Quick Answer
Black coffee with Splenda has very few calories, usually around 5 calories per 8 ounce cup. The small amount of calories comes from the Splenda sweetener. Plain black coffee has virtually no calories.
Calories in Black Coffee
Black coffee by itself is very low in calories. An 8 ounce cup of plain black coffee only contains around 2 calories. This is because black coffee is made by brewing ground coffee beans in hot water. The natural beans themselves provide the flavor, without any added sugars, creamers, or other calorie-containing ingredients.
Coffee beans contain very few digestible carbohydrates or fats, which is where most calorie content comes from in foods and drinks. Therefore, plain black coffee without any sweeteners or cream added has an insignificant number of calories.
Coffee Bean Calorie Content
According to the USDA, an ounce of ground roasted coffee beans contains only 2 calories. Coffee is naturally very low in fat, carbs, sugar, and protein. Since plain black coffee is brewed using only water and these natural beans, it has minimal calorie content.
Some sources list plain black coffee as containing 0 calories per cup, while others list it as 2 calories. Either way, the number of calories in black coffee without any additives is negligible.
Calories from Splenda
Splenda is a zero-calorie artificial sweetener, so it does not significantly affect the calorie content of coffee. However, most products labeled “zero calorie” do contain a very small number of calories, usually less than 5 calories per serving.
The exact number of calories in Splenda varies between different forms of the sweetener:
– Splenda packets: Less than 1 calorie per packet
– Splenda granulated: Less than 2 calories per teaspoon
– Splenda liquid: Less than 4 calories per teaspoon
So in an 8 ounce cup of coffee, using just one packet or one teaspoon of Splenda adds less than 5 calories to the beverage. The calorie count is minimal.
Splenda Ingredients
Splenda contains two main ingredients:
– Sucralose: An artificial sweetener that provides sweetness without calories
– Maltodextrin: A mildly sweet carbohydrate used as a filler and stabilizer
The maltodextrin accounts for the less than 1-2 calories per serving found in Splenda. The sucralose itself does not contain calories, but the maltodextrin does have a small amount of digestible carbs that provide calories.
Overall, Splenda adds only trace amounts of calories to coffee, so it can be considered negligible.
Calorie Content of Other Coffee Additives
While Splenda has minimal effect on the calorie content of black coffee, other popular coffee additives can significantly increase calories:
– Sugar: Around 15 calories per teaspoon, or 45 calories per tablespoon
– Milk: About 10 calories per fluid ounce
– Cream: Around 50 calories per fluid ounce
– Flavored creamer: Varies, but around 40-80 calories per tablespoon
– Whipped cream: Approx 70 calories per fluid ounce
– Caramel, mocha, or other flavor syrups: around 60 calories per fluid ounce
So adding just 2 tablespoons of cream and 1 tablespoon of sugar can increase the calories in a cup of coffee from 5 to over 100 calories.
Low Calorie Additive Options
To keep coffee low in calories, use Splenda or other no-calorie sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, or aspartame. For creaminess without the calories, try:
– Skim or low-fat milk: 20-35 calories per ounce
– Unsweetened nut milks: 10-30 calories per ounce
– Light creamers: 20-40 calories per tablespoon
Calories in a Small, Medium, or Large Coffee
Coffee cup sizes can range from 8 ounces for a small up to 20 ounces for an extra large. Here are the approximate calories for plain black coffee with one Splenda packet in different coffee sizes:
– Small (8 oz): 5 calories
– Medium (12 oz): 5 calories
– Large (16 oz): 5 calories
– Extra large (20 oz): 10 calories
As you can see, even upsizing your coffee to a larger size has minimal effects on calories if you stick with black coffee and Splenda. The calorie content scales up just a few calories with extra liquid volume.
Starbucks Coffee Sizes
At coffee chains like Starbucks, cup sizes and calories will be approximately:
– Tall (12 oz): 5 calories
– Grande (16 oz): 5 calories
– Venti (20 oz): 10 calories
Calories in Iced Coffee
Iced coffee is brewed double strength, then poured over ice which dilutes it. This results in an iced coffee that contains approximately the same number of calories as a regular hot coffee.
