Is your favorite coffee creamer toxic? Daily Mail analyzes the cancer-linked ingredients in popular products
More than 37.5 million pints of creamer are consumed in America each day, but health experts are sounding the alarm over the coffee additive.Coffee creamer was initially intended as a convenient, shelf-stable substitute for milk or cream that could be added to coffee, and now, it has exploded into a rainbow of seasonal flavors with sales surging to more than $5 billion a year. While many consumers see it as a tasty and harmless addition to their coffee, doctors warn that these creamers are considered ultra-processed beverages and are packed full of synthetic ingredients, which could have negative health impacts.Common synthetic ingredients in coffee creamers include artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium, as well as emulsifiers and thickeners like carrageenan, mono and diglycerides. Many liquid and powdered creamers also contain hydrogenated oils (trans fats), high-fructose corn syrup, and other additives to improve texture and shelf life.And, the sweetened coffee toppings typically contain 5g to 10g of sugar per tablespoon, while traditional dairy products like half-and-half have about 1g per tablespoon. More than 37.5 million pints of coffee creamer is consumed in America each day but health experts are sounding the alarm about the synthetic milk substitute (stock photo)
Harvard Medical School professor Dr David Sinclair told the Daily Mail that the cocktail of thickening agents, emulsifiers and stabilizers in coffee creamers may cause gut-barrier disruption and microbiome changes which could contribute to colon cancer development.Meanwhile, the sugar and fructose in some flavored creamers can cause consumers to exceed the daily limits recommended by doctors, impacting blood glucose levels and promoting type 2 diabetes. Some offerings also include hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils or high-saturated-fat dairy ingredients which can increase the levels of LDL cholesterol when consumed daily. This in turn can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Instead of synthetic coffee creamers, Dr Sinclair says he prefers to use nut-based milks like almond milk and walnut milk that have no added sugar.Dr Raj Dasgupta, an internal medicine specialist, told the Daily Mail that he agrees with Dr Sinclair's sentiments when it comes to coffee creamers, which he said are more similar to 'sweetened, processed desserts than milk'. He revealed: 'I've seen patients who used flavored creamers daily and felt tired, bloated, or had stomach issues. Once they switched to simple milk or homemade creamers, their energy and digestion noticeably improved.'The Daily Mail visited a popular grocery store in New York and used the Yuka app to rate a variety of coffee creamers for sale. The app allows you to scan the barcode of any food or cosmetic product and you'll get a score out of 100 based on how many chemicals and additives it's packed with and, in the case of food, its nutritional value.Daily Mail reached out to all of the coffee creamer brands for comment but did not receive responses ahead of publication. Out of the 10 coffee creamers we tested, only one was deemed 'good', while five got a 'poor' rating and four were branded 'bad'. Coffee creamer was initially intended as a convenient, shelf-stable substitute for milk or cream and now it has exploded into a rainbow of seasonal flavors with sales surging to more than $5 billion (stock photo)The worst-faring coffee creamer was the Dunkin' Pumpkin Munchkin Coffee Creamer, which scored just seven out of 100. Yuka says it has dipotassium phosphate (a stabilizer) and carrageenan (a texturizing agent), which are both classified as 'high risk' ingredients. Dipotassium phosphate is considered high risk because it is a synthetic phosphate salt that can contribute to excessive phosphate intake. When consumed in large amounts through processed foods, the phosphate can disturb the body's calcium and phosphorus balance, which may stress the kidneys, weaken bones, and increase cardiovascular risk. Carrageenan is viewed as high risk because, although it is derived from red seaweed, some studies suggest it can irritate the digestive tract and promote inflammation, particularly in people with gastrointestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.A related compound, degraded carrageenan (poligeenan), has also shown inflammatory and potentially carcinogenic effects in animal studies. For this reason, certain organic and clean-label standards prohibit carrageenan, even though regulatory agencies still allow its use in food. Meanwhile, the Dunkin' Pumpkin Munchkin Coffee Creamer has 6g of sugar per tablespoon, which is around a quarter of the daily limit for women.International Delight's French Vanilla Coffee Creamer also got a 'bad' rating, with just eight points out of 100. Starbucks' Non-Dairy sugar Cookie Latte Creamer was deemed 'bad' by the Yuka app with a 22 out of 100 scoreIt was flagged for containing 5g of sugar per tablespoon and a number of additives, including dipotassium