Non-dairy creamer drives 40% coffee calorie rise — SkimNews
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- Non-dairy creamer consumption in coffee more than doubled from 3.37 to 8 grams per day between 2003 and 2018, becoming the top source of added coffee calories.
- Tufts University researchers analyzed 30,000 adults’ diets via NHANES data and found average daily coffee calories increased from 43 to 60 over 15 years.
- Non-dairy creamer contributed 18.5 calories per day from coffee by 2018, surpassing sugar (16 calories) and dairy milk (11 calories), due to its high saturated fat content.
- Yongyi Pan noted non-dairy creamer’s rise reflects growing consumer interest in plant-based alternatives, even though it has been available since the 1950s.
- Americans consumed a steady 13 ounces of coffee daily throughout the study period, indicating the calorie increase came from additives, not volume.
- People with shorter sleep or longer work hours tended to drink more coffee, but coffee intake did not differ significantly by overall diet quality.
Why it matters: The shift toward non-dairy creamer as the leading source of coffee calories reveals a hidden driver of dietary saturated fat intake, even among those who perceive plant-based as healthier. This changes how public health guidance might target 'invisible' calorie sources in common beverages.
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