If you’re anything like me, then you go to bed thinking about how good that first sip of coffee is going to taste in the morning. I take my coffee very seriously and a bad creamer can truly ruin my morning coffee.
I was at the grocery store the other day and was overwhelmed by the amount of different coffee creamers available. There are so many brands, types of milks, flavors, etc. I polled you guys to get an idea of what types of coffee creamers you all like. Many of you listed a creamer with the disclaimer that you knew it wasn’t the healthiest, but you still loved it. Totally cool! I go through periods when I pick up the Chobani creamer at the store because I just need to LIVE and enjoy the added sugar. Then I go through seasons where I need to keep it simple and don’t want all the additives.
There are some additives in creamers that people sometimes don’t understand and fear that I will explain.
Gums (ex. guar, gellan, lecithin, locust bean, cellulose)
Gums are thickening agents often found in non-dairy creamers to help with texture and thickness. For the most part, these are all considered safe ingredients. I would caution someone to avoid gums and thickening agents if you have gastrointestinal sensitivities. Some people find these additives cause bloating, gas, stomach pain. I personally have not had any digestive issues from having a splash of gums in my coffee, but if you’re noticing these symptoms I would check your creamer ingredient list.
Carrageenan is also a thickener that is/was very controversial for a while there and has been removed by most brands. It can still crop up in products, so this one I would say to avoid if you see it.
Natural Flavors
The FDA defines natural flavors are substances extracted from plant or animal sources, used to add a specific flavor. The FDA deems natural flavors as safe, but the term is very confusing. Natural flavors aren’t necessarily healthier than artificial flavors; however, the chemical compositions are very similar. My recommendation is to consume natural flavoring sparingly and a small splash from your coffee creamer isn’t going to be detrimental to your health in my opinion. The Food Science Babe does a great job explaining what natural flavors mean and you can make your own decision if this is something you want to consume or not.
What I look for:
When I look at an ingredient list, the smaller the list the better. So while a creamer like Chobani does have 5 grams of added sugar, I love how simple their ingredient list is. If I can avoid it, I don’t want to spike my blood sugar first thing in the morning so I do try and find a creamer with less added sugar. Ideally a creamer with < 3 grams of added sugar is what I’m looking for. I also try and avoid hydrogenated oils (vegetable and palm oils) in my creamer.
The major thing that can go wrong with a creamer is the amount you add to your coffee. A typical serving size is 1-2 tablespoons, but my guess is most people put more than double or triple that amount in their coffee.
There are definitely more creamers that would fit into this healthier creamer list, but I’m just reviewing the ones I saw at my grocery store. Also this list is based on nutrition facts and ingredients not taste 😉 Do you, but if you’re looking for a healthier alternative here are some ideas.
DAIRY CREAMER
Half & Half
Heavy Cream
Organic Valley Sweet Cream Lactose-Free Creamer
DAIRY-FREE CREAMER
Nutpods Original
Nutpods Half and Half
Califia Farms Better Than Half
Califia Farms Organic Almond Milk Coffee Creamer
Laird
Elmhurst Oat Pistachio Creamer
Vital Proteins or Primal Collagen Creamer
Another option is just adding a splash of whole milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk like Malk or Three Trees.
xx, A
