The best coffee creamers for diabetes have little or no added sugar and some fat or protein, like unsweetened almond milk, half & half or a no-sugar-added creamer like Nutpods. Below are 28 dietitian-approved creamers and milks, plus zero sugar holiday flavors to look for this season.
A quick trip to the grocery store and you’ll notice everything from basic half & half, to heavily flavored and sweetened creamers. In this article, we’ll review what to look for in a blood sugar friendly coffee creamer and what the best coffee creamers for diabetes should include.
People with diabetes can drink coffee with creamer
As a dietitian who is living with diabetes myself, I recommend adding a creamer with some fat or protein to your morning coffee. This may be better for your blood sugars than drinking coffee alone.
Research has shown that caffeine from coffee may cause:
- Increased insulin resistance
- Decreased glucose uptake by cells from the blood stream
Because of this, some people notice a blood sugar rise after drinking coffee, even when no carbohydrate has been added to it. So, adding a creamer with fat and protein may help with this. Learn more about how coffee affects blood sugar.
Normal blood sugar after coffee with creamer
Your blood sugar after coffee with creamer should follow the same guidelines we have for meals and snacks. Some rise in blood sugar may happen and that’s generally ok.
- People with diabetes: <180mg/dL 2 hours after you start drinking your coffee
- People without diabetes: <140mg/dL 2 hours after you start drinking your coffee
Speak with your doctor to confirm what is best for you.
Coffee creamers least likely to spike blood sugar
The most blood sugar friendly coffee creamers, and the least likely to spike blood sugars, are those with low amounts of added sugar (or none at all).
You don’t have to choose only sugar free creamers
You do not have to stick to only sugar free coffee creamers and milks. While there are some great sugar free creamers on the market (as you’ll see below), when you’re looking to find a coffee creamer for diabetes you can consider options with small amounts of sugar.
What to look for in a healthy coffee creamer
When looking for a coffee creamer for diabetes, we want to consider total carbohydrate, added sugar, protein, fat, and fiber. Ideally we want to consider:
- How much total carbohydrate is in it?
- How much added sugar is in it?
- Is there fat, fiber, and/or protein present?
Total carbohydrate
If you are on insulin or need to carb count to manage your diabetes, remember to account for the carbohydrates in your coffee creamer or milk.
Added sugar
I prefer coffee creamers with <3g added sugar/serving. The serving size listed for creamers is usually only 1 Tbsp. And, most of us end up using more than that… I know I usually do! So, in reality, we’re getting 2-3 servings worth which can add up quickly if it has a lot of added sugar.
But, if the sugar is occurring naturally like it does in cow’s milk, it’s likely also coming with some protein and fat, which does help slow down how quickly the sugar can raise your blood glucose levels.
Fat, fiber, and protein
Look for creamers that provide fat, fiber, and/or protein. Fortunately, most options on the market will have fat and some amount of protein. But, some creamers also add fiber.
28 best coffee creamers for diabetes
There are many different coffee creamers on the market. I’ve listed some of my favorites below. I reviewed options available at Target, Walmart, H-E-B, Thrive Market, and Sprouts. And remember, there may be others that make a great coffee creamer for diabetes too.
- Whole milk
- Half & half
- Unsweetened coconut milk
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Original almond milk
- Original soy milk
- Unsweetened soy milk
- Califia Farms Toasted Coconut Blend Almond Milk
- Califia Farms Almond Barista Blend
- Elmhurst Almond Barista Edition
- Planet Oat Unsweetened Oat Milk
- Chobani Zero Sugar Oat Milk
- Chobani Extra Creamy Oat Milk
- Nutpods Barista Oat Milk
- Califia Farms Oat Milk Barista Blend
- Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk
- Ripple Original Unsweetened Pea Milk
- Califia Farms Unsweetened Dairy Free Half and Half
- Nutpods Almond + Coconut Creamers
- Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer
- Super Coffee Super Creamer (formerly Kitu)
- Bulletproof Enhanced Original Creamer
- Sown Organic Oat Creamer
- Nutpods Oat Creamer
- Elmhurst Oat Milk Creamers
- Coffeemate Zero Sugar Coffee Creamer
- Starbucks Zero Creamer
- International Delight Zero Sugar Coffee Creamer
Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, if you decide to purchase the product.
