Coffee is a complex rich drink that evolved from a fragrant wake up indulgence to an all day trend that includes gatherings devoted to coffee. This culinary phenomenon has precipitated the opening of countless cafes and the creation of a multitude of coffee inspired beverages vastly different from that simple cup in the morning. Unfortunately, people rarely appreciate an unadorned cup anymore; they prefer a dessert like beverage hidden under clouds of foam or whipped cream. Although black coffee has less than one gram of carbs per cup, these luscious coffee alternatives are filled with carbohydrates that add pounds to the people drinking them religiously.
Coffee and Low Carb Diets
Many people remain confused about whether coffee is allowed when trying a weight loss plan that relies on counting carbs. When following the Atkins diet you are not allowed to have caffeinated beverages because they can trigger insulin and stall weight loss. Most other low carb plans do not specify either way about coffee so if you love your coffee simply take care when preparing it. The carbs in a cup of coffee depends entirely on whether it is ingested black or whether it is fixed with an assortment of delicious additives. Unfortunately, since undiluted coffee is bitter, people rarely consume it without adding at least cream and sugar.
The Carbs in a Cup of Coffee and Favorite Additives
| Name | Serving Size | Carbohydrates |
| Black Coffee | six fluid ounces | less than one gram |
| Decaffeinated Black Coffee | eight fluid ounces | less than one gram |
| Cold Bottled Coffee | eight fluid ounces | 35 grams |
| Cafe au Lait | eight fluid ounces | one gram |
| Coffee Latte | eight fluid ounces | seven grams |
| Instant Coffee | eight fluid ounces | one-half gram |
| Espresso | two fluid ounces | less than one gram |
| Cappuccino (full fat milk) | 12 fluid ounces | 11 grams |
| Coffee Mocha | 12 fluid ounces | 32 grams |
| Coffee Frappuccino | eight fluid ounces | 30 grams |
| Sugar | one teaspoon | five grams |
| Half and Half | one fluid ounce | one gram |
| Coffee Cream | one fluid ounce | one gram |
| Milk (whole) | one fluid ounce | one and one-half grams |
| Milk (two percent) | one fluid ounce | one and one-half grams |
| Milk (one percent) | one fluid ounce | one and one-half grams |
| Milk (skim) | one fluid ounce | one and one-half grams |
| Non Dairy Creamer | one fluid ounce | 16 grams |
| Coffee-Mate | one fluid ounce | 12 grams |
| Non-Dairy Coffee-Mate | one fluid ounce | 16 grams |
Methods to Save Carbs When Drinking Coffee
- Try to wean yourself off the additives and drink your coffee black. Most people have never tasted an exceptional cup of coffee created with single origin coffee beans or Kona coffee.
- Stay away from the fancy coffee beverages offered at most specialty cafes.
- Cut your consumption down to one cup per day or at least remove the added sugar from your beverage.
Coffee Substitutes
Some people like the taste and idea of a coffee but can't handle the actual brew due to the caffeine, insomnia related issues or other health concerns. Most coffee substitutes are high in carbs but some are not, so it is best to look carefully before including these beverages in your diet.
Chicory
Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a very well known coffee alternative that became popular when coffee was either too expensive or unavailable. Dried, roasted and ground up chicory roots are sometimes added to real coffee to cut the caffeine. Drinking brewed chicory straight is a bit of an acquired taste because it is quite sour without any additives like high carb sugar or cream. Unadorned brewed chicory contains less than one gram of carbohydrates per cup.
Soyfee
This wonderful coffee substitute is created by slow roasting soy beans and is relatively new on the health market. Soyfee has no cholesterol, has all eight essential amino acids and a multitude of other nutrients. This product is caffeine free, carbohydrate free, lactose free and contains no gluten. The taste is also quite close to real brewed coffee and this substitute is allowed on the Atkins diet.
Teeccino
Teeccino tastes remarkably like coffee and offers a wide range of delicious options similar to flavored coffee such as almond amaretto, vanilla, Mayan and hazelnut. This product is made from an assortment of roasted ingredients depending on the flavor desired. These ingredients include chicory, hazelnut, ramon nuts, carob, barley, figs, dates and almonds. Teeccino is an herbal product so it is caffeine free but is also very high in carbs containing anywhere from three grams to nine grams per cup depending on the flavor.