phosphate, carrageenan, and mono- and diglycerides. Yuka revealed that it has sodium stearoyl lactylate, which is commonly used as a texturizing agent in baked goods. The app notes that a recent in vitro study showed that sodium lactylates have the capacity to alter gut microbiota composition. This microbial imbalance can lead to increased intestinal permeability, often called 'leaky gut,' which allows bacterial fragments and toxins to enter the bloodstream.Coffee Mate's Standard French Vanilla flavor didn't fare much better, earning 21 out of 100. Along with containing similar additives to the sugar-free version, it has 5g of sugar per tablespoon.Despite looking like a healthier option with its almond and oat milk base, Starbucks' Non-Dairy Sugar Cookie Latte Creamer was also deemed 'bad' by Yuka, with a 22 out of 100 score. Along with containing 5g of sugar per tablespoon and two additives (guar gum and sodium bicarbonate as texturizing agents) it also has 1g of fat, which Yuka said was 'a bit too fatty'.This is because its fat content is slightly higher than typical for a plant-based or non-dairy creamer, not because 1 gram of fat is objectively a lot. Chobani's Cookie Dough Coffee Creamer scored 31 out of 100 for containing 5g of sugar per serving and 1g of saturated fat. However, the Daily Mail noted that the creamer has an impressive ingredient list with just six items - milk, cream, cane sugar, Dutch cocoa, natural flavors, and sea salt - none of which are artificial.Califia Farms Vanilla Oat Creamer was another option that appeared to be a healthier choice because it is plant-based, dairy-free, and marketed as a 'natural' alternative to traditional creamers. However, Yuka still gave it a 'poor' rating of 45 out of 100, noting that it was 'a bit too sweet,' with 3 grams of sugar per serving and two concerning additives: calcium carbonate (a fortifying agent) and guar gum (a thickener and stabilizer).In this case, the 3 grams of sugar are mostly added sugar, not naturally occurring. Yuka's app does not differentiate between added and natural sugars in its analysis, but the score is influenced by total sugar content and the presence of added sugars.Silk's Oatmilk Vanilla Creamer received a 48 out of 100 'poor' rating, with its main downfall being its sugar content of 4g per serving.Coffee Mate's Sugar-Free French Vanilla Coffee Creamer earned the same 48 out of 100 score. Yuka called it out for containing five 'high risk' additives - dipotassium phosphate, carrageenan, mono- and diglycerides, acesulfame K, and sucralose - but gave it credit for having just 10 calories per tablespoon, with no saturated fats or sugar.Nut Pods' Almond and Coconut Creamer scored just one point higher, with 49 out of 100. Yuka said the addition of the stabilizer dipotassium phosphate is 'high risk' and 'could be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and breast cancer.' Chobani's Cookie Dough Coffee Creamer got a 31 out of 100 for containing 5g of sugar per serving and 1g of saturated fat. However, Daily Mail noted that the creamer has an impressive ingredient list, in terms that contains no additivesOnly one of the ten coffee creamers the Daily Mail tested received a 'good' rating. Laird's Superfood's Coconut Creamer with Functional Mushrooms scored 51 out of 100. The app praised it for being low calorie (20 calories per tablespoon), having no sodium, and being low in saturated fats and sugar.New York-based personal trainer Natalie Alex said she is not surprised by the findings. She told this website: 'Honestly, most coffee creamers aren't as harmless as they seem. They're ultra-processed and often full of hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, artificial flavors, and thickeners like carrageenan - none of which are good for your heart or digestion. 'Even the 'sugar-free' ones usually have sweeteners that mess with your gut microbiome. Because of the sugar and caffeine combo, they can also become a bit addictive. 'You start craving that specific sweet, creamy taste. It's much better to use something simple like a splash of organic cream, unsweetened plant milk, or even coconut oil or cinnamon for flavor.' Coffee Creamer rankings The Daily Mail chose 10 coffee creamers sold in grocery stores and analyzed them using the Yuka app. The app allows you to scan the barcode of any food product to analyze its ingredients list and nutrition facts. It then generates a score out of 100 based on how many chemicals and additives are in the products. The app then calculates the nutritional value.Here is how the coffee creamers stacked up: Dunkin' Pumpkin Munchkin Coffee Creamer: 7 out of 100International Delight's French Vanilla Coffee Creamer: 8 out of 100 Coffee Mate French Vanilla: 21 out of 100Starbucks Non-Dairy Sugar Cookie Latte: 22 out of 100 Chobani Cookie Dough Coffee Creamer: 31 out of 100Califia Farms Vanilla Oat Creamer: 45 out of 100Coffee Mate Sugar Free French Vanilla Coffee Creamer: 48 out of 100 Silk's Oatmilk Vanilla Creamer: 48 out of 100Nut Pods' Almond and Coconut Creamer: 49 out of 100 Laird's Superfood's Coconut Creamer: 51 out of 100
