If we talk about which is the number one beverage consumed by people then the answer would be coffee.
This beverage is consumed in almost every part of the world and about 35% of people consume black coffee.
Black coffee comes with several benefits but with calories.
Don’t worry, black coffee is a natural healer and comes with fewer calories and various health benefits. Have a look at the calorie content and several benefits and some side effects.
How Many Calories in Black Coffee?
If you talk about calories in all the coffee variants then you will be amazed to know that black coffee contains the least number of calories compared to its counterparts.
If you want to know in detail about caffeince read our article How Much Caffeine in Coffee
Here is the table that will show how many calories different varieties of coffee contain.
Calories in Black Coffee
1. Black Coffee | 2 Calories Per 8 Ounce |
2. Iced Black Coffee | 2 Calories Per 8 Ounce |
3. Espresso | 20 Calories Per 8 Ounce |
4. Cold Press | 2 Calories Per 8 Ounce |
5. French Vanilla | 32 Calories Per 8 Ounce |
6. Non-Fat Latte | 72 Calories Per 8 Ounce |
7. Flavored Latte | 134 Calories Per 8 ounce |
Due to high concentration espresso contains more calories compared to brewed coffee.
Added sugar, milk, and flavoring agents add to the calories of coffee. The type of milk will determine how many calories your cup of coffee has.
Why does Black Coffee Contain Fewer Calories?
The ingredients used in black coffee are ground coffee and water. As we all know water does not contain any calories, so it all depends upon the coffee we are using. As coffee beans contain very few calories so the cup of black coffee contains fewer calories.
Extra calories are all due to the sweeteners, milk, vanilla, and other flavoring agents added to the coffee.
Nutrition Level of Black Coffee
If you are in search of a drink that refreshes you, can maintain your health, and is less in calories then black coffee is for you. Black coffee contains 0% fat, 0% cholesterol, 0% sodium, 0% carbohydrates, 0% sugar and 4% potassium.
We can’t say that it is a nutritious drink as it does not contain any carbohydrates or sodium and low potassium, but yes if you are in a habit of drinking something in the morning after you wake up then this can be the most preferred drink.
If you want a nutritious drink then add some milk into it but that can lead to an increase in calories count.
Read Also: Is Black Coffee Good For You
Benefits of Consuming Black Coffee
Consuming black coffee without any additive comes with several benefits for both body and mind. Here is the list of some benefits:
#1 Cardiovascular Health
Consuming one to two cups of black coffee in a day makes your heart strong by protecting you against any heart diseases which means black coffee gives you a strong heart.
#2 Improves Memory
Drinking black coffee enhances your brain function by keeping your nerves active thus leading to a sharp memory.
It also acts as a guard to your brain from various memory-related problems like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
#3 Boosts Liver Health
As black coffee contains any acidic content so it works great for liver health.
Consuming four cups of black coffee everyday helps in preventing various liver problems like liver cancer, fatty liver disease, hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis by destroying various harmful enzymes that hamper liver health.
#4 Cures Indigestion
Consumption of black coffee daily helps to clean your stomach.
As coffee is a diuretic drink without sugar that makes you urinate many times which leads to flushing out bacteria and toxins out from your body easily.
#5 Rich in Antioxidants
As black coffee contains potassium, vitamin B12 is rich in antioxidants content that helps in reducing inflammation.
#6 Controls Diabetes
Caffeinated or decaffeinated drink of black coffee both helps in reducing diabetes level as it increases the production of insulin in the body that controls the blood sugar level.
Diabetes leads to organ damage and major health issues at a later age, so start drinking black coffee for controlling and preventing diabetes.
#7 Makes You Happy
Consuming black coffee in a balanced way leads to stimulation of the central nervous system and increases the production of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline which are neurotransmitters that elevate your mood.
#8 Reduces Risk of Cancer
As coffee works great for the brain, liver, and stomach so it reduces the risk of brain tumor, liver cancer, and stomach and colon cancer.
The main reason for the development of the tumor is inflammation and black coffee works great in reducing it.
Black Coffee for Weight Loss
The most commonly known health benefit of drinking black coffee is that it reduces weight. Here are some of the reasons how it helps in reducing weight.
- As it contains chronological acid that slows down the glucose production in the body so consuming it after a meal will produce fewer fat cells.
- Consuming it leads to less consumption of calories and fats that keep you slim and trim.
- It increases your metabolism, so consuming it directly after doing exercise will help you reap maximum benefits out of it.
- As the major part of coffee is water and we all know water works great for weight loss, so while consuming coffee your water intake is also on the mark.
- The presence of antioxidants also helps in reducing weight.
Side Effects of Consuming Black Coffee
Like a coin, every product that we intake has benefits and side effects. Here are some of the side effects of consuming coffee.
- Excess of anything is always harmful. Same way consuming lots of coffee will add more caffeine to your body which will increase the stress hormones which will lead to anxiety and depression.
- It also affects your sleeping routine. So, it is recommended not to consume coffee before your bedtime.
- You can have abdominal spasms and cramps due to the acidic content in the coffee if you will take it in excess.
- Your body will consume less iron, calcium, and zinc as too much coffee in your body will not allow these nutrients to get absorbed in the body.
- Coffee is not considered good for pregnant ladies and should be avoided during that time.
Final Thoughts
Excess of anything is never good for anyone. Having coffee in a balanced environment will bless your body with various benefits that will show up on your face, behavior, and personal life. Black coffee contains fewer calories that will not harm you in any way.
It is all in your hand how many extra calories you want to add to your cup of coffee in the form of artificial sweeteners, milk, vanilla, and other flavoring agents.