Do Flavored Coffees Have Carbs? Yes, But They Don’t Have To, Here’s Why!

Starbucks exists to sell flavored coffee that is great…unless you are on a carb-controlled diet. It is not a question of do flavored coffees have carbs? It’s more like how many carbs are in flavored coffee, and how can I reduce them?

By the time you have finished reading this, you will be reaching for your spice jar and roasted coffee beans and making your own healthy carb-free flavored coffee.

Ready to find out just how many carbs there are in those liquid cakes?

Keep reading!

What Are Carbohydrates?

Alongside fats and proteins, carbohydrates are one of the macronutrients that your body needs for energy. Carbohydrates are the starches, fibers, and sugars found in our diet that we digest and, in turn, our body processes and turns carbs into sugar.

Low carb diets can be good for kick-starting a diet that leads to weight loss. It is said that low-carb diets are difficult to sustain due to your body using carbs as the main source of energy.

However,

I have found that when I am on a very low to almost zero carb diet, my body burns fat for energy as it goes into a state of ketosis, burning ketones for energy. As you reduce your carb intake, it would probably be a good idea to increase healthy fats like coconut oil.

Do Flavored Coffees Have Carbs?

Black coffee, coffee in its raw, most basic and natural form, has very few calories with only 3 per 12 ounce cup of coffee. The carb benefits are obvious – zero carbs in Caffe Americano.

What ever you may add, or your local coffee shop may add to your coffee, including flavored syrups, sugar, milk, whipped cream, chocolate sauce or whatever it may be, is adding calories and carbohydrates to your cup of coffee.

The carbs added to your coffee to make flavored coffee using flavored coffee syrups are simple carbohydrates. This means they are not quite ideal for diabetes or diets. These syrups are loaded with sugar. These syrups are made by dissolving flavoring and sugar in hot water. When the liquid cools, it becomes the syrup used to flavor coffee.

Is Flavored Coffee Keto?

The flavored coffee that you get as part of your morning or mid-afternoon coffee routine at your local gourmet coffee house is most certainly not going to be keto or anywhere close to Keto-style coffee.

If you want to make your flavored coffee using the same method that the franchised coffee shops make, then you need to make sure the flavored syrups are sugar-free syrups. These flavorings are loaded with sugar and thus are loaded with carbohydrates and not compliant with a ketogenic diet.

You can make your own syrups using the numerous sugar alternatives like stevia, xylitol, agave and flavorings. You could, if you wish, use natural sugars like coconut sugar, unrefined cane sugar, rapadura and use less sugar to make the syrup – honey is also an option.

I’m not an expert on the low-carb, ketogenic diet but, I am pretty sure using natural sugars and less of them will have fewer carbs and not quite ketogenic but still much better than those from the franchise coffee outlets due to fewer carbohydrates and thus reducing your carb intake.

To aid your weight loss, you could also look to using pumpkin, cardamom, cinnamon and coconut.

Does Flavored Coffee Have Calories?

Yes,

and how many calories depends on how you flavor your coffee. Flavoring using the sugar-loaded syrups turns an almost calorie-free black coffee to one with around 95 calories assuming 3 pumps of syrup and 2 sugars.

You can get them down to almost zero calories if you flavor them naturally.

What Are Flavored Coffee Beans?

This is something to give serious consideration to – flavored coffee beans. This is far better than the hazelnut coffee or vanilla latte at your local Starbucks as they are referring to the use of flavored syrups.

Far better are flavored coffee beans that have been roasted with hazelnuts or vanilla beans. The calories with flavored beans are much lower, with almost no added calories.

How To Make Your Own Flavored Coffee Beans

It is super effortless to make your own flavored coffee beans from home. All you need are very freshly roasted coffee beans. By freshly roasted, I mean right of the roaster fresh. Literally you can’t buy them in the shops.

You will either have to roast your own or order them from one of your local roasteries and have them call you once they are ready.

For a number of reasons, at Latte Love Brew we encourage you to roast your own beans and get in on the home roasting revolution.

You will need a proper and professional coffee canister that is airtight and has a one-way valve.

