Coffee Calorie Intake Rises 40% for US Adults, Non-Dairy Creamers Main Cause

Between 2003 and 2018, the average daily caloric intake from coffee among U.S. adults significantly increased by nearly 40%, rising from 43 calories to 60 calories per day[1][3][7][10]. This rise occurred despite stable overall coffee consumption, with non-dairy creamers becoming the leading source of added calories[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].

This shift matters because it highlights how seemingly healthier dietary choices, such as plant-based non-dairy creamers, can inadvertently contribute to a substantial increase in daily caloric intake, a finding that public health professionals may consider in nutritional guidance[2][7].

What the records show

A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics identified non-dairy creamers as the primary driver behind the calorie increase in coffee[1][3][4]. By 2018, non-dairy creamer contributed an estimated 18.5 calories per day to coffee, surpassing sugar or syrup, which contributed 16 calories, and dairy milk, which added 11 calories[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. This contrasts sharply with 2003, when non-dairy creamer added only 7.71 calories per day[1][3][4][6][10]. The amount of non-dairy creamer used by adults more than doubled during this period, rising from approximately 3.4 grams to 8 grams per day[2][6][7]. Total coffee consumption, however, remained constant among U.S. adults, averaging around 13 ounces daily[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The research used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), analyzing dietary information from about 30,000 U.S. adults aged 20 and older[1][3][4][5][7][10].

The timeline

The study examined changes in coffee consumption and additions over a 15-year period, specifically between 2003 and 2018[1][4][7]. In 2003, the average caloric intake from coffee was 43 kcal per day[1][3][10]. By 2018, this figure had risen to 60 kcal per day[1][3][10]. Over these years, the contribution of non-dairy creamer increased significantly from 7.71 calories per day in 2003 to 18.5 calories per day by 2018[1][3][4][6][10].

What changed and for whom

For U.S. adults, the composition of their daily coffee changed considerably, with a notable shift towards non-dairy creamers[1][2][3]. The researchers suggest that the growing popularity of plant-based or dairy-alternative preferences may explain the increased use of these creamers[2][7][9]. This trend affected adults aged 20 and older across the United States[1][3][4][10]. The study indicates that while individuals might choose non-dairy options for perceived health benefits, many non-dairy creamers can be calorie-dense and high in saturated fat[2][4][6][7][8][9][10].

What the subject has said publicly

Yongyi Pan, a Ph.D. candidate at Tufts' Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and lead author of the study, stated, "We found that non-dairy creamer being added to coffee has now passed both sugar and dairy for its contribution to the total energy consumed from coffee"[8][9]. Pan also noted, "Non-dairy creamers can be high in saturated fat, which is calorie dense. This could explain the increased calories that non-dairy creamer is contributing"[2][8][9]. Fang Fang Zhang, a senior author of the study and a Neely Family Professor at the Friedman School, emphasized that "coffee is often accompanied by the addition of sugar and cream, which can contribute to an increased consumption of calories from added sugar and saturated fat"[4][6][10].

What we could not confirm

The study did not test or confirm the direct long-term health effects of this specific increase in caloric intake from coffee additions on the study population[1]. While the researchers highlighted that non-dairy creamers can be high in saturated fat, the direct health consequences related to this saturated fat consumption were not detailed[2][4][6][7][8][9][10].