Probably the main reason why coffee has conquered the world is the flexibility of this drink. There are so many types of coffee, so many ways to prepare it, and so many things you can add to it. Each person can find a perfect cup just for themselves.

At the same time that’s also why the world of coffee is so confusing. How much cream and sugar to put in coffee? What’s the difference between a latte and a cappuccino? Read on, and you’ll learn everything there is to know about this world-beloved drink.

Matters of taste

How much cream and sugar should you put in coffee? There’s no decisive answer to this question. The thing is that it only depends on your taste and personal preference.

Some people like their coffee black and bitter so they don’t add anything to it. Others prefer their cup to be on a sweeter side so they add a lot of both cream and sugar. Finally, some people drink different types of coffee depending on their mood or the time of day. The possibilities are virtually endless.

Another factor we have to consider is one’s health. What if you’re trying to lower your calorie intake? How much cream and sugar you can afford to add to your cup then?

So to be able to create a perfect cup of coffee for your taste you need to learn more about the craft of baristas and discover their secrets and tricks. Sounds daunting, but don’t worry I’ve got you covered.

Coffee beans

Let’s start with the basics – coffee beans. There are two main types of beans, arabica and robusta.

Both types have distinct qualities. Arabica is more aromatic. It has a fruity and chocolatey flavor. Robusta is not as flavorful. These beans are usually bitter and acidic. While some coffee lovers are fond of sour notes in their drinks, I’m not a big fan of that. At the same time, robusta has a lot more caffeine. Grounded coffee is a mixture of these two types.

By adding cream and sugar to your coffee you modify the qualities of the beans. You can highlight the desirable flavors or camouflage the ones you don’t like.

For instance, you add sugar to counter the acidity in your coffee, while cream helps you bring down the bitterness.

Sadly, with too much sugar and cream you risk spoiling the naturally rich taste of arabica.

Coffee base

The most common coffee varieties are just espresso shots with different additives. One espresso shot is 30 ml or about 1 oz of strong coffee.

Making proper espresso coffee at home without an espresso machine is quite challenging so I’m not going to describe this process in great detail.

The bottom line is that espresso is two tablespoons (30 grams=1 oz) of coffee and 120 ml (4 oz) of water. Pretty strong!

However, if you only have a drip coffee maker, you can still make good black coffee. The water-to-coffee ratio is just going to be different.

So to make a good coffee base in your drip coffee maker you’re going to need one part coffee to sixteen parts water. It means that for a standard cup of 8 oz, you would need 15 grams of coffee.

What coffee creamer to add?

When you have your black coffee base or an espresso shot you can add creamer. Typically, cappuccinos, lattes, and other creamer coffee types are made with whole milk.

A cappuccino calls for 1 part espresso and 2 parts milk. A latte is 1 part espresso and 4 parts milk.

A regular coffee from a drip maker needs less milk. Most people prefer to add just about 50 ml (1,5 oz) of whole milk to an 8 oz cup.

Adding cream to coffee is also a popular choice among coffee lovers. Cream contains a lot of milk fat so it gives the coffee a richer creamy texture and masks some of the bitterness. Milk fat is also a bit sweet, so you would need to add less sugar.

Kinds of cream

The problem is that there are many kinds of cream and each of them contains a different amount of milk fat. So which cream should you pick?

Lactose intolerance

A certain percentage of people are lactose intolerant. This means they can’t digest dairy products. That includes both milk and cream.

If you or any of your household members are afflicted by this allergy, adding cream or milk is out of the question. Luckily, you can use vegetable milk instead. The ratio is roughly the same.

Heavy cream

The fattest cream is logically dubbed heavy cream. That’s what whipped cream is made of. It contains roughly 38% of fat. Add a bit more fat and you’ll get butter.

This liquid creamer drastically changes the taste of your coffee, so it’s important to use it in moderation. Half an ounce per 8 oz cup is the perfect amount.

Light cream

Light cream contains 20% of fat. So almost twice as little as heavy cream. It means that you can add two times as much light cream to your cup without totally erasing the coffee flavor.

Half and half cream

This cream contains 10% of fat. So you can add more cream to an 8 oz cup. About 40 ml or 1.3 oz of half-and-half is usually enough. I’m not a big fan of fat cream, so half-and-half is generally my preferred coffee creamer.

Sugar

How much sugar should you add when making coffee?

Sugar is a very mighty tool, so you have to be careful. Some people might even claim that you should only add sugar if the coffee is of poor quality. If the coffee’s good, the natural sweetness of cream or milk is more than enough to combat this excessive bitterness of the beans.

On the other hand, what matters most is the individual preference. If you, your family, or your guests like sweetened coffee, that’s a valid choice. Most people like 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar in their coffee. That’s about 8 grams. This should be your point of reference.

I recommend that you place a sugar bowl on the table so that everyone can sweeten their coffee to their liking. That’s why most coffee places don’t put sugar in the coffee but instead give their customers sugar packets.

Health concerns

Coffee is actually a very healthy drink. When consumed in moderation (less than 3 cups a day), it helps burn fat, normalizes the heart rate, and improves gut flora. Sugar cancels out most health benefits.

Do you know how many calories one teaspoon of sugar has?

One teaspoon of white sugar contains 20 calories. It means that the calorie count of one coffee with two teaspoons of sugar and some cream might amount to 80 calories. Quite substantial for a drink.

Conclusion

How much sugar should I add to coffee? Should I add cream? How do I make the ideal cup of coffee?

Coffee making might seem like a very perplexing and enigmatic task at times. However, in my opinion, it’s not math, it’s art. There are no right or wrong answers. You need to experiment, to be creative. Only then will you be able to craft the perfect cup of coffee.

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