Most people that are trying to reduce their weight blame coffee as one of the factors that lead them towards piling on those calories. However, to control calories coffee should be consumed sensibly since it is not coffee per se that leads to weight gain but the sweet and fatty ingredients surrounding it that make that weighing scale show undesired readings.

If you love to drink simple black coffee then you are totally safe as one small glass or mug of black coffee without sugar, milk or cream contributes less than 5 calories, which should be fairly acceptable considering the fact that it will make you fresh and active again. Even if you love drinking instant coffee, filtered coffee or decaf coffee, you need not worry as these coffee drinks too contain negligible amount of calories. The coffee bean itself consists only of aromatic flavors and oils that contain negligible calories. If you drink coffee in plain water and add sugar substitutes for sweetness then you are safe provided your body accepts sugar substitutes without any problem.

Unfortunately you might enjoy your coffee in espresso, cappuccino or latte form. This is where heavy-weight calories join in to increase enjoyment and your weight at the same time. If you are addicted to starbucks coffee or any other gourmet coffee then you should realize that some of their coffees contain milk, cream and sugar along with coffee, which in turn adds up to more than 500 calories in a glass.

This could pump in around 1000 calories each day if you need such a fix in the morning and evening of each day. By simply cutting down to fat-free or skimmed milk along without any cream and sugar substitutes you could now cut down around 800 calories per day, provided you also drink your coffee in a smaller glass or cup.

You could also shift to drinking coffee in your own home and visiting coffee shops occasionally so as to stay away from temptation. The right coffee machine or coffee maker along with high-quality coffee beans and a coffee roaster will help you to roast and brew your own coffee within minutes. You will now be able to keep track on your calorie intake as well as save a lot of money in the process.

If you get bored of drinking plain black or filtered coffee then you can also blend in delicious flavors such as coffee melon, chocolate, raspberry, vanilla, etc so as to bring back the joy of drinking coffee in an interesting way. You could opt for coffee syrups to add these flavors but they usually contain a lot of sugar that could again increase your calorie intake.

A better idea would be to buy coffee flavors or essence bottles that provide the same delicious variation to plain coffee but without dumping any calories as these flavors are sugar-free. You will also need only 2 drops of 1ml each to flavor your coffee and one bottle should flavor 135 coffee cups, which in turn will make it a very cost-effective option too.

Whether drinking coffee is your addiction, your passion, or both, it is important that you keep an eye on the calories entering your body through this delicious and refreshing drink. To control calories coffee should be consumed sensibly as this move will help you to lose weight and remain healthy in the long run.