Coffee 101: Calories in Coffee and Instant Coffee
Curious to learn how many calories are there in your cup of joe? Well, there are many factors that go into determining just that. Let's explore.
What are calories?
calories are units of energy that measure the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water to one degree of Celsius.
Additionally, there’s a difference between calories and Calories (apart from the capital C). Calories, also known as kilocalories (kcal) is how we measure the energy in food. There are 1,000 calories in a Calorie, hence the kilocalories. Calories (kcal) are what we count and keep track of in our food.
Are there Calories in coffee?
Yes, but coffee generally has very little Calories. How many Calories are in coffee, exactly? According to the United States Department of Agriculture, an average cup of black coffee (brewed with tap water and no additives) is only 2.37 Calories (kcal).
For Espresso, one ounce is about 3 Calories (kcal). Of course, the amount of Calories can range greatly on the additives, sugars, and toppings you have with your coffee. There are significantly more calories in coffee with milk, for example. A Cappuccino, which has steamed milk foam is about 65 Calories for one cup, while a latte with steamed milk and foam is 103 Calories.
How many Calories in instant coffee?
According to USDA 1 tsp. of instant coffee contains about 4 calories. 1 tsp. of coffee powder can yield a cup of coffee when mixed with about 6 fl oz of water, so the amount of calories in your cup of instant coffee will mainly be based of what else is in the coffee. e.g. milk, sugar or other additives. Also worth noting that this amount might be slightly different in different instant coffee products.
How many Calories in 1 cup of whipped instant coffee?
Let's follow the basic recipe for 2 cups of whipped coffee (Dalgona Coffee) and add up the calories for all the ingredients. Then, divide it by to 2 for 1 serving.
- 2 tbsp instant coffee (approx. 4.5 tsp instant coffee.): ~27 kcal
- 2 tbsp of white sugar: ~98 kcal
- 2 tbsp of water: 0 kcal
- 2 cups of almond milk: ~120 kcal (~300 kcal in 2 cups of farmland 100% cow milk)
Total Calories per 1 cup of Dalgona Coffee/whipped coffee: ~123 kcal for the almond milk version and ~213 kcal for the cow milk version. This amount will change if you add additional ingredients, such as cookie crumbles or chocolate syrup.
Do calories matter?
That depends on you. If you want to maintain your current weight, you should consume and burn the same amount of calories. To lose weight, you should consume less calories than you burn. The daily recommended amount of calories an average person should have is about 2,000 calories.
Of course, calories aren’t everything. Even if something is low in calories, the food and drinks you consume should still have enough nutritional value. Good nutrition is necessary for a healthy and functioning body.
What nutrients are found in coffee?
Coffee is known to boost our energy because of the caffeine. Research has also shown that drinking coffee regularly can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and heart failure. Apart from its various claimed health benefits, coffee contains a lot of useful and valuable nutrients. To list a few, coffee contains calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.
How to calculate calories?
Each body is different, meaning the recommended calorie intake is different. There are various online calculators to determine how many calories you should consume a day based on your gender, height, weight, age, and exercise habits.
If you want to calculate the calories in your food, you should probably use a calculator as well. Most if not all packaged foods and drinks are required to include a list of their nutrition facts.
Will the brewing method change the amount?
The way you brew coffee shouldn’t affect the amount of calories your coffee has. Adding sugars, creamers, milk, and other additions significantly increases the amount of calories. If you want to limit the amount of calories you take in, consider drinking your coffee black or use healthier alternatives to your additives. Using almond milk or oat milk instead of cow milk, honey instead of sugar, or just adding less sweeteners are just simple ways you can limit your calorie intake.
Bottomline
Some people count calories, some people count carbs, and some don’t count at all. If you want to lose weight and diet, it’s important to consider more than just Calories. A good rule of thumb is to only eat when you’re hungry, and don’t strive to eat until you’re 100% full. Eat smarter, not less!
