Coffee intake stayed steady, but added calories increased

A study of US adults between 2003 and 2018 found that daily calories from coffee increased. Researchers identified greater use of non-dairy creamer as the main contributor.

Calling both a plain coffee and a drink with creamer and syrup “coffee” can hide an important difference. A newly published study examines what those additions contribute. It does not test whether coffee causes disease.

Study details

Researchers at Tufts University analysed eight rounds of NHANES, a US national survey of health and nutrition. Their sample included 30,459 adults aged 20 or older. They used records in which participants recalled what they had eaten and drunk over the previous 24 hours to estimate coffee intake and the ingredients added to it.

This was not a study that followed the same people for 15 years. Instead, it compared surveys conducted at different times to identify population trends. Milk, non-dairy creamer, sugar and other additions were assessed separately. Non-dairy creamer is not the same category as all plant-based milk alternatives.

The paper appeared online in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics on October 19, 2026. ScienceDaily reported it on October 22. The dietary records, however, cover 2003–2018. They do not measure present-day habits.

What was found?

Estimated daily energy from coffee rose from 43 to 60 calories per adult, a difference of 17 calories a day.
These are population-level daily averages, not the calorie content of one cup.
The amount of coffee consumed did not increase substantially. By the final survey period, non-dairy creamer contributed more energy than the other additions.

What does it mean?

Knowing that someone drinks coffee does not tell us everything about the drink. The useful distinction here is between coffee itself and what goes into it. Higher calorie intake in this analysis does not mean that the researchers found more disease.

Limitations

People may misremember or misreport food quantities. The US findings cannot automatically be applied to other countries. The study did not test whether coffee additions caused weight gain or a particular illness.

Editor’s note

Gürkan Özkoç, MD, FACS

“I’m just having a coffee” can mean very different things. A small black coffee and a large drink with syrup, whipped cream and sauce may share a name, but what goes into the cup matters.

What interests me here is how easily the extras can become invisible. We choose the size, pick a flavour, add a topping, and still think of the whole thing simply as coffee. Sometimes, though, we are choosing a drinkable dessert.

There is room to enjoy a dessert. I just think we should recognise it as one, rather than leave it out of the picture because it comes in a coffee cup. This study did not test whether these drinks caused weight gain or disease, so I would not use it to blame coffee shops for either.

Next time you order, take a moment to ask: what is actually in my cup? The answer may be more useful than the word “coffee” on the menu.

Sources and access level

Pan and colleagues: original study record and abstract. DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2026.156908; October 19, 2026.
ScienceDaily coverage, October 22, 2026.
Access: The primary abstract was read; the publisher’s full text could not be accessed. The publisher’s indexed disclosure statement reports no funding or conflicts of interest to declare.

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This story provides general information, not individual diagnosis or treatment advice. Findings should be considered within the conditions and limitations of the study.