CG Fitness: Personal Training, Nutrition & Yoga

Do you like your coffee with creamer? Have you ever looked at the ingredients in that creamer?

I wrote a blog post about why I only drink Organic Coffee and a lot of people never knew how toxic coffee is, so I thought I would do a post about coffee creamer. I know so many people that can’t stand the taste of black coffee (like I do) and need something like creamer in their coffee to enjoy it.

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Since Vital Proteins just came out with Collagen Creamer, I thought this is the perfect time to talk about what’s in YOUR creamer.

• There’s no “cream” in your coffee creamer –most store-bought coffee creamers aren’t actually made with cream. Instead, they get their rich, velvety mouthfeel from thickening agents and emulsifiers like carrageenan, a thickener thought to cause inflammation and digestive problems. Other common ingredients, while generally considered safe, are just plain gross. Cellulose gel and cellulose gum are fillers derived from wood pulp or cotton. Polysorbate 60 is a sugar alcohol-derived emulsifier that’s used to keep water and oil from separating in conventional cosmetics.
• Artificial Flavors – come from anything that is inedible (i.e petroleum) that is processed to create chemicals of flavorings.
• Weird Preservatives –A carton of real milk or cream will stay fresh for at least a week in the refrigerator. But unless you’re guzzling coffee creamer like water, there’s no way you’re gonna finish that giant container in a mere 7 days. Food manufacturers know this, so they make life easy by adding mold inhibitors like sodium stearoyl lactylate and dipotassium phosphate.
• Partially Hydrogenated Oils – Thickeners alone can’t make a cream-free liquid taste luxuriously creamy, which is where partially hydrogenated oils, or trans fats, come in. These highly processed fats are downright dangerous, raising levels of bad cholesterol, and put you at higher risk for heart disease. That’s why most experts say you should avoid them completely. Even in your coffee.
• Artificial Sweeteners – In an effort to make coffee creamers ultra-sweet and delicious without turning them into sugar- and calorie-bombs, manufacturers rely on fake sweeteners like sucralose. Problem is, sucralose can still cause your blood sugar to spike, which findings suggest could up your risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Corn Syrup – often referred to as high-fructose corn syrup — is a sweetener that’s been added to processed foods in increasing amounts over the past few decades. Let’s break down it’s name for a minute, shall we?Fructose is a type of sugar molecule that’s found in nature, but it’s usually found alongside fiber, glucose (another type of sugar) and other nutrients. High-fructose corn syrup, as its name suggests, is a sweetener that’s rich in fructose but devoid of the nutrients that are commonly found alongside it in nature. It’s made from highly processed corn — it’s nothing like natural sweeteners. It is extremely high in fructose, with a skewed fructose to glucose ratio. It has the same implications for health as sugar: It packs on the calories, may pose a risk to health, and is generally best left out of your kitchen.
• Casein – If you don’t have a problem with dairy, casein may not be an issue for you. But if you’re in any way dairy-intolerant, this is an ingredient you’ll probably want to stay away from. Many adults who have problems digesting dairy have a sensitivity to casein, a protein found in milk. Even some powdered creamers often contain this problem-causing ingredient.

Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer is completely dairy-free and is made from wholesome ingredients like coconut milk, vanilla bean, tapioca, organic ginger, organic nutmeg, and other real foods. It comes in Coconut, Vanilla, and Gingerbread varieties, so there’s really something for everyone. And of course, Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer also has the added benefit of containing 10 g of health-promoting collagen protein per serving.

Finally, if you’re not sensitive to dairy, organic whole milk is another real-food option that can bring a lovely frothiness and creaminess to your cup of joe. 

I love my hot coffee black, but iced coffee with a splash of coconut milk or almond milk, but now with these new collagen creamers I may just have to try the coconut and vanilla to mix it up a bit!

If you want to get fancy check out this yummy Vital Proteins Vanilla Latte recipe:

Vanilla Latte

Ingredients:

1 Scoop Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer, Vanilla

1 8 oz cup of brewed coffee

4 oz plus 2 oz milk or non-dairy milk of your choice

1 tablespoon coconut oil or organic butter

Cinnamon or nutmeg, to taste.

Directions:

Add coffee, 4 oz. of milk, coconut oil or butter, and Collagen Creamer into a blender.

Blend until creamy.

Pour the remaining 2 oz. of milk into a mason jar. Screw on the lid.

Shake the jar for about 60 seconds, until milk is beginning to froth.

Remove the lid of the jar. Microwave on high for about 30 seconds. This will harden the froth.

Spoon the froth over the latte, and sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg if using.

Do you put cream in your coffee? Which flavor are you most excited to try? Comment below.

Stay Healthy my Friends!

XO,

Carrie A Groff