How Many Calories Are in a Cup of Turkish Coffee?

A 60 ml serving of plain, unsweetened Turkish coffee contains about 5 calories on average. This is nearly negligible; coffee itself is very low in calories. Most of the calories come from sugar, if added; plain Turkish coffee on its own has almost no energy. How do calories change when sugar is added? One medium-sweet cup of Turkish coffee (with about one 5 ml measure of sugar) has around 25–30 calories; a sweetened version (with two 5 ml measures) can reach 45–50 calories. Calories rise linearly as the amount of sugar increases; choosing it plain is one of the simplest ways to reduce daily sugar and calorie intake. What changes when milk is added? Turkish coffee is traditionally prepared without milk, but some recipes replace part of the water with milk; this adds 15–20 calories per coffee cup because milk contains both fat and sugar (lactose). Turkish coffee with milk is generally lower in calories than plain American coffee with cream added; the cup is small, so the total amount of milk is also small. How does it compare with other types of coffee? Filter coffee is also nearly calorie-free when served plain; the main difference is cup size. A filter coffee cup is much larger than a Turkish coffee cup, but its calories still come from sugar. Milk-based espresso drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos have many times more calories than a cup of Turkish coffee because they contain more milk; the difference comes from the added milk, not the coffee. Drinking several cups of plain Turkish coffee a day adds almost nothing to the daily calorie total; the main things to watch are snacks that often accompany it, such as sugary Turkish delight or cookies. How does cup size affect the estimate? A standard Turkish coffee cup holds 50–70 ml; coffee served in larger cups has more total calories even with the same sugar ratio, because as the amount of water increases, the amount of coffee grounds and usually the amount of sugar increase proportionally. Coffee grounds left at the bottom of the cup are not included in the calorie count; only the liquid consumed is counted, so whether the cup is emptied completely does not change the calories. Can caffeine be confused with calories? Caffeine is a compound with no calories; the energizing effect of Turkish coffee is unrelated to calories. Although the two are often confused, they are independent of each other. Decaffeinated Turkish coffee is also nearly calorie-free; whether caffeine is present does not change the energy value in the cup. A glass of water served alongside adds no calories to the coffee itself; this water, which is drunk to refresh the palate, is a completely calorie-free habit. The foam on Turkish coffee forms as air mixes in during brewing; no matter how abundant the foam is, it does not increase or decrease the calories in the cup. Whether the coffee is boiled in the cezve for a long time or brewed quickly, its calories remain the same; brewing time affects only its taste and strength.