Best Coffee for Diabetes

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Do you love to start your mornings with coffee or crave an afternoon cup? Have you questioned if coffee is actually okay for diabetes, or if it’s safe to consume caffeine? Have you been wondering what the best coffee for diabetes is?

When we embrace intuitive eating for diabetes, we are keeping our favorite foods in your diet while emphasizing nutrient-rich foods that promote wellness. Does coffee fit?

In this read, we will explore the many health benefits of coffee and several ways to enjoy coffee both at home and when ordering out. We’ll break down different ingredients to boost your coffee game and some creative ways to enjoy it.

Maybe more exciting, we’ve saved you the research and found some of the top orders for coffee at your favorite drive-through places.

Read on to find out the big question: what is the best coffee for diabetes?

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Benefits of Coffee

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. What makes it so good?

Coffee has many beneficial health properties. It has antioxidants which help fight off harmful things in the body.

Research also suggests that coffee can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, some liver diseases and conditions, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimers, some cancers, improves some physical activities, and contributes to heart health.

As with any substance, coffee should be consumed in moderation to avoid some adverse effects. This might look like consuming 2-3 cups per day to avoid issues with absorption of some vitamins and minerals.

There are some protective effects from coffee as well. This includes positively influencing or preventing future conditions like gestational diabetes and other diabetes-related health conditions.

Coffee also positively influences gut health and has anti-inflammatory effects on the body.

Is Caffeine Safe for Diabetes?

You may have heard that you need to avoid caffeine to manage your blood sugar levels. Thus you switch to decaf and give up your long-awaited morning caffeine.

However, this study shows that caffeine should not disrupt blood sugar levels, making coffee safe for diabetes.

As with any food, it is important to note that each person’s response to coffee may be different.

For example, you might feel shaky after 2 cups of coffee, but not 1. Or maybe you experience intestinal discomfort upon drinking coffee. It is important to find the amount of coffee that makes your body happiest.

Now that we know coffee is safe for diabetes and has many health benefits, the question still stands: what is the best coffee for diabetes? How can you enjoy coffee without risking blood sugar spikes?

Coffee at Home

The best coffee for diabetes could be made right at home.

Making coffee at home can reduce the chance of consuming a take-out coffee option that is loaded with added sugar and spikes your blood sugar levels.

Making it at home can be a fun experience by testing different methods of coffee making and flavors.

You can make espresso at home or try your hand at a French press. You can even combine your own flavors and ingredients in your home to create your own, signature drink.

When deciding what kind of coffee to make at home there are a few factors to consider like what to add into your coffee.

1. Black Coffee

Black coffee might be the obvious choice for a coffee option that won’t spike your blood sugar. Iced or hot, this option has no sugar or carbs.

To spice up plain coffee, consider trying a flavored, black coffee. There are an abundance of flavors such as hazelnut, salted caramel, seasonal or holiday blends, among some fruit-flavored coffees.

These aromatic options give a brighter flavor to the beans without the added sugar or stir-ins.

2. Choose Your Sugar

Another factor to consider in the ideal coffee for diabetes are sugar options to mix in for a sweeter coffee.

With diabetes, it might be beneficial to think about using sugar alternatives or natural sweeteners. These sugar replacers have a low glycemic index, meaning they do not spike blood sugar as high as processed sugar would.

By choosing blood sugar friendly options of natural sugars or sugar replacers, you can prevent great swings in your blood sugar levels.

Some natural sweeteners to consider for mixing in coffee are honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and monk fruit sweetener.

Some sugar replacers or alternative sweeteners could be stevia, xylitol, or erythritol.

The following list provides the amount of carbs in some of these sweeteners:

• 1 Tablespoon of Maple Syrup contains 14 g of carbs
• 1 Tablespoon of Honey contains 17 g of carbs
• 2 Teaspoons of Monk Fruit Sweetener contains less than 1 g of carbs
• 1 Teaspoon of Stevia powder contains less than 1 g of carbs

These types of sugars can be mixed into hot coffee to dissolve, and will still give coffee a sweet flavor whether served hot or over ice.

3. Milk

What kind of milk is best to add to your coffee? If you are looking for a drink that won’t spike your sugar levels, consider adding some milk and adjusting your flavor from there.

The following list provides the amount of carbs in a one-cup serving of various kinds of milk:

• Unsweetened Almond Milk contains 0.8 g of carbs 
• Unsweetened Coconut Milk contains 1 g of carbs
• Unsweetened Soy Milk contains 2 g of carbs
• Whole milk contains 11.7 g of carbs
• 2% Reduced Fat Milk contains 12 g of carbs
• Skim milk contains 12 g of carbs

4. Low-Sugar Creamer Options

Don’t have time to make your own creamer? While conventional flavored creamer has some questionable ingredients, there are some healthier ready-made alternatives that you can try:

• Nutpods: This brand comes in a number of flavors and has no added sugar. If you like your coffee sweet, try to add a natural or alternative sweetener to one of these.
• Naked Collagen Creamer: A great way to get in some bonus protein, this creamer has only 2 grams of carbs.
• Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer: Again, another way to sneak in protein while you drink your cup of joe.

