Coffee

For many people, coffee is the first thing they consume in the morning and it has become something many people cannot live without. Check the calorie calculator for coffee to determine its calories and nutritional facts.

Low in Calories

Unless you add a lot of cream and sugar to your coffee, coffee is naturally low in calories. An 8 fluid ounce serving of black coffee contains only 2 calories. With such a low calorie count, coffee is not a good source of carbs, fats, or protein, not to mention vitamins and minerals. When you add milk, creamer, or sugar, however, you can significantly increase the calories and carbohydrate content of the beverage so be careful.

Effect on Iron Absorption

When you think about coffee, you probably think more about its caffeine content than about any vitamins or minerals it contains. After all, the reason you drink coffee is to wake yourself up, right? It is worth noting, however, that excessive coffee consumption can actually have an effect on how well your body absorbs certain vitamins and minerals like iron. Coffee contains polyphenols which impact your body’s ability to absorb iron. Too much iron, however, can cause liver cancer so drinking coffee may actually help to prevent that.

While coffee consumption was once thought to be a risk factor for developing coronary heart disease, that is no longer the case. In fact, drinking coffee may actually have some health benefits. Check the calorie counter for coffee to determine its calories and nutritional facts.

Caffeine Content

The main reason many people drink coffee is not for the flavor – it is for the caffeine content. Caffeine has stimulant effects which help you to feel more awake and more focused. Unfortunately, caffeine can have an addictive effect. If you get used to drinking coffee every morning, you may develop headaches on the days that you do not consume coffee.

Preventative Benefits

A number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the preventive benefits of coffee for various diseases. While a large-scale study published in 2012 did not indicate an association between drinking coffee and reduced risk for cancer, other studies suggest that decaffeinated coffee may help prevent type 2 diabetes. Coffee is fairly high in antioxidants which have been shown to repair the damage caused by free radicals which could lead to cancer.