Beverages, coffee, instant, with whitener, reduced calorie
Whole food · Beverages
Photo: Wikipedia
This is a convenient, pre-mixed instant coffee beverage, typically found in single-serve sticks or jars. It delivers a sweet, creamy, and often slightly artificial coffee flavor with a smooth, powdery texture that dissolves quickly. Nutritionally, it is a high-energy, high-sugar product, with the majority of its calories coming from carbohydrates and added fats.
Calorie split: 2% protein · 47% carbs · 51% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its effortless preparation and the comforting, sweet, creamy taste that can be a quick pick-me-up. It's a staple in office pantries and travel kits for its simplicity and the familiar ritual of a warm, frothy cup.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high sugar content (59g per 100g) can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes and subsequent crashes. The whitener is often made from hydrogenated vegetable oils, which may contain trans fats, and the product is typically low in beneficial nutrients like fiber and protein. To counteract, pair it with a source of protein or healthy fat (like nuts or a hard-boiled egg) to slow sugar absorption, and strictly limit portion size to one small serving.
Key benefits
- Provides a quick source of energy from carbohydrates.
- Offers a consistent, familiar taste and convenience.
- The added whitener creates a creamy mouthfeel without fresh milk.
- A common, affordable comfort drink in many households.
- Shelf-stable and requires no refrigeration.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The whitener in many instant coffee mixes is designed to be shelf-stable and heat-resistant, often using ingredients like sodium caseinate (a milk derivative) and dipotassium phosphate to prevent the coffee from curdling when mixed with hot water.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 6.2 g |
| Energy | 509 kcal |
| Energy | 2132 kj |
| Protein | 2.0 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 29.1 g |
| Ash | 2.8 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 59.9 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.50 g |
| Total Sugars | 59.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 18.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.06 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 2.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 135 mg |
| Potassium, K | 909 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 0.00 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.02 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.01 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.01 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.90 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.00 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.00 mg |
| Niacin | 0.19 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.00 mg |
| Folate, total | 1.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 1.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 1.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 0.70 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 1.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 9.0 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 14.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.26 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 3.8 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 21.0 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 25.1 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 7.4 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 17.8 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.7 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.7 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.58 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.58 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Beverages, carbonated, tonic water — USDA does not publish this profile for Beverages.
| Tryptophan | 0.00 g |
| Threonine | 0.00 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.00 g |
| Leucine | 0.00 g |
| Lysine | 0.00 g |
| Methionine | 0.00 g |
| Cystine | 0.00 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.00 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.00 g |
| Valine | 0.00 g |
| Arginine | 0.00 g |
| Histidine | 0.00 g |
| Alanine | 0.00 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.00 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.00 g |
| Glycine | 0.00 g |
| Proline | 0.00 g |
| Serine | 0.00 g |
FAQ
Is this the same as regular instant coffee?
No. Regular instant coffee is just dehydrated coffee. This product is a pre-mixed blend that includes coffee, whitener (often non-dairy), sugar, and sometimes other additives like emulsifiers or flavorings.
Why is the sugar content so high?
Sugar is a primary ingredient used to create the sweet, palatable flavor and to balance the bitterness of coffee. It also acts as a bulking agent in the powder mix.
Can I use this in baking?
Yes, it's often used to add a sweet coffee flavor to cakes, cookies, and frostings. However, you must account for its high sugar and fat content when adjusting the recipe's other ingredients.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 5.09 kcal/g · 2% calories from protein · 0.5 g fiber · 59.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.00 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.