Crafting Your Brew

Now it’s time to get creative! Try making your own cold foams or creamers to top off your coffee.

• Cold foam is all the rage at the coffee spots now. To make it yourself, you can froth your milk to give it a smooth and creamier texture, add in something sweet, then top your coffee with a dollop of your foam.

• Making your own creamer also gives you creative freedom. It can be choosing a milk base of your choice such as half and half mixed with milk or other non-dairy options. Then, add in some vanilla, almond, peppermint or any other extract you enjoy. This creates a low sugar creamer option that still gives your coffee flavor.

Think about your favorite drive-through drinks and make a DIY coffee drink version with a twist.

• A mocha can be made by frothing some cocoa powder into milk along with maple syrup (or another sweetener).

• Caramel flavor can often be mimicked with dates. You can add dates or a puree into your coffee for a sweeter taste. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you could even make your own date syrup.

• Lattes and cappuccinos use espresso, a more concentrated form of coffee, and milk. Try your own combination of espresso and milk for a creamier drink, sweetening with the alternative sweeteners as needed.

Another fun way to enjoy coffee is in smoothie form. Here are some ideas for delicious coffee smoothies:

• Coffee with banana
• Coffee with cocoa powder and nut butter
• Coffee with your favorite protein powder

Diabetes-Friendly Coffee Add-Ins

Looking for ways to up your coffee game even more? Try incorporating some of these functional ingredients into your coffee: cocoa powder, cinnamon, and turmeric.

Not only does cocoa powder provide a chocolatey, rich flavor, but it has also a few different health benefits.

• Cocoa powder is a polyphenolic compound which is a substance found in some plants that can have many health benefits on the gut microbiome, inflammation, and blood sugar levels.

• Cocoa also has some prebiotic effects which means it feeds the good bacteria in our stomachs. In addition to this, cocoa powder can also provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which are great for our health.

Using unsweetened cocoa powder is ideal for not spiking blood sugar, but it can be sweetened with any natural or alternative sweetener.

Cinnamon is a cozy spice that you can add to any coffee that also has several health benefits.

• Cinnamon, like cocoa powder, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• It has also been shown to reduce blood sugar in some cases. Maple syrup and cinnamon tend to pair well together.

Turmeric has a health-boosting compound called curcumin in it.

• There have been studies that show turmeric benefits to those with diabetes and pre diabetes.
• It has also been shown to fight inflammation in the body and treat some obesity-related conditions.

Turmeric has a more earthy taste and could be enjoyed plain in coffee or in a mixture with other spices such as cinnamon and ginger.

Tips for Ordering Coffee with Diabetes

When ordering coffee out, here are some general tips that can apply to any of your favorite coffee shops.

• Consider a smaller-sized drink. The larger the size, the increase in carb amounts.
• Adjust the milk. You can opt for different types of milk at most coffee shops. You could choose skim milk or non-dairy options like almond milk.
• Adjust the amount of syrup in a drink. Most drinks will have a standard amount of syrup or sauce in them, but you can usually adjust the amount, lessening the amount of sugar. Alternatively, see if they offer sugar-free syrups.
• Consider the toppings- can you skip the sprinkles or the whipped cream?
• Try another option like tea. If you are wanting the coffee experience, but want to try other options, there are typically unsweetened teas served hot or iced.
• Ask whether a drink comes sweetened or not. For example, in some of Starbucks’ drinks such as with espresso, they come with “classic” which is essentially simple syrup. You can ask for drinks without this added sugar to decrease the amount per drink.

The Best Coffee Orders for Diabetes

Now what everyone is waiting for: what is the best coffee for diabetes when ordering out?

Better yet, beyond plain, black coffee, what is truly the best coffee that won’t spike your blood sugar from your favorite takeout places?

I’ll give you the breakdown for best coffee for diabetes at some of the top fast coffee spots.

Starbucks

The following are for grande (16 oz) size drinks:

• Caffe Americano
  • This drink is espresso with water.
  • It contains 0 g of sugar and 2 g of carbs.
• Espresso Macchiato
  • This drink is espresso with a dollop of steamed milk and foam.
  • It contains 0 g of sugar and 2 g of carbs.
• Nitro Cold Brew
  • This is nitrogen-infused coffee that gives it a sweet, creamy taste.
  • It contains 0 g of sugar and 0 g of carbs.
  • The Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew contains 4 g of sugar and 4 g of carbs.
• Iced Shaken Espresso
  • This drink contains espresso, milk, and ice.
  • It contains 14 g of sugar and 17 g of carbs. These numbers could be adjusted by opting for a non-dairy milk alternative and asking for no “classic” sweetener syrup.
• Caffe Latte
  • This drink contains espresso and milk. It can be enjoyed hot or iced.
  • It contains 18 g of sugar and 19 g of carbs. This option is also on the high end but can be adjusted by switching up the milk.

Any drink can be customized at Starbucks, and don’t be afraid to ask what comes in it! You can ask for sugar-free syrups to decrease the amount of sugar or carbs in the drink, or switch up the milk.

