How Many Calories in Coffee?

The calories in coffee-based drinks vary enormously. The more milk and sweetener you add, the worse it gets.

One fluid ounce of espresso coffee has just one calorie.

And from then on, it gets worse…

Here are some common coffee drinks, and if you are looking after your weight – you’ll stick to black coffee or straight espresso.

Beverage	Volume (fl oz)	Calories
Instant coffee	1 tsp	4
Instant coffee	8	4
Espresso Coffee	1	1
Brewed Coffee	8	2
McDonald’s Cappuccino	16	130
McDonald’s Latte	16	180
McDonald’s Mocha	16	330
McDonald’s Brewed Coffee (Large)	16	0
McDonald’s Caramel Frappe	21	670
Dunkin Donuts Latte	10	120
Dunkin Donuts Cappuccino	10	80
Dunkin Donuts Mocha Swirl Latte	10	230
Dunkin Donuts Brewed Coffee	10	15
Dunkin Caramel Swirl Frozen Coffee	32	1170
Starbucks Brewed Coffee	16	5
Starbucks Caffè Americano	16	15
Starbucks Caffè Latte	16	220
Starbucks Caffè Mocha (no whip)	16	290
Starbucks Caffè Mocha (whip)	16	360
Starbucks Cappucino	16	140
Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha (whip)	16	560
Starbucks Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino Blended Coffee (whip)	16	430
Starbucks Hot Chocolate (no whip)	16	330
Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino	24	600

Coffee is not an unhealthy drink; with just coffee beans and water – there are many researched health benefits.

Watch out for the milk and sugar

Coffee drinks are high in calories due to what we add to the coffee. Caffeine is a bitter chemical, so we tend to sweeten it with milk, sugar, or syrups.

The bigger the drink – the more milk you will be getting. With espresso-based drinks (latte, cappuccino) – the amount of water in the drink is minimal (typically 45 ml / 1.5 fl oz per espresso shot).

How a Grande Latte from Starbucks gets so fattening

Add in cream, a pump of flavored syrup, and some sugar – and you are in for a very calorie-dense drink – more like sweetened milk than coffee.

Starbucks coffee calories

1. Java Chip Frappuccino: 470 calories
2. Toffee Nut Latte: 301 calories
3. Iced Caramel Macchiato: 250 calories
4. Dirty Chai Tea Latte: 240 calories
5. Matcha Green Tea Latte: 240 calories
6. Pink Drink: 140 calories
7. Blonde Cappuccino: 120 calories
8. Caffe Misto: 110 calories
9. Iced Coconutmilk Latte: 90 calories
10. Americano — Black: 15 calories​

Calories in coffee additives and extras

Flavored non-dairy creamer (liquid)	Calories (per Tablespoon)
Cream	52
Half-and-half	20
Whole milk	9
Fat-free milk	5
Almond Milk	8
Sugar	48
McDonald’s Coffee Cream (liquid)	20
Plain nondairy creamer (powder)	33
Plain, light nondairy creamer (powder)	25
Flavored nondairy creamer (powder)	45
Flavored, reduced-fat nondairy creamer (powder)	40
Plain nondairy creamer (liquid)	20
Plain, light nondairy creamer (liquid)	10
Flavored non-dairy creamer (powder)	35
Flavored, reduced-fat nondairy creamer (liquid)	20

Coffee is almost zero calories

According to the USDA nutrient database – an 8-ounce cup of coffee (brewed from grounds) has just two calories. The calories come from a tiny amount of protein and some mono-unsaturated oils.

A coffee bean has oils (which is why a barista cleans their espresso machine to prevent an oily build-up).

Sometimes a really bad coffee can be due to the oils in it becoming rancid (this often occurs from dark roasts, which cause a subsequent release of oils – if the beans are stored for a long time, the oils may go slightly rancid).

So: coffee beans + water = virtually calorie-free.

Which is the best coffee drink with the lowest calories?

If you are considering reducing the number of calories in your diet and coffee is your thing: It’s time to work on that sweet tooth.

The best option is to drink an Americano (espresso + water).

Believe it or not, espresso drinks have less caffeine than brewed drinks (where the water is in contact with the coffee grounds for longer).

Minimize the number of extras you put into your coffee – and you may well remove a significant amount of calories from your diet.