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Carbs in instant black coffee

G

Geordie_P

Well-Known Member
Messages
846
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I've been drinking a lot of Japanese instant coffee (black, unflavoured, unsweetened), but I'm just a bit perturbed by the carb count on the labels. AGF Maxim Aroma select is listed as having the ingredient 'coffee beans' with nothing else, and 1.3 grams of carbs per 100g, with 1.04 of that being sugars. Fair enough- residual carbs from the bean or what have you- that makes sense.
However, AFG Special Blend (which is in the same set, looks and tastes extremely similar to the first coffee) has the ingredient 'coffee beans' with nothing else, but the carbs are listed as 65 grams per 100, but 0 sugars.
The first coffee has 7 Kcal per 100g
The second has 350 Kcal per 100g (despite having no sugar, sweetener or milk).

Is there something I need to know about here, or is it just stupidity on the part of the people translating the labels (there is a label in English and Chinese slapped on the jars). It crossed my mind they might be taking dietary fibre as 'carbs'- I have seen 'ballaststoffe' listed on the side of German coffee before.
 
I must admit i thought instant coffee was basically made of almost nothing, certainly not carb heavy. Unless this Japanese stuff is made radicaly different then the normal process i cant imagine its that heady.

Is the AFG blend the ones you use like a tea bag or is it instant? If its not instant that would be the difference that if you technically ate the granuals they would contain all the bits of bean, If its instant i cant imagine its anything close to that level.
 
Have a think on the weight of a teaspoon of coffee. There would be very little carbs in it, if any worth a note
 
This is the thing: it's just the normal freeze-dried granules: even if it had added whitener or filler (which it doesn't), you wouldn't expect it to contain those sorts of numbers. Plus, the sugars wouldn't be zero. I guess it's either a) they are including dietary fibre as carbs
or b) the numbers are wrong/ random.
 
porl69 said:
Have a think on the weight of a teaspoon of coffee. There would be very little carbs in it, if any worth a note
Click to expand...
That's true, it's just I'm extra-paranoid as I had a bad reading and the doctor gave me a month to lose some weight and get my sugars down, so I'm really trying to go ultra-low carb and as low-cal as I can sensibly manage. I'm sure the carbs listed aren't right, but if they are, I should really switch to tea!
 
I've been back and forth researching this for a bit: Tricia's link was actually quite helpful- I can read a little Chinese and the Japanese Kanji are basically the same, but it's complicated by the utter stupidity of the inconsistency between American and European (and quite possibly Japanese) differences in counting carbs (dietary fibre included in the American way), and of course the inherent inconsistencies in products being allowed to display nutritional values according to a random or arbitrary serving size. Oh, and of course the other wild card- some sites factoring in sugar and non-dairy creamer etc. in the values.

Not to worry. I'm just going to do a blood test tomorrow morning, take a big drink of my mysterious coffee, then test again at intervals afterwards. It just seems like a lot of rigmarole for something that should be fairly straightforward: I tested myself into a pincushion checking real brewed coffee when I was first diagnosed, so I know the real stuff doesn't hurt me. I just never thought the *instant* option would be such hard work!
 
We buy Robert Timms coffee here in Australia and it is zero carbs, we also drink it black with no sugars, sweeteners added.
 
Can read a bit of Japanese, but no Chinese!

Found these at Rakuten SEIYU online Net Supermarket. SEIYU = department store chain.
Here is the Japanese version of AGF Maxim Aroma select
https://sm.rakuten.co.jp/item/4901111275218
containing at the top:
【原材料名】コーヒー豆（ブラジル、コロンビア、他）
【栄養成分】使用量2gあたり：エネルギー7kcal、たんぱく質0.4g、脂質0g、炭水化物1.3g、ナトリウム0.3-1.6mg、カフェイン50-80mg
that means:
Origin: Coffe beans (Brasil, Columbia, Other)
Nutrients: Energy 7kcal, Protein 0.4g, Fats 0g, Carbohydrates 1.3g, Sodium 0.3-1.6mg, Caffeine 50-80mg

https://sm.rakuten.co.jp/item/4901111408715
The label on the jar reads: 'AGF 'A bit luxurious Coffee Shop Special Blend' (I assume this is the AGF Special Blend. Could not find any other with text 'special blend' in the name)
containing at the top:
原材料 コーヒー豆（ブラジル・インドネシア、他）
栄養成分 使用量2gあたり：エネルギー7kcal、たんぱく質0.4g、脂質0.004～0.04g、炭水化物1.35g、食塩相当量0.0008～0.0042g／カフェイン50～110mg、カリウム81.4mg、リン6.72mg
meaning:
Origin: Coffe beans (Brasil, Indonesia)
Nutrients: Energy 7kcal, Protein 0.4g, Fats 0.004-0.04g, Carbohydrates 1.35g, Salt 0.0008～0.0042g,
Caffeine 50-110mg, Potassium 81.4mg, Phosphorous 6.72mg

The carb contents per 100g are very similar for these two: 1.3g and 1.35g. For a 2g serving most nutrients would be close to zero. Just enjoy!
 
Tipetoo said:
We buy Robert Timms coffee here in Australia and it is zero carbs, we also drink it black with no sugars, sweeteners added.
Click to expand...
Good tip- I've seen Robert Timms over here too. I'll try it next time.
 
Great job, Resander- now that's helpful. I was stuck on if those carb numbers were for the 2g serving size or the 100g jar- I think your breakdown makes sense. Thanks!
 
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