Did you know vanilla extract is a great tasting alternative to sugar with fewer calories and carbohydrates?
– Vanilla Extract as a Sugar Alternative
Vanilla extract in coffee can serve the same purpose as sugar does: to sweeten. Many people enjoy the flavor of vanilla extract anyways, and like the unique flavor that adding extract rather than sugar produces.
This is a great alternative if you are someone looking to reduce your sugar intake, either simply because you want to limit your sugar consumption or if you need to for health reasons. For example, people with diabetes need to frequently monitor how much sugar they consume.
Vanilla extract contains fewer calories overall than sugar, too. It also has fewer carbohydrates. Plus, it contains small amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, which are all important to our diet.
– Vanilla Extract Can Be Used in Any Type of Coffee
Do you like your coffee hot? What about cold? Strong? Weak?
Luckily, it does not matter! Vanilla extract makes for a good addition to any type of coffee. This is true for a cold brew, super strong expresso, or just that regular cup of coffee off the coffeemaker first thing in the morning.
– Vanilla Extract Provides a Unique Flavor
Sugar on its own serves to sweeten coffee, and vanilla extract will do the same thing while also adding flavor to the mix. This is similar to adding coffee creamer on top of your coffee, even after adding sugar.
Many people like to use coffee creamers to add a distinct flavor to their coffee, whether hot or cold. For example, you can buy caramel, hazelnut, as well as vanilla flavored creamers. If you are a fan of the vanilla, going with the vanilla extract means you get the flavor you want directly from the source.
– Can You Use Vanilla Extract and Sugar Together?
Although the health benefits of vanilla extract versus sugar are acknowledged above, some of us simply do not want to get rid of sugar altogether.
If that sounds like you, you can still enjoy adding vanilla extract to your coffee in addition to sugar.
For example, iced coffees often include both vanilla extract as well as sugar to provide the sweet and unique flavor of the cold beverage.
Another possibility is to reduce the amount of sugar you need to add to get your coffee the way you like it. Instead of needing a teaspoon of sugar, for example, you might only need half a teaspoon when you also add some vanilla extract to your cup.
– How Much Vanilla Extract Should You Use?
Just like adding sugar to your coffee, or milk, or creamer, there are no hard and fast rules.
Everyone has their own unique taste and some people drink coffee black, while others can only stand to drink a coffee once it has been thoroughly sweetened.
You can start off by adding a small amount (maybe half a teaspoon) then tasting the coffee. Add more if needed until you find the perfect ratio of coffee to vanilla extract.
Of course, you might find that you like a different amount of vanilla extract in your hot latte than you do in your cold brew.
Although flavoring your coffee is a personal affair, you can start with some guidelines. For example, if you have a cup of iced coffee, start with 3/4 of a teaspoon of vanilla extract. On the other hand, if you have a smaller shot of expresso, start with only 1/4 of a teaspoon. You can always add more if needed.
