 10 minutes of jumping jacks daily to counteract the effects of the liquid coffee creamer (half of that if you used powder!) that you used for your daily two cups of coffee!
So now that you know all the gory details, what are you going to do about it? I know I am not overly excited about doing about 10 minutes of jumping jacks a day, but then again, I am not so sure I am willing to give up my morning coffee either!
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Comments
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I'm finally back on low-carb after a slesouiry long break of like six months. I'm loving it again. I've been eating a good variety so far. Sausages, peameal bacon (maybe a Canadian thing), bacon, hamburger, pork chops, chicken, almond milk, water, coffee, cheese (goat, feta, string, marble), peanut butter, easy mixed greens salads in the container have all been on my menu this week! One of the things I do love about low-carb is that I get creative with my food much more so than when I'm not on it. I'm going to try an atkins shake, never tried those!Oh and can't forget chocolate I like my 85-90% dark chocolate. I mixed some in my coffee the other night too and it melted into a nice mocha cafe, lol just needed whipped cream..
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@icclady - I agree... I just love my coffee creamers too much to get rid of them... more jumping jacks for me. What is the ZuZu challenge... I might have to look into that! :)
More jumping jacks!!! Love my Cinnabon creamer and I am in Day 3 of the ZuZu Challenge:)
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@Peggy W - Yeah - I have pretty much come to the conclusion that the jumping jacks will always win out because I can't get away from the creamer in my coffee. Although, keyboard aerobics sounds like a good alternative! :)
I gave up adding creamer to my coffee years ago except for an occasional treat...like in a restaurant. Mostly I drink it black. There are some great tasting teas out there with no calories if you wish for some extra flavor but coffee is too bitter without the creamers. Just a suggestion. Of course that great aroma of brewed coffee...lovely! Oh heck...just do your jumping jacks or keyboard aerobics and enjoy. Ha!
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@TToombs08 - Sadly I am right there with you on that one. Although I have to admit, yesterday I didn't have my coffee and it was amazing how many calories I had to spare! Might have to have a couple no coffee days a week.... Ah - who am I kidding! LOL
Can't give up flavored coffee, so I guess I'll just have to add some extra exercise to my life to make up for it. :) Great information! #7
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@Turtlewoman - When I was in cosmotolgy school there was the best coffee strip up the hill from the school. It was called a Liquid Snickers... not only did you get the caffeinee, but you got swirleys of carmel and chocolate and then whipped cream... and ... well, it was a cold cup of coffee heaven! Unfortunately - they don't have those in California! But it does sound mighty good right now!
Haha, they're good with cinnamon rolls too! And those caramel macchiatos...when I used to work for my old boss, she would drink 2 a day. Sometimes she would buy everyone one or just send me out to get one for her...and one for me. It was crazy! It was worse than 'mindless eating'. Alas...no more. So I know what you mean by being more conscious of what you drink. You're still winning the battle by drinking coffee with creamer at home. ;-)
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@Turtlewoman - Oh great - now I really want a Starbucks caramel macchiato! ;) I think for me - the coffee creamers did play a small part in my weight - not because of the actual creamer, but because of the lifestyle change I went through. When I first moved to California I went from drinking very little coffee creamer throughout the day (and only when I was working) and being on my feet all the time, to being a stay at home mom chugging down the creamer. I never did give it up, but being aware of the calories definitely made me more conscious of what I was doing! :) That made a difference.
And I hear you on that one. I am a bit of a health nut but sometimes we just have our vices. Like now - it is my creamer in my coffee (and the occasional Swiss Cake Rolls!) And I would love a few of your healthier creamer recipes. Doesn't hurt to try but I will admit, sometimes it is all about the convenience - especially in the morning!
Glad you enjoyed this article. I had fun writing it! :)
Oh Stacey, don't stress over 35 calories...seriously you probably burn that off just giving your daughters a bath. Multiply by 3 kids and you're at (-)105 calories! ;-) At least you're not drinking Starbucks caramel macchiato which is about 400 calories-yikes!
From a health stand of view, it could be worse. It's the sugar, fat, hydrogenated oil, artificial flavoring, and more weird scientific ingredients that I can't even spell and pronounce that will make your body despise you. It's not even real "creamer!" But ahhh, my fiancé still drinks the hazelnut one every morning...then again he works out like a madman lol. I can never give up my cup of coffee either so I actually make my own healthier creamer. Let me know if you want a few recipes!:-) (sorry girl, not trying to lecture you on healthy stuff... I do this all the time to my fiancé)
Voted up, fun article...I always loved your writing style.
