Creamer

Tis' the season for warm drinks, at least here in the USA where winter is almost upon us. Warm drinks could include a number of things like: coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc. 

For many Americans, coffee would be, most definitely, at the top of the list! Waking up to a hot cup of coffee on a cold, winter morning is hard to beat. So warm. So comforting. So delicious. And the caffeine in coffee gives a nice boost to begin the day.

Though I've already written a post about coffee on this blog (which you can read here), I did not share anything about a common item frequently added to coffee - creamer.   

If you're someone who drinks your coffee black, this post is not for you. But, if you're like many (and like me) and add creamer to your coffee, read on. 

Most Americans add cream to their coffee, usually milk or some type of flavored "creamer". 

Flavored creamers, like the one pictured here (below), are readily found in most grocery stores today. I'm amazed at the flavors these companies come up with! Some of them taste pretty amazing too! 

What are most, coffee creamers like this one made from? Take a look at the ingredient listing (below) on this one. 

Do you see it? Most coffee "creamers" do not have any real milk or cream in them at all. They are made from vegetable oil (soybean and canola oil in this one) with some added water, sugar, flavors, chemicals, and preservatives.

Sound very healthy to you?  

Trust me, it's not. 

When you use coffee creamers like this one, you are literally drinking vegetable oil in your coffee, vegetable oil that has been flavored. Companies can tag on "dairy free" to their product because it is, thus making it sound like a good choice. 

But the sad truth is, most coffee creamers are far from healthy. 

I grew up without coffee in our house. Surprisingly, my Dad does not like coffee. (I'm guessing he has only ever tried black coffee, but I don't know for sure.) He says he doesn't like it. My mom likes it and drank coffee in her early 20's, but says that she couldn't handle the caffeine very well. She's never had it since. And so, coffee wasn't found in our home when I was growing up.

But two of my sisters love coffee. And 10-12 years ago, one of them bought a small, coffee maker, and began brewing coffee at home. They offered me some to try with flavored, coffee creamer added to it. I slowly got hooked.

After 5 years of drinking one cup of coffee every morning, I decided to read the ingredient label on the back of our flavored, coffee creamer. Vegetable oil? I was surprised, and after reading the remaining ingredients, I decided that it wasn't very good for me. 

I remember reading something once that has stuck with me. In speaking about health, the statement said, if your Great Grandmother wouldn't know what something was on a food or drink label today, then you probably shouldn't be eating it or drinking it. Very wise words. Our bodies don't know how to handle many processed foods and drinks today. 

Many of our foods and drinks today are loaded with added sugar, artificial flavors, chemicals, and preservatives. Is it any wonder we have so many health problems today? 

To be sure, our Great Grandmothers would have used sugar, but more often than not, they used it sparingly - for special treats. 

What do I use in my coffee instead of flavored, coffee creamer? 

Half and half - real milk and cream. I also like to add a teaspoon of sugar to mine. Real coffee. Real cream. Real sugar. That's it.  

Admittedly, I missed my flavored creamer at first. But now, when I use flavored creamer in coffee on rare occasions, it is almost too sweet to me. I do not like it anymore. I like the taste of real cream and sugar in my coffee instead. 

Just like I shared about the difference between real butter (which comes from milk) and margarine (which comes from hydrogenated vegetable oil) in my last blog post, the same idea applies to coffee creamer. 

Real milk (or half and half) is much better to use than flavored, coffee creamer. (flavored vegetable oil) 

Would your Great Grandmother have known what real milk, cream, and butter were? Absolutely! Would she have known what margarine and flavored, coffee creamers were? Likely not.    

Rest assured that, adding flavored, coffee creamer to your coffee every once and awhile, perhaps at a church event or a work meeting, isn't going to hurt you. 

But every, single, day? Yes. Consuming vegetable oil every day is not good for you. 

Try using real milk or cream in your coffee instead. If you find that isn't sweet enough, add a little sugar until you find what you like. 

I prefer organic half and half, but regular half and half is a great option over flavored, coffee creamers. 

Try it. See if you notice a difference. Your health is worth it.  

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I have no medical training. The things I share on this blog are simple, practical things that I've learned help with good health.