Is coffee with milk fattening? (Benefits of coffee and milk)

In this brief article, we will provide you with the answer to the query: “Is coffee with milk fattening?”. In addition, we will discuss the amount of calories in a cup of coffee with milk and how your morning coffee with milk affects your weight.

Is coffee with milk fattening?

Coffee with milk is fattening – even if it’s just a little bit, as milk adds calories to the drink. A 100 mL portion of filtered coffee typically contributes about 2 kcal of energy.

Coffee preparations generally exhibit minimal levels of readily absorbable carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, resulting in a modest calorie load overall. (1)

Introducing whole milk to your coffee enhances its nutritional composition, adding approximately 40 calories. Similarly, each teaspoon of sugar introduces an extra 25 calories to the mix. On the other hand, opting for skim milk reduces the calorie increment from 40 to 21 calories.

Consequently, a cup of coffee without added sugar or milk boasts minimal calories and negligible fat content. For optimal calorie management, it’s advisable to forgo additives such as sugar, chocolate, whipped cream, or caramel. These elements possess the capacity to substantially amplify the caloric content of milk-infused coffee. (2, 3)

What are the benefits of coffee with milk?

While it’s accurate that the inclusion of milk in coffee can raise its fat content, it’s worth noting that both coffee and milk offer individual health benefits. Intriguingly, the fusion of milk proteins and coffee antioxidants yields a synergistic effect that enhances the anti-inflammatory properties within immune cells.

The foundation of these health advantages lies primarily in the activity of coffee polyphenols. However, the challenge arises from the susceptibility of polyphenols to oxidation and breakdown during the digestive process.

This susceptibility often leads to reduced bioaccessibility, limiting their potential physiological impact. To counter this, researchers are actively investigating the utilization of macromolecular components as protective carriers, aiming to shield polyphenols from degradation during digestion.

The presence of proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids inherent in milk holds the potential to influence the behavior of polyphenols. Remarkably, these components can profoundly modulate the release and absorption of these valuable compounds throughout the digestion journey. (4)

How does coffee affect your weight?

Caffeine, chlorogenic acid and quinides play a pivotal role in promoting weight loss. The impact is particularly pronounced with caffeine, which has demonstrated its ability to trigger notable thermogenesis, lipolysis, fat oxidation, and insulin secretion.

Habitual consumption of around 6 cups of coffee can lead to increased thermogenesis, effectively elevating energy expenditure and potentially resulting in significant weight loss. Part of coffee’s effect on thermogenesis can be attributed to its capacity to enhance fat oxidation.

The intake of caffeine is linked to reductions in adipose-pad size and adipocyte count. This suggests that caffeine and coffee consumption might contribute to weight loss by reducing body fat, potentially through an augmentation of lipid metabolism.

Another facet of lipid metabolism, lipolysis, also receives attention in this context. Instances of heightened lipolysis have frequently been noted following the ingestion of caffeine or coffee, further bolstering their potential role in influencing lipid metabolism. (5)

What is coffee’s nutritional profile?

Coffee is a beverage renowned for its intricate combination of compounds, with caffeine being the most well-known. Coffee contains approximately 1000 phytochemicals that have been identified. These include phenols such as chlorogenic and caffeic acid, lactones, as well as diterpenes like cafestol and kahweol.

Noteworthy additions are niacin and trigonelline, the latter serving as a precursor to vitamin B3. Additionally, coffee serves as a valuable source of vitamin B3, as well as magnesium and potassium. (5)

What is milk’s nutritional profile?

Milk is rich in protein and calcium, milk stands as a significant source of nutrients. It also offers essential elements such as riboflavin, phosphorus, vitamins A and B12, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. In whole milk, the milk fat contributes vitamins A, E, K, and D to its nutritional profile.

Conversely, skim milk, due to its absence of fat, lacks these vital nutrients, which can lead to a reduction in its overall nutritional content. (6, 7)

How additives can increase coffee’s calories? 

Blended coffee drinks present a significantly higher caloric content. An illustrative example can be found in Starbucks’ menu with the Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème. The venti size (24 oz) topped with whipped cream carries a substantial 750 kcal, approximately accounting for 38% of the common 2,000-kcal daily intake reference.

Likewise, Dunkin’ Donuts offers a large Vanilla Bean Coolatta (32 oz), which packs a considerable 860 kcal.  Avoiding additives such as sugar, chocolate, whipped cream, or caramel can help keep a low-calorie content in your coffee beverage. (8)

Conclusion

In this brief article, we provided you with the answer to the query: “Is coffee with milk fattening?”. In addition, we discussed the amount of calories in a cup of coffee with milk and how your morning coffee with milk affects your weight.

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References

1.-

Farah, Adriana.  Nutritional and health effects of coffee. 10.19103/AS.2017.0022.14. 2018.

2.-

Lopez-Garcia, E., van Dam, R. M., Rajpathak, S., Willett, W. C., Manson, J. E., & Hu, F. B.  Changes in caffeine intake and long-term weight change in men and women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 83(3), 674–680. 2006.

3.-

Pereira, P. C., & Vicente, F.  Milk Nutritive Role and Potential Benefits in Human Health. Nutrients in Dairy and Their Implications on Health and Disease, 161–176. 2017.

4.-

Xuejiao Qie, Ya Cheng, Yao Chen, Maomao Zeng, Zhaojun Wang, Fang Qin, Jie Chen, Weiwei Li, Zhiyong He, In vitro phenolic bioaccessibility of coffee beverages with milk and soy subjected to thermal treatment and protein–phenolic interactions, Food Chemistry, 375, 2022.

5.-

Greenberg, J. A., Boozer, C. N., & Geliebter, A. Coffee, diabetes, and weight control. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(4), 682–693. 2006.

6.-

Cano-Marquina, A., Tarín, J. J., & Cano, A.  The impact of coffee on health. Maturitas, 75(1), 7–21. 2013.

7.-

Pereira, P. C., & Vicente, F.  Milk Nutritive Role and Potential Benefits in Human Health. Nutrients in Dairy and Their Implications on Health and Disease, 161–176. 2017.

8.-

Silva, A. R. A., Silva, M. M. N., & Ribeiro, B. D.  Health Issues and Technological Aspects of Plant-based Alternative Milk. Food Research International, 108972. 2020.

9.-

Huang C, Dumanovsky T, Silver LD, Nonas C, Bassett MT. Calories from beverages purchased at 2 major coffee chains in New York City, 2007.