Khaberni - Coffee creamer (whitener) is designed to be a long-lasting practical alternative to milk that is added to coffee, but now it is available with seasonal flavors, and has spread widely, especially in modern cafes due to its ease of use, and experts warn that it is just a harmful addition to coffee health-wise.
According to "Daily Mail", common artificial ingredients in coffee creamers include artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, in addition to emulsifiers and thickeners like carrageenan, and mono and diglycerides.
Fats and Sugar
Many types of liquid and powdered coffee creamers contain hydrogenated oils (trans fats), high-fructose corn syrup, and other additives to improve texture and shelf life.
Typically, sweetened coffee additives contain between 5 and 10 grams of sugar per tablespoon, while traditional dairy products, such as half and half cream, contain about one gram per tablespoon.
Emulsifiers and Stabilizers
About this, Dr. David Sinclair, a professor at Harvard Medical School, said that the combination of thickeners, emulsifiers, and stabilizers in coffee creamer may cause a disruption in the intestinal barrier and changes in the microbiome, which may contribute to the risk of colon cancer.
At the same time, the sugar and fructose in some flavored creamers may cause consumers to exceed daily limits recommended by doctors, which affects blood sugar levels and promotes the development of type 2 diabetes.
Some products also contain fully or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, or high-fat dairy components, which could increase harmful cholesterol levels when consumed daily. This has a dangerous impact on heart health.
Instead of artificial coffee creamers, Dr. Sinclair prefers to use nut milk varieties, such as almond milk and walnut milk that are free from added sugar.
Bloating
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an internal medicine specialist, agrees with Dr. Sinclair regarding coffee creamers, which he described as "closer to sweetened, processed desserts than to milk."
He added, "I have seen patients who use flavored creamers daily and feel tired and bloated or have stomach issues. Once they switched to plain milk or homemade creamers, their energy and digestion improved significantly."
