Coffee is almost Zero Calorie

According to the USDA nutrient database - an 8 ounce cup of coffee (brewed from grounds) has just 2 (yes two) Calories. The calories come from a tiny amount of protein and some mono-unsaturated oils.

The coffee bean has oils in it (which is why a barista often needs to clean their espresso machine to prevent an oily build up). Sometimes a really bad coffee can be due to the oils in it becoming rancid (this often occurs from dark roasts, which cause a subsequent release of oils - if the beans are stored for a long time the oils may go slightly rancid).

So: coffee beans + water = virtually calorie-free.

It's about Milk and Sugar

When we talk about about a coffee high in calories - we are really talking about the additives we put in it. Caffeine is a bitter chemical and products containing caffeine are bitter - so we tend to sweeten them up - with milk, sugar, or syrups.

The larger the drink volume - the more milk you will be getting. With espresso-based drinks (latte, cappuccino) - the amount of water in the drink is minimal (typically 45mls / 1.5 fl. ounces per espresso shot). You do the math: a 16 ounces Grande Latte from Starbucks will have two espresso shots (~ 3 oz) -- that leaves around 13 ounces of milk (depending on how much foam tops the drink) - so there's 198 Calories already (if the milk is 2% reduced fat).

Add in cream, a pump of flavored syrup, and some sugar - and you are in for a very calorie-dense drink - more like sweetened milk than coffee.

Calories in Common Coffee Drinks

Beverage	Volume (oz)	Calories
Instant coffee	1 rounded tsp dry powder	4
Instant coffee	8	4
Espresso Coffee	1	1
Brewed Coffee	8	2
McDonald's Cappuccino	16	130
McDonald's Latte	16	180
McDonald's Mocha	16	330
McDonald's Brewed Coffee (Large)	16	0
Dunkin Donuts Latte	10	120
Dunkin Donuts Cappuccino	10	80
Dunkin Donuts Mocha Swirl Latte	10	230
Dunkin Donuts Brewed Coffee	10	15
Starbucks Brewed Coffee	16	5
Starbucks Caffè Americano	16	15
Starbucks Caffè Latte	16	220
Starbucks Caffè Mocha (no whip)	16	290
Starbucks Caffè Mocha (whip)	16	360
Starbucks Cappucino	16	140
Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha (whip)	16	560
Starbucks Caffe Vanilla Frappucino Blended Coffee (whip)	16	430
Starbucks Hot Chocolate (no whip)	16	330

Coffee Extras

Many people use non-dairy creamers in their coffee. However, as the chart below shows - these still contain Calories.

Extras	Calories (per Tablespoon)
Cream	52
Half-and-half	20
Whole milk	9
Fat-free milk	5
Sugar	48
McDonald's Coffee Cream (liquid)	20
Plain nondairy creamer (powder)	33
Plain, light nondairy creamer (powder)	25
Flavored nondairy creamer (powder)	45
Flavored, reduced-fat nondairy creamer (powder)	40
Plain nondairy creamer (liquid)	20
Plain, light nondairy creamer (liquid)	10
Flavored nondairy creamer (liquid)	35
Flavored, reduced-fat nondairy creamer (liquid)	20

The Bottom Line

If you are looking at reducing the amount of calories in your diet and coffee is your thing: It's time to work on that sweet tooth. The best option is to drink an Americano (espresso + water). Believe it or not, espresso drinks have less caffeine than brewed drinks (where the water is in contact with the coffee grounds for a longer time).

Minimize the amount of extras you put into your coffee - and you may well remove a significant amount of Calories from your diet.

See More: Caffeine in Starbucks Coffee. How to Quit Drinking Coffee.
Nutrition sources: starbucks. mcdonald's, dunkin donuts.

cigarette: too many to mention so stressed out!
Alcohol units: 0 (not that desperate)
calories:
Weight:
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