Does Instant Coffee Have Calories?
Instant coffee is an ideal choice for anyone who loves the taste and convenience of a great cup of coffee but is wondering: Does instant coffee have calories?
The short answer is: Yes, instant coffee does have calories. In fact, just 1 teaspoon of instant coffee granules contains about 4 calories. Add in the other ingredients commonly added to instant coffee—cream, sugar, etc.—and you’ll soon be looking at more calories in your cup of joe.
For anyone who’s counting calories, here’s a handy breakdown of the calories in common ingredients used when making your instant coffee:
Calorie Breakdown of Instant Coffee Ingredients
- Instant Coffee Granules: 4 calories per teaspoon
- Cream: 20 calories per tablespoon
- Half and Half: 10 calories per tablespoon
- Milk: 5 calories per tablespoon
- Almond Milk: 4 calories per tablespoon
- Sugar: 49 calories per teaspoon
As you can see, the type of ingredients you add to your coffee can have a major impact on the caloric content. For those watching their calorie intake, it’s important to choose a sugar substitute, like Stevia or coconut sugar, or opt for a low-calorie alternative to anything high in calories.
Overall, if you’re drinking a cup of instant coffee with cream, sugar, etc., you can expect your morning coffee to be higher in calories and sugar content than if you were drinking black coffee. So for anyone looking for a low-calorie morning beverage, black instant coffee may be the best choice.
