Ah, your morning cup of coffee. Few things are as comforting as the ritual of waking up and caffeinating with this morning beverage. And if you’re like many people, you probably have a preference for how you take it: black, with milk, or with creamer and sugar? Unfortunately, health experts agree that there are a few ingredients you should leave out of your cup of joe if you want to avoid weight gain and belly fat: sweet, sugary creamer.
To learn more about why this ingredient can hold you back from your weight loss journey, we spoke to experts Macy Sarbacker, personal trainer and fitness blogger, Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet, and Megan Brynok, functional nutrition practitioner. They told us that creamer can cause inflammation, overeating, and more.
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Sugary Creamer
While adding sweetened creamer may help your coffee taste better—especially if you're not a fan of the acidic flavor—it can unfortunately cause serious health issues over time, including inflammation and weight gain. Richards warns that adding this ingredient to your morning beverage allows "calories, sugar, and fat to sneak into our diet and it adds up quickly." Yikes! All that sugar can often lead to inflammation and weight gain.
Brynok agrees that this deviously delicious ingredient should be avoided as much as possible if you're watching your weight. "Many of the popular creamers on the market, are loaded with sugars, added sugars and empty calories (calories that provide no nutrient value)," she says.
To make matters worse, Sarbacker explains that the higher sugar content can lead to overeating later on, which is a major culprit of unwanted belly fat. "When you add a ton of sugar to your coffee and drink it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, you are instantly spiking your glucose levels. This can lead to cravings and binge-eating later in the day," she warns.
"This isn't to say that everyone should drink their coffee black, but it may be beneficial to avoid certain coffee creamers," Richards assures. Instead, just pay careful attention to what you're adding to the mix. "Always read the nutrition and ingredient labels for fat, calories, and added sugar." Richards notes that cutting sugar out of the picture completely is the best way to go, but "1-2 grams should be your limit." Brynok recommends natural sweeteners, such as stevia, to appease your sweet tooth.
And if you want to make your coffee creamier without the downsides of fattening ingredients, there are several solutions. "There are plenty of coffee creamers that are fat free, but using traditional milk, whether dairy or plant based, is likely the healthiest route to go," Richards concludes. Got it!
