Topic: Health
Researchers at Tufts University found that Americans are getting more calories from their daily coffee. The main culprit is not sugar, but non-dairy creamer. This increase happened despite people drinking the same amount of coffee.
A team of researchers at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University studied how Americans' coffee habits changed between 2003 and 2018. They looked at data from 30,000 adults aged 20 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The researchers found that while people drank an average of 13 ounces of coffee per day over this period, the number of calories consumed from coffee increased by nearly 40%. This means that on average, Americans were consuming 60 calories from their daily coffee in 2018, up from 43 calories in 2003. The researchers identified non-dairy creamer as the leading source of added calories in coffee. In 2003, it contributed just 7.71 calories per day, but by 2018, this number had risen to 18.5 calories per day. Non-dairy milk and sugar also became more popular additions to coffee over this period.
The researchers used a database of food and nutrition information to estimate the amounts of individual ingredients in pre-mixed coffee beverages and powders. They found that non-dairy creamer consumption more than doubled between 2003 and 2018, while dairy milk and sugar consumption remained relatively stable. The study's senior author, Fang Fang Zhang, said that understanding what people are consuming is key to linking nutrition to overall health.
The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in October 2026.
Why It Matters
This study matters because it shows how our daily habits can impact our health. As Indians, we too consume a lot of coffee and other sugary drinks. Understanding what's in these drinks and how they affect our bodies can help us make healthier choices.
Key Facts
- The number of calories consumed from coffee increased by nearly 40% between 2003 and 2018.
- Non-dairy creamer is the leading source of added calories in coffee, contributing an average of 18.5 calories per day in 2018.
- The study used data from 30,000 adults aged 20 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
- Non-dairy milk consumption increased sharply between 2003 and 2018, rising from 0.27 to 2.45 grams per day.
- The study was published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in October 2026.
Key Terms
- Non-dairy creamer
- A plant-based alternative to dairy cream used in coffee drinks.
- NHANES
- The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a dataset of health and nutrition information from the US population.
Implications
This study matters because it shows how our daily habits can impact our health. As Indians, we too consume a lot of coffee and other sugary drinks. Understanding what's in these drinks and how they affect our bodies can help us make healthier choices.
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