11/27/2001

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Chow Line: No beans about it: Verify coffee calories (for 12/16/01)

Writer:

Martha Filipic
filipic.3@osu.edu
(614)292-9833

Source:

Sharron Coplin

A new coffee shop opened nearby and I've started drinking more and more of their flavored coffees. I've been afraid to ask -- do I need to worry about calories? That all depends. If the coffee bean itself is flavored -- lending the beverage a hint of hazelnut or vanilla, for example -- then it doesn't have any more calories than a regular cup of coffee. That means you're sipping about 5 calories per 8-ounce cup of plain, black coffee. However, if you're talking about cafe latte, cappuccino, cafe mocha or some other coffee drink that contains whole milk, whipped cream or syrup, then you'll be adding significantly to the calories per cup that regular coffee contains. How much? It could be 60 calories or it could be 600, depending on how much fat and sugar that beverage contains. Some coffee drinks contain more syrup and milkfat than coffee. Now, the question is, do you need to worry about it? Again, it depends. What other favorites do you treat yourself to? How often do you let yourself order a coffee mocha with whipped cream instead of a non-fat cappuccino? The point is, you really don't know how to fit in your favorite coffee beverage if you don't know its fat and calorie content. Like anything else, find out what you're consuming so you can make adjustments, if necessary, to other parts of your diet. (For example, you might skip the fries with your lunch so you can have that latte later.) Ask your coffee shop if it has nutrition information for its menu items. It might be hard to come by -- plain coffee (as well as tea) is exempt from the Nutrition Labeling Education Act because it has so few nutrients in it to begin with. However, one web site you might find helpful is http://www.Cyberdiet.com/. Click on the "Eating Right" button, and click on "Beverages" for nutrition information on coffees, teas and other drinks. Remember, a regular, old-fashioned cup of coffee has 6 or 8 fluid ounces, but some versions at your coffee shop might be 20 ounces -- and that makes a difference in calorie count, too. Chow Line is a service of The Ohio State University. Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Martha Filipic, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1044, or filipic.3@osu.edu. Editor:

This column was reviewed by Sharron Coplin, registered dietitian and Ohio State University Extension nutrition associate in the College of Human Ecology.