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@iamaudraleigh - Thank you so much for your kind words. I remember when I first really took a look at this I was absolutley disgusted. Now while I have drank coffee for awhile, it wasn't until we moved to California that I drank it daily and with lots of creamer. It was no wonder the pounds kept piling up! However, now I do more jumping jacks to fend off the extra calories... and it helps to be a little more aware! Now if I could just switch to tea and not have to worry about it! :)
I like reading your unique enthusiasm in your writing! It is impressive and rare! You are also great at letting the words flow so fluidly!
Thank you for the great website...fatsecret.com!!!
I did not realize that creamer was so bad for you...wow!
Voted up and shared!!!
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@Ruchira - I am really trying to cut back on the coffee.. I find that I can't do it without the creamer (not a big milk fan), but maybe I should give the tea a try... I heard it is an acquired taste... but if it keeps me from drinking a bunch of my calories - why not!
yup, agree creamers sure have too many calories and we don't tend to burn them off easily.
i am usually a tea person but when i do consume coffee...i try to put in milk instead of creamers 'cause that is a better choice calorie wise (not tastewise!!)
voted up with an important message!
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@imatellmuva - Before I wrote this, I never realized how much was in coffee creamers. It was when I really did the calculations that I realized this might have been one of the culprits in my gaining weight. It is just something that goes down so easily without actually thinking about it. I am glad you found this interesting.
it wasn't until I read this hub, that I realized I never read the calorie content on coffee creamer. I was more concerened about pick'n a good flavor. I also realized that I don't read the calorie content on most food additives. Thanks barbergirl28 for pointing this out.
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It also doesn't count if you drink it while standing up! After all, then the calories all fall off... right?!?! LOL And as a RealHouseWife... you never sit down. So no worries... lol
Carmel Macchiatto is my very favorite! I use the smuckers carmel to make my own and it also is sugar free! Which means they are hiding the fat somewhere. I just don't look for the hidden calories and then I can pretend they do not exist!
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The skinny Carmel Machiatto is really good - although I am not sure if I spelled that right... but still tastey, just hard to spell. Right now I got one of those limited edition coffee creamers... cinnabon! YUMMY! As a mom - that is still my guilty pleasure! LOL
Thank goodness BBG:) there are some things a mom just shouldn't have to give up!
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Ha ha - I didn't give up the coffee! I just cut back a little on the creamer! I would hate to put the world through that kind of torture! LOL
I hope it isn't too late to tell you not to give up that coffee? What are you into self punishment? Don't you have 3 children? Plus misery loves company and I can't give up my big ole cup o fat:)! You make everything hilarious!
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I also heard that adding some cinammon to black coffee will give it a boost. Have you ever tried that? I might have to try that on the days that I run out of coffee creamer.
Thanks for coming by. Glad you like the hub!
I love my morning cup. I drink it black because my inquiring mind also did the math years ago. Not being crazy about jumping jacks nor giving it up, I have no choice but to down it black. Believe it or not you get used to it. Nice hub.
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I like numbers! Obviously... and that is what actually intrigued me about this whole thing. It is good knowledge. I think I reread it when I was drinking my highly flavored coffee this morning. Although I did run out yesterday ... which is what spiked the hub... so when my father in law was running to the store he asked if anybody would like anything and I said more coffee creamer. He told me it would make me fat and I said that is okay... I will do some jumping jacks! LOL
Hey, Barber girl! Great hub! You know, I think that you have to make your own decision. However, since - like you - I don't like the bitter taste of untreated coffee, I believe that some pleasures are worth the possible consequences. Personally, I use powdered creamer and sweetener (sugar substitute) in my coffee.
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You know... I have to admit that by the time I got done writing this hub... I really didn't care about the jumping jacks or the calories in the creamer. I believe, especially lately... that I get more than enough exercise from keyboard aerobics!!! Ha ha ha.
As for the stalking hub... I wasn't actually thinking about it... but now you got me thinking. Hmmm.... can I feature you like I did with RealHouseWife in my previous Booty Pop hub. It was like a real serious article and everything ;)
The only coffee I drink now are those Starbucks energy drinks. They're delicious. And give me no extra energy, whatsoever, but I still like them. As I read your hub, you had me wondering how many calories are in there, but by the time I got down here to comment, I realized I don't care. They're just too delicious. I don't do jumping jacks or any type of exercise at all, but I've been the same weight for the past five or so years (except for a few weeks ago when I was sick and I lost 20 pounds, because I hardly ate and I didn't smoke for a while, but now I'm back to my regular, fat self). But I can understand the worry about gaining weight due to creamers. Very informative hub. And I'm still waiting on the hub you might do on stalking. ;) Anyway. I'm going to go. Bye.
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