Basic milk and coffee creamer for diabetes options
These basic options are available in many different brands and at almost all grocery stores.
1. Whole milk
Whole milk contains protein and fat; roughly 0.5g of each per Tbsp used. I prefer whole milk over skim milk because of the added fat and flavor.
2. Half & half
Unsweetened half & half can be a great coffee creamer for people with diabetes. The additional fat (compared to whole milk) makes it even creamier and tastier in my opinion.
3. Unsweetened coconut milk or coconut cream
Unsweetened coconut milk and coconut cream are low in sugar and carbohydrate and provide a subtle coconut flavor to your coffee.
4 & 5. Original and Unsweetened almond milk
Unsweetened almond milk is my personal favorite way to add a little something to my coffee. (Note: I don’t tend to like sweet coffee, so keep that in mind.) But, if you want something a little bit sweeter but still low in sugar, original almond milk that’s lightly sweetened can be used too.
6 & 7. Original and Unsweetened Soy milk
Similar to almond milk, both unsweetened and original soy milk can be a great option for people with diabetes to put in their coffee.
Specialty almond milks
Almond milk is naturally low in sugar and carbohydrates so it makes a great base for a flavored milk or creamer for people with diabetes.
8. Califia Farms Toasted Coconut Blend Almond Milk
The flavor of toasted coconut really comes through in this almond milk option. It is extremely low in carbohydrate and has no added sugar. It’s lightly sweetened with monk fruit.
9. Califia Farms Almond Barista blend
This is the first of many “barista” blends you’ll see in this post. A barista blend usually means it’s formulated to be slightly creamier and froths well if you’re making lattes or other specialty drinks at home. This Califia Farms option is delicious and comes in an unsweetened variety as well as an Original variety, The unsweetened version has no added sugar, and the Original has 5g added sugar per cup.
10. Elmhurst Almond Barista Edition
Elmhurst products are slightly more expensive than other brands, but if you’re using this as a creamer and not a base for a latte it’s worth the price and will last you longer. The creaminess is perfect and the flavor of Elmhurst’s Almond Barista Milk has a subtle sweetness to it. It does have a little cane sugar (5g sugar per cup), so it’s best used by the splash.
Oat milks
Oat milk hit the market a few years ago and I believe it’s here to stay. It froths really well and has a naturally creamy texture so it’s perfect for adding to coffee drinks. Below are some of my favorite lower or no sugar options.
11. Planet Oat Unsweetened Oat Milk
Planet Oat was one of the first brands to offer an unsweetened oat milk. It’s creamy and tastes delicious.
12. Chobani Zero Sugar Oat milk
Chobani has some delicious coffee creamer options but they’re all pretty high in sugar and not on this list. So, I was excited to find their new(ish) oat milk options. Just like with their yogurts, the creaminess and texture are perfect. It has 7g carbs in 8 fl oz from the oats but no added sugar.
13. Chobani Extra Creamy Oat milk
Chobani’s extra creamy oat milk does have some added sugar (8g per cup, with 14g carbs), but the extra creaminess means you’ll likely need to use less, and it has a better flavor and texture in my opinion.
14. Nutpods Barista Oat milk
I’ve been a Nutpods fan for years and their oat milk is no exception. The Cinnamon Dolce flavor is perfection in a coffee cup. And, it makes the most perfect at home cinnamon dolce latte. It’s sweetened with erythritol and stevia and has 0g sugar.
15. Califia Farms Oat Milk Barista Blend
Califia Farms offers the almond milk barista blend we talked about above as well as this oat milk option. The oat milk version comes in a plain Oat Barista Blend and a Vanilla flavor. The Vanilla has 12g added sugar per cup, so stick with the plain Oat Barista Blend (3g added sugar per cup), which is just as tasty and creamy.
