Do Coffee Pods Have Calories?
Consumers want to know what wholesome goodness lurks in their morning coffee, as much as they do their brown rice Pad Thai or superfood smoothie.
The Truth....
There’s no denying it, coffee pods have completely revolutionized our caffeine consumption habits—and brands like Nespresso have become household names in the world of quick, convenient coffee. For modern consumers everywhere, for restaurants, hotels and offices: prepackaged capsules are the natural choice. Time-saving, no hassle, limited mess, good quality coffee; all within the reach of a button and a carefully-positioned cup.
But do we know much about the nutritional benefits of a pod? Unlike other packaged coffee, it’s often hard to determine what exactly is hidden inside those shiny metal capsules in terms of calorific value. And for the health conscious out there, it’s important to be able to monitor and regulate dietary intake.
The devil is in the detail
So let’s drill down into some figures. Generally, you’ll find 0.6 calories in a Nespresso espresso shot, and 1 calorie in a Nespresso lungo pour. Nothing, then, that will require another notched hole in your belt.
Of course, the numbers start to creep significantly when you add milk into the concoction; a 100ml blast of the white nectar will bump your calorie intake up to nearly 70, depending how skimmed you like your milk. Adding 2 sugars to your coffee will push the number over 100, and suddenly we’re veering a long way from a calorie-neutral beverage.
So then, as might be expected, the amount of calories varies greatly depending on how you enjoy your coffee. The more garnishes you add—sugar, milk, cream—the more the calories will rise. A 15g shot of hazelnut coffee syrup, for example, is nearly 50(!) calories alone.
Just remember that when you’re looking to inject a bit of natural sweetness into your morning cup of mud.
Things get a little skewed when you start factoring in the flavoured coffee pods that have become prevalent in the supermarket aisle. Nespresso’s vanilla eclair pod certainly sounds like a winner, but the calorie count on that sucker is 2 rather than the 0.6 of the standard capsule. All these incremental gains add up!
Nespresso confessions
Let’s look a little closer at the Nespresso range and see if we can’t get to the bottom of this calorie conundrum. A Nespresso OriginalLine capsule offers three types of coffee brews, with volumes of 25ml, 40ml, and 110ml—each measurement corresponding to the ristretto, espresso, and lungo drinks, respectively.
Their VertuoLine pods, however, gives scope for five coffee types—from 40ml all the way up to 500ml.
What this means for nutritional intake, is that you’ll get more calories from a larger drink as it’s extracted more energy from the coffee bean. This, in turn, means VertuoLine pods provide more energy compared to OriginalLine pods.
While pods in the Nespresso OriginalLine, namely the lungo capsules, can hit the 2 calorie mark, sitting high and handsome in the calorific hall of shame are those in the Nespresso VertuoLine range which can reach up to 7 calories. You’re not going to need A&E on speed dial, but it’s certainly worth thinking about.
How are our coffee pods different?
The secret to our eco-friendly pod lies in its freshness. While the calorific value of the 100%-home compostable capsule is akin to that of a pod in the original Nespresso range, the real benefits surface when you discover that our coffee is supplied freshly-ground from the many hundreds of artisan roasters in our stable.
The coffee used in supermarket pods, that’s been left in storage for an extended period, will quickly start to lose its punch—and with it, the natural, health-promoting antioxidant qualities you get with fresh coffee. Research also shows that pre-ground coffee contains more free radicals, which can contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Jeopardize on freshness, and the drawbacks start to pile up!
So, for low calories, a variety of freshly-ground flavours, 100%-home compostable, AND the numerous health benefits of a superior quality coffee. There’s really nowhere else to turn.
Why not give us a shout?
Posted on October 7th 2021
Updating page...