If you’re a coffee drinker and trying to reduce the number of calories in your morning Joe, then you might be asking; Does black coffee have calories? This article may at first seem a little long, but, if you even have a casual interest in eliminating empty calories, then you’re going to love this article.
The Quick Answer
How many calories are in coffee? All coffee has calories.
Depending on the bean, the roast, your brewing method, and assuming we’re talking about coffee with nothing added, then there’s between 4-6 calories in an 8-ounce cup of coffee.
Does black coffee have calories? Yes it does; an entire whopping 4 calories in an 8-ounce cup of black coffee. That doesn’t sound like much, does it?
Actually, 4-6 calories is a drop in the bucket compared to a typical latte or compared to a typical 2,000 calorie per day diet.
Coffee and Your Health
Coffee is the number two commodity in the world; right behind oil. It’s also been a drinking staple of nearly every country in the world for the last 500 years. So it shouldn’t surprise you that coffee has been tested, surveyed, examined, prodded, and poked in every conceivable way to determine its health value or detriment.
In moderation (less than 4 cups a day), the health benefits of coffee are quite numerous and extremely well documented by scientists, nutritionists, and doctors. Below is a list of just a few of these:
- Improved hydration
- Lower cholesterol
- Reduced stress
- Better cardio vascular health
- An abundance of antioxidants
- More bioflavonoids than you’d possibly imagine
- Noticeable levels of vitamins and minerals
Does Black Coffee Have Calories?
As I stated above, black coffee has about 5 calories per cup. The rub is that few people like or drink their coffee black. Let’s face it; most people in the U.S. drink bitter and burnt industrial coffee. The average cup of coffee in the U.S. is so bad, it is no wonder that people add a ton of stuff to their coffee, just to gag it down.
The problem is that when we add sugar, cream, chocolate, etc. to our black coffee the calorie count goes from 5 calories to 200 or sometimes even 300 calories.
But what if I told you that there’s a way for you to drink black coffee and like it? Then you’d be back to 5 calories, loose some weight, and enjoy doing it. That’d be cool, wouldn’t it? I know what you’re thinking, “Yah, right, when pigs can fly.”
How Many Calories Are In Black Coffee?
So, if we eliminate all the crap that people put into their coffee cups, what’s left? Generally, pretty damn bad coffee. So, how many calories are in black coffee? Like I said about 5 calories per 8 ounce cup. The problem is most people are drinking either really bad black coffee or they’re loading it with a bunch of sugar. That’s the bad news.
Here’s the good news. Good coffee tastes good. Really, no BS, the trick is just drink good coffee. And here’s a bonus tip that you’re not going to hear from Charbucks or any other industrial coffee company. The fresher the roast, the better the coffee.
The difference between coffee beans roasted this week vs. 2 months ago is nothing short of astounding. Yet, the average bag of roasted coffee has been sitting in warehouses and on store shelves for months if not years.
Smoothest Beans
Good coffee starts with good beans. And depending on what you like, will determine from what region that you want your beans sourced. If you like harsh, bold, slap-you-in-the-face coffee, then an Ethiopian coffee should do the trick.
On the other hand if you like super smooth coffee that’s naturally sweet, has no bitter taste, with hints of chocolate and nut, then coffee from Central America is best. My favorite beans come from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica; known for its super smooth coffee. That’s why I source all of Lake City Coffee beans from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica.
In fact, over 90% of coffee companies never taste test the beans that they buy. About 4% will taste test 2-3 beans before they make a choice. Alisha and I, on the other hand, taste test over 20 beans each year all from the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica. We’re looking for that one bean that super smooth, non-bitter, with notes of chocolate. We have customers all over the country that have been buying from use for many years. They stick with us because we consistently offer the same taste profile every year.
Fresh Roasted
Fresh roasted is a relative term in the coffee world. Companies like Charbucks, or even a lot of local micro-roasters will call anything roasted in the last month to be “fresh roasted”.
Not me. At Lake City Coffee, I measure coffee freshness by the hour. I roast and ship every Tuesday morning. That means that from coast to coast Lake City Coffee arrives within 12-24 hours of roasting.
I wouldn’t go to all this trouble if the difference in taste weren’t amazing. Don’t take my word for it, just go over to our “Review” page and see what our customers have to say about our super fresh roasted Costa Rican coffee.
Gently Roasted
It’s a sad and unnecessary thing that most coffee companies are attempting to be the “next” Charbucks. So they buy better beans and still manage to burn the snot out of them. Black charred beans are enough to make me cry. But then again I understand why they’re burning the snot out of their beans. If they’re burnt, you’re never going to know how bad their beans actually are.
I on the other hand, I roast all of my beans the old fashion way; low-n-slow over an open fire. What that produces is coffee that tastes like coffee and not like the roaster. Low-n-Slow roasting keeps as much of the beans natural oils inside the bean. Those oils are where the bioflavonoids, antioxidants, caffeine, and flavor reside. So, the more oils, the better the coffee.
I want all that wonderful coffee flavor that God put into those beans to be valued and enjoyed.
Coffee By The Cup
By and large, Americans love making coffee with a drip machine. Why, because it makes the best coffee? Hardly. Drip machines are used primarily because they’re cheap and easy.
Fortunately, there are just some things in this world that were never intended to be made in large batches and coffee is one of them.
If you’ll simply take the extra minute or two to make your coffee by hand, one cup at a time, the difference in taste is amazing. Check out my article on how to make the smoothest cup of coffee.
Conclusion
Does black coffee have calories? Yes, black coffee has about 5 calories per cup. How many calories are in coffee? Again, black coffee has bout 5 calories per cup.
On the other hand, if you add any one of the following; cream, sugar, chocolate, caramel, or sprinkles; you’re looking at a minimum of 100 calories per cup. Combine a few of those additives and you’re very likely to be drinking 300 calories.
If you are trying to limit the number of calories in your morning Joe, the trick is to drink your coffee black or as close to it as possible. Personally, I occasionally add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream (50 calories).
Here’s how you drink black coffee and love it.
- Purchase beans from the Tarrazu Region of Costa Rica.
- Make sure that the beans were roasted within the last week.
- Do not purchase over roasted beans. If the beans are black, they’re over roasted and taste like charcoal.
- Use those fresh roasted beans within a month.
- Brew your coffee one-cup at a time. As my article link above will show you, this will provide you with a super smooth and naturally sweet cup of coffee.
Lake City Coffee
Alisha, my beautiful wife, and I are Lake City Coffee. We’re the quintessential Mom-n-Pop business; with a lot of tech added on. Our purpose has been to provide the very best home brewing experience that money can buy. We buy the smoothest beans, then roast and ship them very early on Tuesday morning.
Our customers are a lot like you. They want great quality coffee and great customer service. I’ve come to hate that term “Customer Service”. It’s so over used and under delivered. Let’s just say, that we take care of our own. Many of our customers have become dear friends.
We keep everything super simple with only one bean and three roasts (White, Medium, and barely Dark). OK, for your decaf folks, yes we have decaf; and not just any decaf. Our Costa Rican Decaf is Swiss Water Processed and over half of all our reviews are about our decaf. Just check out this article for the full story (Click Here). Or read a few of our reviews HERE.
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