Is coffee fattening?

by Rebecca C.
(Ormond Beach, FL, USA)

QUESTION:

A friend at work told me that drinking too much coffee is fattening. Is this true?

ANSWER:

Coffee itself is not fattening at all.

There are only about 5 calories in a 6-ounce cup of black coffee.

That same cup of coffee contains zero carbohydrates, no fat and zero sugars.

In other words, coffee is a wonderful beverage when it comes to watching your weight.

BUT...

That coffee can become a HUGE source of calories when you start adding cream, sugar, syrups and sprinkles.

As an example, a 12-ounce White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino contains about 370 calories.

How about a regular cup of coffee with cream and sugar? A 6-ounce cup with cream and one sugar is about 50 calories.

Coffee itself isn't fattening at all.

Just be careful how you prepare it!

You'll find some additional information on the health benefits of coffee on our coffee and health page.