Is there sodium in coffee? It might surprise you to learn that your favorite coffee drink contains more sodium than you think. Although plain black coffee isn’t high in sodium, adding creamer or milk to your coffee or ordering specialty espresso drinks from your favorite coffee shop can increase your salt intake.
This article will discuss sodium levels in coffee. Plus, is there sodium in coffee from Starbucks, and how do you choose low-sodium coffee beverages? We’ll give you a guaranteed way to limit your sodium and caffeine consumption.
Table of Contents
Is there sodium in coffee?
Surprise, surprise: Coffee has high salt content.
Coffee can be processed in a variety of ways, and its nutritional value is highly impacted by which process is applied.
Nearly all coffee processing methods result in a brew that lacks many vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin are all absent.
Did you know that old folk in medicine used to discourage people from buying bread containing niacin at one point? They mistook niacin for nicotine! Although it may seem strange, the scientific name of niacin is nicotinamide which sounds like nicotine.
Niacin is also known as Vitamin B3.
Coffee is low in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. It also contains salt.
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A cup of coffee brewed with purified water has about 5mg of sodium. And if it is decaffeinated, it does not mean that it doesn’t contain any caffeine. A cup of coffee will still contain around 2mg of caffeine.
Instant coffee contains far more caffeine than regular brewed coffee. Instant coffee contains 47mg of caffeine while regular coffee contains 95mg of caffeine and 5mg of sodium.
Let’s take a closer look at the nutrition facts of coffee.
What does low-sodium mean?
Before we discuss low-sodium coffee drinks, it is important to define what low-sodium means. Healthy adults should limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,200mg per day. An average pretzel, the most popular salty snack, contains around 360mg of sodium.
Patients with high blood pressure or heart disease are advised to limit sodium intake to 1,500mg per day. These references can help us analyze the sodium content of coffee.
Top 10 high-sodium coffee products
Below is a summary of the top 10 coffee products ranked by the amount of sodium in 100g:
- Coffee, instant, with sugar, French flavor, powder: 557mg (35%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, with sugar, mocha flavor, powder: 317mg (20%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, with chicory, powder: 277mg (17%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, with sugar, cappuccino-flavor powder: 180mg (11%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, regular, powder, half the caffeine: 37mg (2%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, regular, powder: 37mg (2%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, decaffeinated, powder: 23mg (1%RDA).
- Coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared, decaffeinated: 14mg (1%RDA).
- Coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared: 14mg (1%RDA).
- Coffee, instant, with chicory, prepared with water: 7mg (0%RDA).
Why do people add salt to coffee?
We are used to seasoning steaks with salt or boiling pasta with salt to add flavor, but salt and coffee aren’t often suggested as a winning combination. Although coffee trends change all the time, there is always a new way to brew coffee. This combination is not going anywhere soon.
This is because adding salt to your coffee has been scientifically proven to improve the taste and provide health benefits. This is not subjective. It’s a fact. It is subjective to your taste and diet whether you prefer sugary or salty coffee.
There are three main reasons you should consider adding salt to your coffee:
- It reduces the bitter taste
- Creates a more balanced flavor
- It replaces sugar and other sweeteners.
Let’s take a closer look at why you should add salt to your brew.
Salt makes coffee less bitter
The primary reason for salting coffee is to neutralize bitterness. Although some coffee drinkers prefer bitter coffees, they are more likely to have a neutral taste that is less inclined toward bitter brews.
Most people add sugar or another sweetener to mask the bitterness. We love a caramel latte just as much as anyone else! However, salt is far more effective than sugar at masking the bitter taste of coffee beans.
The sodium is added to the brew to counteract the bitterness. It also covers up the taste and sensation of the coffee when we take a sip. This happens when the salt covers the area of your tastebuds that are sensitive to bitterness, and not through interactions directly with the coffee.
Different coffee beans and brewing methods result in different levels of bitterness, so the amount of salt needed to counteract this bitterness will vary from one cup to the next. Click To Tweet
However, high-quality coffees are more refined in taste and have less bitterness. This means that you will need less salt.
Salt creates a more balanced, mellow taste
Salt makes things taste better. And a salty cup of coffee will suit your taste preferences.
Traditionally, we use sugar or other coffee sweeteners to “enhance” coffee’s taste. However, salt is rarely used in coffee. Salt in coffee is the perfect complement to sugar if you prefer savory tastes to sweet.
The addition of salt to neutralize bitterness is a great option for those who dislike bitter drinks as well as anyone looking for a more rounded brew. Salt produces a smoother taste and is easier to enjoy for many people than a bitter drink.
You can also add salt to your morning coffee if you want to try a new type of brew and awaken the flavor and aroma of your coffee beans.
Salting coffee may have health benefits
Adding salt to coffee has some health benefits. We need sodium to regulate blood pressure and perform major bodily functions. Click To Tweet
Salt is a great substitute for sugars and sweeteners. Salt has no calories. Salt will not only add flavor to your coffee, but it will also make you feel good about drinking it.
Adding salt to coffee is a great option for anyone looking to spice up their coffee and also cut down on sugar intake. This is especially true for those who are trying to lower their blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
Is there sodium in coffee? It can be difficult to manage your sodium intake but it is possible to navigate a coffee shop menu that has low sodium. The majority of specialty drinks have very little sodium and the coffee itself doesn’t contain any.
People on low-sodium diets should avoid drinks such as White Chocolate Mocha or Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew because they have high salt content.