You might think twice about adding in some stuff from that bottle.
There are so many things you can put in your coffee theses days to liven it up: Italian “sweet cream”, French vanilla syrup, hazelnut powder, non-dairy creamer, Cappucino tablets, organic whey powder and giraffe pellets and monkey brains. You name it, it’s likely out there.
But what’s really in all this stuff?
People used to put milk, maybe some cream and simple white sugar in their coffee. Or nothing at all. Natural solutions.
Manufactured coffee creamers, on the other hand, are anything but. Generally they contain thickeners, some form of sugar, and a bit of oil.
For a closer look, consider this when reading the ingredients list on your next container:
Any of those ‘partially hydrogenated’ things are what tend to give the solution that oily/creamy consistency.
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Corn syrup is sugar made from corn, things that end in ‘glyceride’ are emulsifiers that help mix the creamer into your coffee and not have it float on top, and other things are thickeners and stabilizing agents.
You could be using it in a liquid or powder form, and there’s a difference. The powdered stuff can be highly flammable. It contains something called sodium alumionosilicate, which is an anti-caking agent that ensures your scoop of creamy goodness doesn’t wind up in a single lump at the bottom of your mug. Sound yummy?
But hey, it’s your choice. Coffee creamer can be pretty delicious. But so is a drop of real milk (from a cow, soybeans, or peas- your choice) and maybe a tweak of sugar. Drop in some cinnamon, and you’re all set.
Photo credits: Bushtiuc Film/Shutterstock.com