An 8 ounce iced coffee prepared with Splenda contains around 5 calories, the same as a hot 8 ounce black coffee with Splenda. Size for size, hot and iced coffee have the same calorie amounts.
You can also add a splash of milk or cream to iced coffee without significantly increasing the calorie content, since ice takes up volume. Just be sure to avoid pumping in high-calorie flavor syrups or whipped cream.
Cold Brew vs Iced Coffee
Cold brew coffee has a slightly different brewing process, but the calorie content remains similar. An 8 ounce cold brew coffee with Splenda would also contain around 5 calories. So cold brew, iced coffee, and hot coffee prepared the same way will have negligible differences in calories.
Effects of Coffee on Metabolism and Weight Loss
In addition to being low in calories, black coffee may also provide other weight loss benefits. The caffeine in coffee could potentially:
– Boost your metabolic rate for a short time, burning slightly more calories
– Suppress appetite, helping control calorie intake
– Increase alertness and focus, allowing for more active calories burned
However, the effects on metabolism and weight loss are generally small. Slightly elevating your calorie burn from drinking coffee is unlikely to produce significant weight loss.
Negative Effects of Too Much Coffee
Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee per day may cause:
– Anxiety, jitteriness, rapid heartbeat
– Headaches, migraines
– Stomach upset, diarrhea
– Sleep disturbance
– Reliance on caffeine, withdrawal symptoms
Most health experts recommend limiting coffee to no more than 400mg of caffeine per day, or about 4 to 5 cups of coffee.
Too much caffeine from high coffee intake can counteract any small metabolic benefits. So moderation is key.
Healthiest Ways to Prepare Black Coffee
To make the healthiest black coffee:
– Choose fresh, whole coffee beans and grind them just before brewing.
– Use filtered water instead of tap water.
– Brew coffee using low-temperature methods like cold brew or pour over.
– Avoid sugar, use Splenda or small amounts of honey if a sweetener is needed.
– Add just a splash of milk, nut milk, or cream instead of full servings.
– Skip heavy cream, thick syrups, sweetened whipped cream, and other high-calorie flavorings.
Potential Health Benefits
In moderation, black coffee may provide:
– Increased antioxidant intake
– Reduced risk of liver and colorectal cancers
– Improved brain function and mood
– Lower risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease
– Lower risk of type 2 diabetes
Common Questions
Is black coffee bad for you?
Plain black coffee without sweeteners or cream is very low in calories and can be part of a healthy diet. Too much coffee (more than 4-5 cups per day) may cause side effects like anxiety and stomach upset, so moderation is key.
Does putting cinnamon in coffee add calories?
A dash of ground cinnamon adds virtually no calories to black coffee. Spices like cinnamon have strong flavors but contain minimal digestible carbs and calories.
What has less calories, latte or black coffee?
A latte prepared with 2 ounces of whole milk has around 80 calories, while black coffee with Splenda has about 5 calories, so black coffee has far fewer calories. However, the milk in a latte provides protein, calcium, and other nutrients.
Can I lose weight by drinking black coffee?
Replacing high-calorie, sugary coffee drinks with black coffee can help reduce calorie intake throughout the day, which may aid weight loss. But black coffee alone is unlikely to lead to significant weight loss without also changing your overall diet and exercise habits.
Conclusion
In summary, plain black coffee is very low in calories, with an average of 2 calories per cup. Adding a no-calorie sweetener like Splenda adds less than 5 calories total. While larger coffee sizes or additional low-fat milk or cream can slightly increase the calories, black coffee with Splenda remains an essentially zero- or low-calorie beverage. Drinking coffee prepared this way provides the benefits of coffee’s unique taste and mild stimulatory effects without unnecessary extra calories. Moderating your intake to 4 or fewer cups daily can help maximize the health benefits of coffee.
