Coffee and Creamer


Coffee and health is controversial for some, and not a topic I am addressing here.  However, if you want to know more about coffee and your health, you might want to check out an article by Dr. Michael Greger at https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/coffee/. Rather than addressing the health issue, this blog is about creamers!

Many people who journey into the plant-based lifestyle don’t want to add plant-based creamers to their coffee because these products contain added oil and sugars.  But for many, using a plant-based milk in place of a creamer does not produce good results.  These milks will often curdle when added to a hot cup of coffee.  No one wants tofu-like pieces floating around in their coffee cup.  But there is good news!

If you prefer to use milk rather than a creamer, you can indeed use soy milk without added sugar and oil if you use the right coffee and right technique.  Curdling is most likely to happen when using higher acidic coffees.  The light roasted coffees have higher acidity.  Most people tend to think it’s the reverse, but stick with a medium to dark roasted coffee.

In addition, to coffee selection, there is the issue of process.  Pouring cool or cold milk into hot coffee will cause curdles to form.  Here is the three-step process you should follow:

  1. Warm the milk, but being careful not to boil
  2. Let the coffee cool just a bit as well to minimize the temperature difference
  3. Pour the coffee into the warmed milk (not the milk into the coffee)