One important thing to note is that many of Starbuck’s handcrafted drinks, notably their espresso-based drinks, contain “classic”. This is essentially simple syrup. You can customize most of their drinks, and asking for “no classic” could be an alternative for a lower carb and sugar option.

Biggby

The following are for 16 oz drinks:

• Honey, Cinnamon, Vanilla Latte with non-dairy or non-fat milk and sugar-free syrups and no whip
  • This combination provides 15 g of sugar and 20 g of carbs
• Americano
  • This drink is espresso and water.
  • It contains 0 g of sugar and carbs.
• Caffe au Lait
  • This drink is coffee with hot milk added.
  • It contains 9 g of sugar and carbs.
• Caffe Latte
  • This drink is espresso and milk.
  • It contains 16 g of sugar and carbs.
• Cappuccino
  • This drink is equal parts espresso and milk (stronger than a latte).
  • It contains 10 g sugar and carbs.

Biggby carries sugar-free mocha, caramel, hazelnut, and vanilla syrups. Splenda and Truvia can also be given on the side of any drinks.

Cinnamon and cocoa powder can also be added to any drink. Biggby serves plain, unsweetened coffee that you could also add regular, reduced-fat, half-and-half, or non-dairy milk.

Caribou

The following are for medium sized drinks (16 oz for hot and 20 oz for cold drinks):

• Americano
  • This drink contains espresso and water.
  • It contains 0 g sugar and carbs.
• Cappuccino
  • This drink is equal parts espresso and milk.
  • It contains 11 g sugar and carbs.
• Northern Lite Latte
  • This drink is a latte with sugar-free caramel or vanilla syrup.
  • It contains 18 g sugar and 28 g carbs.
• Macchiato
  • This drink is espresso with a dollop of foam.
  • It has 1 g sugar and carbs.
• Oatmilk Crafted Press with Oatmilk Cold Foam
  • This drink is cold brew coffee with oat milk and sugar with oat milk cold foam on top.
  • It contains 2 g of sugar and 8 g of carbs.

Caribou also has daily light and dark roast coffees available. You are also able to customize any drink.

Dunkin Donuts

The following are for medium (14 oz) drinks:

• Vanilla Cold Brew with Sweet Cold Foam
  • This drink is an iced coffee with a sweet foam on top.
  • It contains 12g of sugar and 13 g carbs.
• Shakin’ Espresso
  • This drink contains espresso and milk over ice.
  • 7 g sugar and 8 g carbs
• Cold Brew Coffee
  • 0 g carbs and sugar, adding cream adds about 2 g carbs and sugar and adding oat milk adds 5 g carbs 1 g sugar.
• Nitro Cold Brew
  • This drink is nitrogen infused coffee.
  • It contains 0 g carbs and 0 g sugar.
  • The Vanilla Cream Cold Brew option adds 2 g of carbs and sugar to this drink.
• Iced Americano
  • This drink is espresso and water.
  • It contains 2 g carbs and 0 g sugar.

The latte, cappuccino, and macchiato drink options are about 10-15 g of carbs and sugar with skim milk or non-dairy milks. You can add milk to any of the plain coffees. Some drinks can also be made with sugar free syrup or flavorings.

Key Points

• Coffee has many health-promoting properties like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, and does not spike blood sugar which is beneficial for diabetes.
• Drinking coffee at home can cultivate a creative experience with different flavors brought on by different natural and alternative sugars, milks, and other spices.
• Some generic ways to decrease the amount of carbs when ordering out coffee, you can ask about a drink’s nutritional info and see how it usually comes. You could consider decreasing the amount of syrup in a drink, switching to a different milk, choosing a smaller size, or trying one of their “simpler” drinks that do not come pre-loaded with added sugars.

References

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• Moon SM, Joo MJ, Lee YS, Kim MG. Effects of coffee consumption on insulin resistance and sensitivity: a meta-analysis. Nutrients. 2021;13(11):3976. Published 2021 Nov 8. doi:10.3390/nu13113976
• Kim E. Effects of natural alternative sweeteners on metabolic diseases. Clin Nutr Res. 2023;12(3):229-243. Published 2023 Jul 26. doi:10.7762/cnr.2023.12.3.229
• Sorrenti V, Ali S, Mancin L, Davinelli S, Paoli A, Scapagnini G. Cocoa polyphenols and gut microbiota interplay: bioavailability, prebiotic effect, and impact on human health. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):1908. Published 2020 Jun 27. doi:10.3390/nu12071908
• Silva ML, Bernardo MA, Singh J, de Mesquita MF. Cinnamon as a complementary therapeutic approach for dysglycemia and dyslipidemia control in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its molecular mechanism of action: a review. Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2773. Published 2022 Jul 5. doi:10.3390/nu14132773
• Panknin TM, Howe CL, Hauer M, Bucchireddigari B, Rossi AM, Funk JL. Curcumin supplementation and human disease: a scoping review of clinical trials. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(5):4476. Published 2023 Feb 24. doi:10.3390/ijms24054476