The health-conscious among you may be wondering how your daily coffee habit is affecting your waistline. So this article is for you! We will investigate how many calories are in espresso and how this compares to other coffee beverages.
What Is A Calorie?
A calorie is a term used to convey the amount of energy contained within a particular food or drink. All of us need calories or energy to function. The problem lies when the amount of calories we consume exceeds the energy we use. When this happens, the excess calories are converted to fat and stored in our bodies. This is why if you are seeking to lose weight or live a healthy life, it pays to be aware of how many calories you are unwittingly consuming.
How Many Calories Should Be Consumed A Day?
The USDA dietary guidelines recommend that an adult male should consume around 2500 calories a day, while an adult female around 2000 calories. Obviously, this is dependent on lifestyle and body.
How Many Calories Are In Espresso?
So now for the good news, espresso contains a negligible amount of calories, so no need to skip that morning caffeine hit! Espresso is produced when hot water is forced through finely-ground coffee beans at high pressure. The result is a thick, complex, concentrated shot of coffee. A single shot of espresso is around one fluid ounce (or 30ml), while a double shot is two fluid ounces (or 60ml). According to the USDA, there are approximately three calories in a single shot of espresso and six calories in a double shot of espresso.
How Does This Compare To Black Coffee?
Espresso is on a par with other black coffee drinks. It contains slightly more calories than brewed coffee simply because it is a lot more concentrated. An 8-ounce cup of black coffee contains around two calories.
A Splash Of Milk?
Unfortunately, the low-calorie count of espresso can quickly snowball with any additives. A splash of milk? A dollop of cream? A dash of sugar? Think again. Even the most minor addition can drastically change the calorie intake of your beverage.
Calories In Milk
Milk is the most common addition to espresso. And who doesn’t like their espresso shot topped with thick, creamy, frothy milk? Unfortunately, this can take the calorie count up from 6 to 120. Below is a rough guide to the calories contained in different milk options (obviously this will vary depending on brand):
To put it in perspective, a standard latte or flat white made with whole fat milk contains around 120 calories. Not bad if you have one a day, but if you are a coffeeholic downing multiple, it adds up.
Calories In Sugar
The other common additive to espresso is sugar or flavored syrups, and once again, these will compound your calories. Below is a rough guide to the calories in sugar:
Depending on how you drink your coffee, you may be consuming more calories than you realize. Drinking black is always the best option; however, if you can’t give up the creamy goodness, consider using an alternative milk like Almond which is substantially lower in calories.
Benefits Of Drinking Espresso
It is common knowledge that espresso, and more particularly caffeine, has many health benefits. Among these are several that aid in weight loss. Caffeine is an appetite suppressant that will reduce your hunger levels. In addition, caffeine can also increase your metabolism and cause you to burn fat faster. For most of us, we would drink coffee even if the science didn’t back it, but it’s nice not to have to feel guilty about it!
The Bottom Line
If you are an espresso enthusiast, you needn’t feel guilty about your habit. Espresso contains a negligible amount of calories- only three calories in a single shot or six calories in a double shot. It’s plain to see that drinking espresso is both healthy and beneficial in many ways. We would add the caveat that it depends on how you are drinking it. The addition of milk, sugar, or flavorings can drastically change that calorie count. So drink it black and enjoy!
