Coffee creamers are a fantastic addition to add flavor to your regular cup of coffee. But have you ever wondered if you can drink coffee creamer by itself? And how bad is it for your health?
You can definitely drink coffee creamer by itself and you will be surprised by how addictingly tasty it is, just don’t overdo it, as they’re packed with fat and sugar. They also offer no nutritional value to your body, and add up rapidly to your daily calorie intake.
Contents
- 1 What Is Coffee Creamer?
- 2 What Does Coffee Creamer Taste Like?
- 3 Can You Drink Coffee Creamer By Itself?
- 4 What Happens When You Drink Coffee Creamer Every Day?
- 5 How Many Calories Are In Coffee Creamer?
- 6 Can You Drink Coffee Creamer That Was Left Out Overnight?
- 7 What Happens If You Drink Expired Coffee Creamer?
- 8 The Bottom Line
What Is Coffee Creamer?
Coffee creamer is a store-bought substitute for milk and is primarily famous in the US. It’s super flavorful and is used to put in your coffee or tea.
You can add coffee creamer to your regular cup of coffee instead of adding milk, as it’s more convenient to use as coffee creamers can be kept for a lot longer than milk. But remember that you need to refrigerate them once you open them.
Coffee creamer has a very simple ingredient list:
- Sugar
- Water
- Vegetable Oil
Even though the ingredients are simple, coffee creamer comes in a lot of varieties, and this is where you can really experiment with flavors and textures.
Coffee Creamer Varieties:
- Powdered
- Liquid
- Flavors such as caramel, chocolate, hazelnut, and many more
- Fat-free
- Sugar-free
- Non-milk based creamers
What Does Coffee Creamer Taste Like?
What everybody loves about coffee creamer is, of course, the taste. It’s incredibly fatty and we all know that fat equals flavor.
Besides that, it’s very sweet and creamy, what more can you ask for?
Don’t forget that you can get coffee creamer in god knows how many flavors, so it’s a different experience every time.
Personally, I prefer regular creamer, but I can’t deny that half-and-half has its pros as well. Either way, you can’t go wrong with coffee creamer and if you haven’t tried it then you’re missing out!
Can You Drink Coffee Creamer By Itself?
Yes, you can definitely drink coffee creamer by itself! It’s so tasty and sweet, and it certainly makes you want to crave more. But that doesn’t mean you should.
Drinking coffee creamer by itself is not going to hurt you, as long as you don’t do it often.
The recommended intake for coffee creamer is below 1 tablespoon, or 15ml per day, and there is a good reason for that.
Let me explain why…
What Happens When You Drink Coffee Creamer Every Day?
Coffee creamer is packed with fat and sugar, worse than in your regular soda can, so this can lead to several health issues.
I’m not saying that you can’t have coffee creamer in your coffee every day, it certainly is not going to be the death of you. But drinking coffee creamer by itself every day may be.
The most obvious reason why it’s so bad for you is because of the sugar content, consuming too much sugar on a daily basis can lead to:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Tooth Decay
- Cancer
- Heart Diseases
- High Cholesterol
- Liver Damage
Sugar is also highly addicting, so as with everything, do things in moderation.
Some things you can do to avoid this are to drink less coffee creamer, or pick a healthier option like milk.
How Many Calories Are In Coffee Creamer?
The calories in a coffee creamer can vary, depending on the brand and ingredients used. But it’s always good to know that no matter what you pick, it’s always going to be packed with calories and added sugar.
Half-and-half and regular coffee creamer have around 20 calories per serving (1 tablespoon, or 15 ml) and a serving usually has around 5 grams of sugar in it, which is absolutely insane in my opinion.
This can add up quickly to your calorie intake, but can also be reduced if you go for a fat-free or sugar-free coffee creamer.
Can You Drink Coffee Creamer That Was Left Out Overnight?
My personal rule of thumb is if there’s milk in it then I would not leave it out for longer than 4 hours, and for sugar 24 hours.
Milk solids are what’s in Coffee Mate, and are actually reconstituted powdered creamer. This is fine as long as the lid is closed and there’s no sugar in it. If you do see sugar on the nutrition label or high fructose, etc. then 24 hours is the maximum.
The reason for this is that cooler temperatures decrease the number of bacteria that will multiply once the container is opened and exposed to air. Cooler temperatures slow bacteria growth. Next is that sugar feeds bacteria, so I personally think we make creamers a bit too comfy for bacteria by letting them multiply at room temperature and feeding them. Actual milk is faster because it will become solid and separate.
Food poisoning occurs with dishes left out longer than 4 hours, again due to bacteria growth.
What Happens If You Drink Expired Coffee Creamer?
Drinking expired coffee creamer can bring some big issues, but that’s with any dairy product.
As long as the smell and taste are okay, and it doesn’t have any mold floating on top, it probably won’t do much harm.
Just as with regular milk, if there are no signs of spoilage, then it’s generally okay to consume them after the expiration date.
If you’re not sure, then throw it away as this can lead to food poisoning.
The Bottom Line
Coffee creamer by itself is very tasty and sweet, and you can definitely drink it from time to time. Just don’t overdo it.
With so many flavors and varieties it’s hard to say no to coffee creamers.
Happy caffeinating!
