Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer is a popular non-dairy creamer used by many to add flavor and creaminess to coffee, tea, and other beverages. With its sweet vanilla taste, Coffee Mate French Vanilla can make a tasty addition to your morning joe or afternoon pick-me-up. But like many creamers and coffee additives, it does contain calories and other nutritional components. So how many calories are actually in a tablespoon of this widely-used creamer?
Quick Answer
One tablespoon (15ml) of Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer contains:
- 20 calories
- 2g total fat
- 1g saturated fat
- 0g trans fat
- 0mg cholesterol
- 15mg sodium
- 2g total carbs
- 2g sugars
- 0g protein
So a single tablespoon of Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer contains 20 calories, most of which come from fat. The creamer gets its sweet vanilla flavor from 2 grams of sugar per tablespoon.
Nutrition Facts for Coffee Mate French Vanilla
Here is the full nutrition facts breakdown for a 1 tablespoon (15ml) serving of Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer:
Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 20
- Total Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 15mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 2g
- Dietary Fiber: 0g
- Total Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 0g
% Daily Value*:
- Total Fat: 3%
- Saturated Fat: 5%
- Cholesterol: 0%
- Sodium: 1%
- Total Carbohydrate: 1%
- Protein: 0%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet
As you can see, one tablespoon of Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer provides 20 calories, 2g of fat (1g saturated fat), 15mg sodium, 2g total carbs (2g sugar), and 0g protein.
Calories from Fat vs Carbs
Looking at the nutrition information, the majority of calories in Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer come from fat, with minimal calories coming from carbohydrates:
- Total Fat: 2g (18 calories)
- Total Carbs: 2g (8 calories)
So out of the total 20 calories per tablespoon, 18 of those calories (90%) come from the 2 grams of total fat. The remaining 2 grams of carbohydrates make up the other 8 calories (10%).
This makes sense given that Coffee Mate is designed to provide the creamy richness of half and half or cream, which get their texture and some flavor from fat. The sweet vanilla taste comes from the small amount of added sugars.
How Many Tablespoons in Coffee Mate Container
Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer comes in several different container sizes. Here is how many tablespoons are in each container size:
- Mini 2 oz bottle: 8 tablespoons
- Small 10 oz bottle: 40 tablespoons
- Medium 32 oz bottle: 128 tablespoons
- Large 64 oz bottle: 256 tablespoons
Knowing the number of servings per container can help give context for how many calories and nutrients you’re actually consuming if you use a full bottle of creamer.
Calories and Nutrients in Different Coffee Mate Container Sizes
Based on the number of tablespoons provided, here are the full nutrition facts for the different container sizes of Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer:
Mini 2 oz Bottle
- Total Calories: 160
- Total Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Total Carbs: 16g
- Sugars: 16g
Small 10 oz Bottle
- Total Calories: 800
- Total Fat: 80g
- Saturated Fat: 40g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Total Carbs: 80g
- Sugars: 80g
Medium 32 oz Bottle
- Total Calories: 2560
- Total Fat: 256g
- Saturated Fat: 128g
- Sodium: 1920mg
- Total Carbs: 256g
- Sugars: 256g
Large 64 oz Bottle
- Total Calories: 5120
- Total Fat: 512g
- Saturated Fat: 256g
- Sodium: 3840mg
- Total Carbs: 512g
- Sugars: 512g
As you increase container size, the calories, fat, carbs, sugars, sodium and all nutrients increase proportionally.
Coffee Mate French Vanilla vs Other Coffee Creamers
How does Coffee Mate French Vanilla compare to other popular coffee creamers in terms of calories and nutrition?
Here is a nutrition comparison of 1 tablespoon (15ml) of some common creamers:
| Creamer | Calories | Total Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee Mate French Vanilla | 20 | 2g | 2g | 0g |
| International Delight French Vanilla | 25 | 2g | 3g | 0g |
| Silk Original Creamer | 15 | 1g | 1g | 0g |
| Baileys Original Irish Cream | 19 | 1g | 2g | 0g |
| Nestle Coffee Mate Natural Bliss | 25 | 2.5g | 0g | 0g |
| Nutpods French Vanilla | 10 | 1g | 0g | 0g |
As you can see, the calorie and nutrient content is fairly comparable across popular coffee creamers, with most ranging from 15-25 calories per tablespoon. Coffee Mate French Vanilla is on the higher end with 20 calories and 2g of fat per serving.
Coffee Mate Ingredients
Here is the listed ingredient list for Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer:
Water, Corn Syrup Solids, Vegetable Oil (Canola, Soybean), Sugar, Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Mono and Diglycerides, Dipotassium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Turmeric and Annatto (for color).
The main ingredients providing calories and fat are the vegetable oils (canola and soybean oil) and corn syrup solids. The sweet vanilla flavor comes from added sugar, as well as natural and artificial flavors. Sodium caseinate helps provide creaminess and texture.
Coffee Mate French Vanilla contains no actual milk or cream. But it does contain sodium caseinate, which is a milk derivative that gives it a creamy, dairy-like texture.
Natural vs Sugar Free Coffee Mate
Coffee Mate also offers a sugar free version of their French Vanilla creamer for customers looking to reduce sugar without sacrificing flavor. Here’s how the sugar free version compares:
Coffee Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla (1 tablespoon):
- Calories: 15
- Total Fat: 1.5g
- Total Carbs: 1g
- Sugars: 0g
The sugar free version trims 5 calories and 1g of sugar per serving. The calories come predominantly from fat. The sweet taste instead comes from sugar substitutes like sucralose rather than actual sugar.
Is Coffee Mate Dairy Free?
Although it contains no actual milk or cream, Coffee Mate is not vegan or dairy free due to containing sodium caseinate. Sodium caseinate is a milk protein derivative made by separating casein proteins from milk.
While the amount of sodium caseinate is relatively small, it is enough to give Coffee Mate a creamy, milk-like texture and make it non-dairy-free. People avoiding dairy due to allergies, intolerances, or vegan diet should not consume Coffee Mate.
Some dairy-free creamer alternatives include:
- Nutpods
- Califia Farms Better Half
- Silk Almond Creamer
- Chobani Oat Creamer
These creamers get their rich texture from oils and gums or starch rather than milk derivatives. They allow coffee drinkers following a vegan or dairy-free diet to still enjoy a creamy cup of coffee.
Health Impact of Coffee Mate
While small amounts of coffee creamers like Coffee Mate French Vanilla can add flavor and creaminess to coffee, regular use may have some health drawbacks. Some concerns to consider:
Blood Sugar Spikes
The 2 grams of added sugar provide 8 calories and can spike blood sugar. For people with diabetes or insulin resistance, the extra sugars could contribute to hyperglycemia.
Increased Calories and Fat
Using multiple tablespoons per day can substantially increase daily calorie, fat, and sugar intake over time. This may contribute to weight gain or other metabolic issues.
Artificial Ingredients
Coffee Mate contains artificial flavors and colors. Studies on health impacts are inconclusive, but some people prefer to avoid artificial additives.
Gut Health
Highly processed creamers with emulsifiers like carrageenan may impact digestion. Minimal processing is preferable for gut health.
Overall, enjoying the occasional tablespoon of this sweet creamer is probably fine for most people. But moderation is advised, especially for those with specific health conditions.
Bottom Line
So how many calories are in Coffee Mate French Vanilla creamer? One tablespoon contains 20 calories, with 2g from fat and 2g from sugar. This gives you a creamy, sweet addition to coffee for minimal calories, but regular high use can add up in calories, fat, sugar and artificial ingredients. Using small servings in moderation is the best way to enjoy the convenience and flavor of this popular creamer.