Plant-based coffee creamers: 5 top picks that are naturally vegan and gluten-free
Whether you’re looking to dial back on animal-based fats or dairy, or simply incorporate more plant-based options, you may have considered making the swap from traditional half & half to plant-based creamers.
Here’s the rundown on 5 plant-based [vegan] creamers currently on store shelves; each has zero carbs, zero sugar and zero artificial sweeteners. Flavor and texture vary wildly, though, so here’s my ranking of each, based on our informal taste test with real-world coffee lovers!
Traditional Dairy Half & Half: each tablespoons has 20 calories, 1 gram sat fat, less than 1 gram carb
TOP PICK FOR FLAVOR + TEXTURE
Laird Superfood Creamer | unsweetened [powdered creamer also available]
Ingredients include water, coconut cream, organic coconut oil, gum acacia, sea salt, gellan gum, baking soda, organic lion’s mane mushroom extract, organic reishi mushroom extract
Per tablespoon: 15 calories, 1.5 gram sat fat, 0 carbs, 0 sugar
RUNNERS-UP [all are great nutritionally speaking]
Califia Farms | unsweetened Oat, also unsweetened Almond creamers
Ingredients include water, oats, sunflower oil, calcium carbonate, sea salt, guar gum, gellan gum
Per tablespoon: 15 calories, 0 sat fat, 0 carbs, 0 sugar
Nut Pods | Almond + Coconut Creamer, unsweetened
Ingredients include water, coconut cream, almonds, acacia gum, gellan gum
Per tablespoon: 10 calories, 0 sat fat, 0 carbs, 0 sugar
FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR THICKER, CREAMIER ALTERNATIVES
Ingredients: water, coconut oil, sunflower oil, fava bean protein isolate, acacia, xanthan gum, gellan gum
Per tablespoon: 35 calories, 2 grams sat fat, 0 carb, 0 sugar
Silk | Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative
Ingredients include water, cocoonut oil, sunflower oil, faba bean protein, guar gum, sunflower lecithin
Per tablespoon: 45 calories, 3 grams sat fat, 0 carb, 0 sugar
Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD is a registered dietitian + nutrition journalist in New Orleans, and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit nonprofit restaurant initiative. Tune in to her podcast, FUELED | Wellness + Nutrition and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @MollyKimballRD. See more of Molly’s articles + TV segments at www.mollykimball.com, and sign up for Eat Fit Wellness Bites weekly newsletter, here. To schedule a nutrition consult with Molly’s Lifestyle Nutrition team, email nutrition@ochsner.org.