Complete Nutrition Facts for Coffee

I've been asked on several occassions about the nutrition facts for coffee. After thorough research this is what I've put together.

Coffee, with its many different forms and types, is a universal drink that's enjoyed all around the globe by people everywhere each and every day. And, although we already know that simple caffeine is the most prevalent ingredient in any kind of coffee, little else is known about the widely popular beverage's nutritional information or content.

Besides the caffeine, the nutrients of coffee also include several small amounts of lipids, or fats, as well as vitamins and minerals and a few dietary proteins.

However, the exact content of all of these ingredients will largely depend on the manner in which the coffee is processed before consumption.

While coffee beans in their natural state have three different polysaccharides in the form of dietary fibers, most of them are not actually present in coffee. This is because of the grinding and roasting processes that are used before brewing the beans.

Coffee contains no cholesterol, slightly less than a milligram of sodium, and less than one tenth of a gram of carbohydrates and total fats.

Adding either milk or sugar to coffee, of course, will increase the fat count to at least one gram, depending on the type of milk used. Also the sodium content rises to 70 milligrams while the total carbohydrates are more than 15 grams, again depending upon the actual type of milk and sweetener used.

Here are the specific nutrition facts for coffee based on one cup (8 fl oz) (237 g) brewed from grounds with plain tap water and with no creamers or sugars added, starting with the main and most familiar component, caffeine.

The Average Caffeine Content in Various Types of Coffee

   - Brewed: 80 to 135 mg
   - Decaf, brewed: 3 to 4 mg
   - Decaf, instant: 2 to 3 mg
   - Drip coffee: 115 to 175 mg
   - Espresso: 100 mg
   - Instant: 65 to 100 mg

Nutrition Facts for Coffee - Proteins and Amino Acids in Plain Coffee

Many people are rather surprised to learn that coffee contains certain proteins and amino acids. Most of them are in trace amounts and are equal to less than one percent of the Percent Daily Values (%DV) as established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The various proteins and amino acids present within coffee are:

   - Alanine: 7.1 mg
   - Arginine: 2.4 mg
   - Aspartic acid: 11.9 mg
   - Cystine: 4.7 mg
   - Glutamic acid: 47.4 mg
   - Glycine: 9.5 mg
   - Histidine: 4.7 mg
   - Isoleucine 4.7 mg
   - Leucine 11.9 mg
   - Lysine: 2.4 mg
   - Phenylalanine: 7.1 mg
   - Proline: 9.5 mg
   - Serine: 2.4 mg
   - Threonine 2.4 mg
   - Tyrosine: 4.7 mg
   - Valine: 7.1 mg

Nutrition Facts for Coffee - Vitamins and Minerals in Coffee

An equally surprising fact about the nutritional content of coffee is that it's said to be one of the best sources of antioxidants, even more than red wine or tea. Red wine or tea are two beverages that have long been known for their cancer fighting qualities and purported abilities to reduce the risk of heart disease.

The following vitamins are within plain, ordinary coffee:

   - Choline: 6.2 mg
   - Folate: 4.7 mcg
   - Niacin: 0.5 mg
   - Vitamin K: 0.2 mcg
   - Pantothenic acid: 0.6 mg
   - Riboflavin: 0.2 mg

Although most of the vitamins are only trace amounts, the amount of Riboflavin is actually equal to 11% of the %DV, while Pantothenic acid is at six percent, and Thiamin and Niacin both are at two percent. Certain minuscule amounts of lipids and fatty acids are also present in coffee with the total Omega-6 fatty acid content being at 2.4 mg per cup.

In learning more about the nutrition facts for coffee, scientists have also discovered that it contains trace amounts of minerals and include the following:

   - Calcium: 4.7 mg
   - Fluoride: 215 mcg
   - Magnesium: 7.1 mg
   - Manganese: 0.1 mg
   - Phosphorus: 7.1 mg
   - Potassium: 116 mg
   - Sodium: 4.7 mg

Nutrition Facts for Coffee - Calories in Coffee

When determining the total number of calories in coffee, you must first take into consideration the additives used like cream or sugar, as well as whether or not there is any flavoring added to the coffee first.

The calories in coffee without any additives are as follows:

   - Calories: 2.4
   - Calories from Carbohydrates: 1.0
   - Calories from Fat: 0.4
   - Calories from Protein: 1.0

So there you have the nutrition facts for coffee and for all of us coffee lovers, it's good to know that coffee and health aren't as bad as once proclaimed.