What are Coffee Creamers? (Guide)

I am not sure about you, but to me the morning coffee is religious. Instead of pressing buttons on a Nespresso machine, I have now opted to make coffee myself. I buy whole beans for my grinder and use the Hario V60 and filters to pour my own coffee. Yes, it is more time-consuming but I feel gives me a good zen feeling for my day ahead. 

As for the coffee, I add milk to my coffee to take some of the bitterness off. I am somewhere between a flat white and a latte I would say. I use semi-skinned unhomogenized milk in my milk frother as it gives me a nice creamy texture and a perfect look. I have tried Oat milk as well as other alternatives without much success. Creamers seem very popular in the U.S. compared to other countries. We explore what they are and how they can be useful or not. 

Key points

• Creamers are mostly dairy-based products, widely used to add creaminess as well as flavour to your everyday coffee. 
• Coffee creamer are widely and mostly found on the American continent. It typically comes in a range of different flavours
• Coffee creamer is convenient because it does not need to be refrigerated and comes in a variety of flavours.

What is the purpose of creamer in coffee?

Coffee creamers are typically dairy-based products that are used to add creaminess and flavour to coffee. Coffee creamers can also be plant-based, and there are many non-dairy options available on the market.

They can come both in either powder or liquid format. Most coffee creamer is dairy-free. As a consequence it is normally made from refined sugar or sugar substitutes, oil, and artificial thickeners. It comes with a good shelf life when it’s sold in powder form.

How is creamer different from milk?

Creamers are dairy free and, therefore, a different molecular substance from normal milk. When walking the isles of your local supermarket or grocery score you will most likely find them in the dairy section. Usually they are also available in quite a range of flavours, from caramel cream, vanilla to snickers-flavoured the choice is yours.

Creamers are generally used to lightening and sweetening of black coffee as well as tea and your daily espresso, regardless whether you like it served hot or cold.

Are coffee creamers at all healthy?

Coffee creamer is a milk-based product that can be found in both powdered and liquid form. It is convenient because it does not need to be refrigerated and comes in a variety of flavours. However, there are also non-milk-based creamers that are available for those who are allergic to milk or lactose intolerant. In the United States, coffee is more popular than tea and cream are more often added to coffee than tea.

Many coffee creamers are quite high in sugar and calories, which can contribute to weight gain.

What is in coffee creamers?

We’re drinking more coffee than ever before, averaging three cups a day. While the health benefits of coffee are constantly being measured, that doesn’t always account for the added coffee creamers we pump into it.

When looking in detail, coffee creamers are actually mostly built of water, oils, and sugar. They come mostly free from cream or lactose products, but do contain milk-derived proteins, so they can not be necessarily regarded as dairy-free.

Better to use creamer or milk in coffee?

Personally, I think it is better to use milk in coffee. If you are lactose intolerant or want dairy-free options there is plenty to choose from alternatives such as almond milk, oat milk, pea milk, etc. 

Milk is probably the world’s most common coffee addition. It’s easy to remember that every single drop of milk or cream in your increases your overall calorie count for the day. However, there are quite a few healthy options to go for if you are watching your diet.

Should I put creamer in my coffee?

On any calorie counting application or research a creamer will generally show more calories than your everyday milk. This is primarily because it is made of added sugars, which is why it makes the overall calorie count for coffee creamers quite a degree higher.

So, as in many things, it really depends on what you’re looking for in your glorious cup of coffee.

Is creamer healthier than milk?

Creamer is not generally healthier than milk as analyzed by experts in the field.

If you are looking at shedding some weight, a non-dairy creamer is generally a better choice for, as it typically has only 10 to 20 calories per tablespoon. This is far fewer calories than half and half or heavy cream. Most brands of non-dairy creamer are vegan. However, some brands, such as Coffee Mate, contain a milk derivative called sodium caseinate. This is not considered vegan.

Conclusion

Coffee creamers are a type of dairy-based product that is used to add creaminess and flavour to coffee. However, there are also non-milk-based creamers that are available for those who are allergic to milk or lactose intolerant. Most coffee creamers come with a very high in sugar and calories, which can contribute to weight gain. Some coffee creamers also contain unhealthy trans fats, which can increase your risk of heart disease.

 Personally, I think it is better to use milk in coffee. If you are lactose intolerant or want dairy-free options there is plenty to choose from alternatives such as almond milk, oat milk, pea milk, etc. 

Cream is a defined as a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. Coffee creamer is a manufactured cream product that is used as a coffee whitener. Heavy cream, half-and-half, and coffee creamer are all distinct products that have different uses. Heavy cream is the most versatile and can be used in many recipes, while half-and-half as well as coffee creamer are very often added to hot beverages or used to add flavour to other dishes.

Coffee creamer is obviously a way creamier and richer choice when it comes to taste alone. This, as we learned, can’t unfortunately be replicated by milk alone. The key differentiator in terms of overall taste and flavour between creamer and milk is that creamers often do contain flavours added to them.

So, as in many things, it really depends on what you’re looking for in your glorious cup of coffee. If you are after a much creamier, more flavorful cup of coffee, then it is most advisable to be using a coffee creamer. However, if you are on the pursuit for that special something that will provide your coffee with a little more depth without so many calories, then using milk is still the better and overall healthier option.