As your freshly roasted coffee beans are de gassing chop the natural item that you wish to flavor your beans with, be they hazelnuts, almonds, vanilla beans, or cacao pods.

You then place them in your coffee canister with your freshly roasted beans. As they are degassing the gas, carbon dioxide, will escape via a one way valve. The beans will then take on the flavor of the item that you have added to the coffee canister alongside your coffee beans.

The result is no added calories and delicious naturally flavored coffee.

This is also much better and healthier than flavoring your coffee beans with flavored oils.

Frequently Asked Questions – Do Flavored Coffees Have Carbs?

Is Flavored Coffee OK On Keto?

Yes, flavored coffee can be okay for a Keto diet assuming that you are using flavored beans, natural flavoring or one of the many sugar-free syrups from Torani.

Check out the flavors that Torani have by searching for them on Amazon, Target and Walmart. They are absolutely sure to have your favorite flavor. If you are dedicated to your diet, you can order your latte or preferred coffee beverage and take your sugar-free syrup to coffee shops with you.

If your barista asks why, just explain that you are on a keto diet and need to use sugar-free syrups.

Do Flavored Coffees Have Sugar In Them?

Yes, but not always.

If you are ordering your flavored coffee from Starbucks, Costa coffee or any of the Franchised coffee companies, it is very likely that they use sugar bases syrups to flavor their cups of coffee.

If you are making your own flavored coffee or have bought flavored coffee beans, then it will be sugar-free.

As I mentioned above, there are companies that have a wide range of flavored syrups that are sugar-free.

Can I Drink Flavored Coffee While Fasting?

Yes, I enjoy coffee fasting regularly. To be more accurate, coffee fasting is what I do. As long as you enjoy a coffee that doesn’t have added sugar or sugary syrups or too much milk since milk contains sugar.

Be sure to use flavored coffee beans or sugar-free syrup to flavor your coffee and don’t use too much milk in your coffee.

What Kind Of Coffee Can I Drink On A Low Carb Diet?

Unsweetened tea and coffee with no milk will help you stick to a no carb or low-carb diet. You can add an alternative sweetener like Stevia and a dash of milk if that is how you enjoy your coffee.

Making your own heavy cream with a tablespoon of milk and a tablespoon of heavy cream.

Will Sugar In My Coffee Kick Me Out Of Ketosis?

By definition, sugar is something that will knock you out of Ketosis. The very definition of a Keto diet is to be sugar-free and high in the good fats.

If your diet is already sugar-free and has no added sugar, it may be that a little will not put you out of ketosis for too long or at all.

There is no “must” when it comes to adding sugar to your coffee. There are a whole host of natural sweeteners that you can use. Agave and Stevia are two alternatives that you can consider.

Is Milk In Coffee OK On Keto?

Milk in coffee should be okay on a Keto diet as long as you are not using a lot of it. You can also consider alternative plant and nut based milks that have less sugar in them than milk.

You can train your taste buds to go milk-free by using a reduced amount and keep reducing the amount of milk every week.

Start by measuring how much you regularly use, and then use 80% of that amount for a week. The following week, use 60%, the week after that 40% and keep going until you are either milk free or only adding a dash of milk.

Is Flavored Coffee Carb-Free?

No, but flavored coffee is low in carbohydrate content. It is unfortunately not 100% free from carbohydrates.

Is Flavored Coffee OK For Fasting?

Yes, but it depends on how your flavored coffee is flavored. If your coffee is flavored with pumps of simple syrup or flavored milk or coffee creamer, then it may not be ideal for fasting. Coffee that is naturally flavored, or made with flavored coffee beans, then yes, it is fine for fasting. Be careful of how much milk and creamer you add.

Frappé-Ing It All Up – Do Flavored Coffees Have Carbs?

It is entirely up to you how many carbs are in your flavored coffee. It is not a question of “do flavored coffees have carbs” It is a question of how many – none if you flavor your beans naturally and about 95 of you flavor with 3 squirts of syrup and 2 sugars.

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Derek Marshall

Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location