If you drink coffee on a daily basis like many people do, you’ll probably be happy to hear that this classic morning beverage can actually be great for your overall health. It could even aid weight loss. However, if you’re loading your coffee with unhealthy ingredients, these benefits could easily be negated. In fact, there are several common coffee ingredients out there that could make it extremely difficult to lose weight and likely even lead to weight gain when consumed regularly. One of the biggest culprits is sugary creamer—and there’s one major offender in particular that health experts recommend staying away from.
Adding creamer to your coffee every day can pose a serious risk to your health goals. However, it’s worth noting that some are better than others. If you’re trying to lose weight while still enjoying the taste of your coffee, it’s helpful to know which creamer options are the worst so that you can make the healthiest choice possible. According to Registered Nurse Lauren Thayer, Dunkin’s Vanilla Extra Extra Creamer is among the most fattening ones. Read on to learn more about the risks of this sweet, high-calorie creamer.
Dunkin Vanilla Extra Extra Creamer and Weight Gain
Got a sweet tooth? We don't blame you. However, limiting your intake of sugar is a crucial part of keeping your body healthy and slimming down. It's no secret that consuming too much of this deviously delicious ingredient can lead to many health issues, including weight gain. But it isn't just dessert and candy that sugar sneaks into; if you're regularly indulging in some sweet coffee creamer, you're also loading your coffee with sugar. "Many coffee creamers contain added sugars and other artificial preservatives and sweeteners that are unhealthy," Thayer warns. And according to her, the popular Dunkin Vanilla Extra Extra Creamer is especially bad for you.
"One of the most unhealthy creamers on the grocery store shelf is the Dunkin Vanilla Extra Extra Creamer," Thayer says. "It is full of fat, including saturated fat, carbs, and sugar." If you think this sounds like a recipe for weight gain, you're not wrong.
But it isn't just all that fat, carbs, and sugar that makes this creamer a poor choice for your health. According to Thayer, "It also contains many artificial colors, flavors, and carrageenan, which can negatively affect the gut." Keep in mind that your gut health plays an important role in your ability to lose weight, so anything that poses a risk to your digestive system could also be holding you back from your dream body.
How to choose a healthy creamer
Of course, the best way to drink your coffee for your health is to take it black, or maybe with some cinnamon sprinkled in for added benefits. But if you can't stomach the taste of bitter black coffee, there are some compromises you can make for your taste buds and your waistline.
"In order to choose a healthy coffee creamer option, check the ingredient list," Thayer instructs. "Try to avoid creamers with artificial flavors and sugars." And If you think zero-calorie is the best way to go, she recommends thinking again. "Skip the zero-calorie creamers as it is full of artificial preservatives and fillers that are not healthy," she says.
Some experts say that almond milk makes the healthiest creamer.
The bottom line
Coffee can be a healthy part of a weight loss-friendly diet, but choosing the right ingredients is crucial. It's always best to avoid high-sugar add-ins, especially when it comes to ultra-sweet creamers such as Dunkin Vanilla Extra Extra Creamer. Of course, indulging in a treat for yourself every now and then won't mean you can never achieve a flat stomach, but limiting your intake of sugar by cutting out ingredients like this one is the best way to go for your overall health—including your waistline.
