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Dietary Trends Growing Use of Non-Dairy Creamer Drives Up Coffee Calories

Source: Tufts University 3 min Reading Time

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Americans’ coffee consumption remained broadly stable between 2003 and 2018, but average daily calories from coffee and its additions rose from 43 to 60. A study of 30,000 adults identifies growing use of non-dairy creamer as the main driver.

Coffee with milk (Source: Alonso Nichols/ Tufts University)
Coffee with milk
(Source: Alonso Nichols/ Tufts University)

While Americans have been drinking roughly the same amount of coffee over recent years, the calories in those cups have increased thanks primarily to the addition of non-dairy creamer, according to a new study from researchers at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

The study, published online in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, analyzed the reported dietary intake of 30,000 U.S. adults aged 20 and over and found that between 2003 and 2018, the consumption of total coffee remained stable (roughly 13 ounces/day), but the energy, or calories, consumed increased from 43 kcal/day to 60 kcal/day. The most common coffee additions by calories in 2018 were non-dairy creamer, sugar or syrup, and dairy milk.

“Coffee consumption has been associated with several health benefits. However, 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,” said Fang Fang Zhang, senior author of the study and Neely Family Professor at the Friedman School. “The more we know about what people are consuming, the better we can understand the link between nutrition and overall health.”

The study analyzed data from eight consecutive cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2018. The study included a nationally representative sample of 30,000 adults aged 20 years and older who provided two 24-hour diet recalls. Coffee-containing beverages were divided into two categories: non-combination beverages and beverages with additions. The coffee additions were further classified as dairy milk, half-and-half, dairy cream, non-dairy milk, non-dairy creamer, sugar/syrup, sugar substitute, and other coffee additions, such as alcohol and cocoa powder. To determine the amount of coffee additions in pre-mixed coffee beverages/powder reported in diet recalls, the cycle-specific USDA Food and Nutrition Database for Dietary Studies and the linked Standard Reference codes were used.

The researchers found that consumption of total coffee and coffee without additions remained stable among U.S. adults from 2003 to 2018. For coffee additions, the most common by weight in 2018 were dairy milk (21.4 grams/day), non-dairy creamer (8.1 g/day), and sugar (4.4 g/day), with no significant changes in consumption of dairy milk and sugar/sugar substitutes since 2003. Consumption of non-dairy additions increased during the window studied, from a mean of 3.65 g/day to 10.5 g/day. Within the options for non-dairy additions, non-dairy creamer (from 3.37 g/day to 8 g/day) and non-dairy milk (from 0.27 g/day to 2.45 g/day) increased the most. There was also a small increase in the consumption of other coffee additions, with a mean increase of .5 g/day.

In terms of estimated calories added to a cup of joe, by 2018 non-dairy creamer added the largest amount (18.5 kcal/day), followed by sugar (16 kcal/day) and dairy milk (11 kcal/day). In 2003, mean caloric intake from non-dairy creamer was 7.71 kcal/day.

“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. 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,” said Yongyi Pan, the study’s lead author and a Ph.D. candidate at the Friedman School. “Even though it has been on the market since the 1950s, non-dairy creamer has increased in popularity in recent years as consumers seek plant-based or dairy alternatives.”

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At the population level, the researchers found that adults with fewer hours of sleep or longer working hours consumed more coffee than those with more sleep or shorter working hours. Coffee consumption was similar among individuals with high versus low diet quality.

The authors note as a limitation that self-reported recall data is subject to measurement error due to day-to-day variations in food intake, but steps were taken to improve estimates.

Original Article: Trends in the Consumption of Coffee and Coffee Additions Among U.S. Adults Aged 20+ Years, The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2018; Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; DOI:10.1016/j.jand.2026.156908

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