5 Sneaky Reasons Coffee Can Cause Weight Gain & What To Do

For many people, coffee is a normal part of everyday life. It’s enjoyed in the morning, as an afternoon pick-me-up, and even with dessert to wind down after a multi-course meal. Like many foods and drinks, coffee’s impact on body weight isn’t black and white, and some people may experience weight gain from drinking certain coffee drinks or using coffee as a meal replacement.

In this article, we’re telling you everything you need to know about coffee and weight gain, including potential reasons why coffee could affect weight and how to enjoy your coffee in healthier ways. 

Coffee itself won’t cause you to gain weight. An 8-ounce cup1 of black coffee only contains five calories, so drinking a few cups of black coffee a day will contribute minimal calories to your total energy intake.

However, there are several reasons why your daily coffee habit could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

Even though coffee drinks like frappuccinos and lattes are delicious, certain specialty drinks are loaded with calories and added sugar.

For example, a grande White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks made with whole milk contains 420 calories and 61 grams of sugar—and that’s not even the largest size! Hot drinks can also be loaded with calories. A medium-sized Caramel Craze latte from Dunkin’ made with whole milk contains 410 calories and 39 grams of added sugar.

“Whole milk, whipped cream, and flavored syrups add a lot of saturated fat and added sugars, so the average 16 oz coffee drink can contain enough calories to rival a meal, albeit with less nutrition,” dietitian Desiree Nielsen, R.D., tells mindbodygreen.

Although there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite sweet coffee drink on occasion, ordering a high-calorie coffee drink every day could lead to a calorie surplus or taking in more calories than you’re burning.

Popular coffee additives like flavored creamers can also be high in calories and sugar.

A few glugs of liquid creamer can easily add 100 calories and multiple teaspoons of added sugar to your coffee, which impacts your blood sugar levels.

“Sugary coffee drinks may lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes that can leave you feeling very hungry afterward,” Nielsen says.

Even creamers marketed as “healthy” or “healthier” can provide quite a few calories. For example, collagen creamers made with coconut milk can contain around 75 calories per scoop. While this isn’t a large number of calories, it could make a difference to someone trying to create a calorie deficit to promote weight loss. 

If you’re replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners, it could be impacting your body weight. Although research is conflicting, some studies have found that certain artificial sweeteners may increase body weight.

A 2019 study that included 154 people with overweight or obesity found that participants who drank 1.25 to 1.75 liters of beverages containing sugar or saccharin (Sweet’N Low) per day for 12 weeks gained weight2. Participants who consumed drinks containing aspartame, rebA (stevia), or sucralose did not experience any weight changes.

Research suggests that some artificial sweeteners can stimulate appetite and increase energy intake3, which could lead to weight gain. Additionally, artificial sweetener intake has been linked to an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and all-cause mortality.

The caffeine found in coffee is a central nervous system stimulant4, meaning it increases feelings of alertness. Because coffee can make you feel more awake and energized, it may negatively impact sleep. Most people understand that drinking coffee close to bedtime could lead to a night filled with tossing and turning. However, studies show that drinking coffee hours before going to bed can affect sleep quality, too.

A small 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that consuming 400 mg of caffeine—which equates to around four cups of coffee—six hours before bed more than doubled the time it took for participants to fall asleep5 and reduced total sleep time by one hour compared to a placebo. Research has linked poor sleep quality to weight gain, obesity6, and other health issues7, which is why prioritizing sleep is so important.

Even though caffeine’s effect on sleep depends on individual tolerance and sensitivity and a few other factors, if you think that your coffee intake may be negatively impacting your sleep—it’s best to cut back. 

Although skipping meals and drinking coffee instead may seem like a way to lose weight, it can have the opposite effect.

A 2021 review8 of nine studies found that skipping breakfast three times or more per week was associated with an 11% increased risk of being overweight and obese compared to skipping breakfast two days or less per week. Although not all studies agree that skipping meals is a risk factor for weight gain, going too long without eating could increase your risk of overeating9 at your next meal and increase your cravings for carb-rich foods10 later in the day.

Regardless of your eating pattern, coffee isn’t food and should never replace a well-balanced meal or snack.

In general, drinking coffee isn’t associated with weight gain—and it could help promote weight loss11.

Some research suggests that drinking coffee may help some people maintain lower body weight12 and less body fat13. A 2017 review published found that consuming caffeine a half hour to four hours before eating may help reduce calorie intake14 at meals, which could help people maintain a lower body weight.

Plus, coffee intake has been linked to several health benefits, including reducing the risk of liver cancer15 and type 2 diabetes16 and enhancing neurocognitive function17. 

For these reasons, most health experts agree that coffee can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet18. It’s recommended19 that healthy adults keep caffeine intake to less than 400 mg per day, which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee.

However, it’s important to make healthy choices when it comes to those cups. As mentioned above, drinking too many sugary and calorie-laden coffee drinks could result in weight gain, so drink your coffee black if you can.

And remember that drinking coffee too late in the day can lead to sleep disturbances, which can impact your body weight, too. Overdoing it on caffeine can also increase your risk of side effects like anxiety, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, and digestive symptoms like diarrhea.

Coffee can be a healthy choice and may even offer small benefits for weight loss.

In addition to reducing energy intake at meals, coffee may slightly increase20 your resting metabolic rate or the calories you burn while at rest. Drinking coffee before working out21 has been shown to help improve exercise performance, which can help promote weight loss as well.  

However, it’s important to understand that coffee isn’t a magic bullet for weight loss. If you’re not a coffee drinker, you do not have to add coffee to your routine to lose weight. The most important factors for promoting healthy weight loss are following a nutritious diet that delivers an appropriate amount of calories for your goals and health needs, engaging in plenty of physical activity, getting enough restful sleep, and managing stress.

But, if you’re a coffee lover, here's how you can enjoy your favorite coffee drinks and still hit your weight loss goals:

“The vast majority of added sugars (~70%) Americans consume come from only five food categories, and coffee and tea (with their additions) is one of them,” Maggie Moon, M.S., R.D., tells mindbodygreen. Drinking too many sugary beverages could contribute to several health issues, from weight gain to high blood sugar levels.

If you’re a sucker for sweet coffee, try taking your drinks half as sweet as you normally would and work from there. For example, if you usually add four packets of sugar or four pumps of flavored syrup, cut that amount in half. Once you’ve adjusted to the less sweet taste, try cutting back a bit more, until you’re happy with just a tiny splash of sweetener or no sweetener at all.

Your favorite coffee creamer may be adding more calories and sugar to your drink than you realize. Take a look at your creamer’s Nutrition Facts label so you know exactly how many calories and how much sugar you’re adding to your daily coffee.

It’s also important to pay attention to the type of milk you use. “Some plant-based milks contain added sugar, which could lead to unintentional sugar intake,” Amy Shapiro, M.S., R.D., tells mindbodygreen. If you can, purchase unsweetened plant milks that are free of added sugar, or make your own at home.

Not only will making your coffee at home save you money, but it may help you cut back on calories and added sugar.

If you’re used to getting a cinnamon latte from your favorite coffee shop, try making your own with coffee, foamed milk of your choice, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. You can also add some cacao powder or unsweetened chocolate collagen powder to your coffee for a flavor boost. Here are a few healthy collagen powders to get you started.

Black coffee is naturally low in calories and makes a smart choice for those looking to encourage weight loss. “If you find yourself adding sugar and cream to coffee to offset a strong bitter flavor, try darker roasts, which are more mellow and therefore may be easier to drink black,” Moon says.

If the coffee is too strong to drink black, she suggests diluting it with some water.

Switching your coffee order could cut hundreds of calories out of your coffee drink. For example, if you change your daily grande white chocolate mocha to a grande cappuccino made with 2% milk, you’ll shave 290 calories off your coffee order at Starbucks. Even ordering a smaller size of your regular drink can make a big difference. A small vanilla latte from Dunkin’ made with whole milk contains 220 calories while a large one contains 450 calories. 

Coffee alone is unlikely to make you gain weight. However, coffee may lead to weight gain by disrupting your sleep and contributing excess calories from flavored creamers, whipped cream, and added sugars. Cut out high-sugar additives and opt for smaller specialty drinks to keep calorie and sugar intake in check while still benefitting from the health perks of a cup of coffee.