Specialty milks
These milks are unique and only available from a few select brands.
16. Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk
Of all the standard nut-based milk options on the market, cashew milk is by far the creamiest. And, I personally prefer the Silk brand for its smooth texture. Look for the Unsweet Cashewmilk, which has 1g carbs and 0g sugar per cup.
17. Ripple Original Unsweetened Pea milk
I know what you’re thinking, but hear me out. Most plant based milks, other than soy, don’t provide protein. Ripple came onto the market several years back and slowly started winning over people looking for another plant based milk option that provided protein. (It has 8g/cup.) It’s got a smooth and creamy texture and goes great in your coffee. They also have flavored varieties, but those have more sugar than I’d recommend for a coffee creamer for diabetes.
Almond milk based creamers
Now, let’s move on to creamers. First, these are two delicious almond milk based creamers.
18. Califia Farms Unsweetened Dairy Free Half and Half (formerly Better Half)
Just like their barista blend almond milk, Califia Farms knocks it out of the park with this plant based “half & half”… a mixture of coconut cream and almond milk for the perfect unsweetened coffee creamer.
19. Nutpods Almond + Coconut Creamers
There’s a lot of creamers in this list, but Nutpods coffee creamers will always be my personal favorite. They come in several different flavors including seasonal options. The unsweetened flavors have no added sugar (Nutpods now sells some sweetened creamers too, so check the label), taste amazing, and froth really well. My favorite flavors are vanilla and peppermint mocha.
Creamers with protein added
Sometimes brands will add protein, collagen, MCT oil, and other things to give a coffee creamer an additional nutrition benefit.
20. Vital Proteins Collagen Creamer powder
If you already add collagen to your coffee each morning, this creamer may be for you. The vanilla flavor, which is the one Vital Proteins sells right now, is delicious and low in sugar. They’re dairy free and made with coconut milk powder. Just add a scoop to your morning coffee and stir.
21. Super Coffee Super Creamer (formerly Kitu)
Super Creamer from Super Coffee (the brand used to be called Kitu) is a liquid creamer with protein, MCT oil and no added sugar. It isn’t sold on the Super Coffee website right now, but you can still find the Sweet Cream and Vanilla flavors at some grocery stores and on Amazon.
22. Bulletproof Enhanced Original Creamer
Similar to the Vital Proteins collagen creamer, Bulletproof creamer is another powdered creamer with no added sugar. It’s made with butter, MCT oil and acacia gum, with 3g carbs per scoop.
Oat milk based creamers
Oat milk creamers offer a rich taste and the creamy texture of oat milk… but better! They also froth super well if you’re into making lattes and other coffee drinks at home.
23. Sown Organic Oat Creamer Unsweetened
Sown oat milk based creamers have a great smooth texture. The vanilla and sweet cream flavors have more sugar than I recommend, but the unsweetened variety has a classic oat milk taste and no added sugar.
24. Nutpods Oat Creamer
Just like the almond + coconut creamers, Nutpods oat creamers have no added sugar and taste delicious! Try the Oat Cinnamon Swirl or Oat French Vanilla flavors.
25. Elmhurst Oat Milk Creamers
Elmhurst has another great creamer option with their oat milk creamers. They come in five flavors (French Vanilla, Pistachio Crème, Caramel Macchiato, Chai Spice and Brown Sugar) plus an unsweetened option. The vanilla is delicious and I’m dying to try the pistachio flavor! The flavored creamers have about 1g added sugar per tablespoon.
Other sugar free coffee creamers for diabetes
The last three creamers on our list offer a sugar free version of the classic coffee creamer flavors you know and love.
26. Coffeemate Zero Sugar Coffee Creamer
If you love a classic flavored coffee creamer, but don’t want all the sugar that comes with it, Coffeemate has you covered. They offer a whole line of dairy free creamers sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K.
27. Starbucks Zero Creamer
These Starbucks creamers are my favorite of the traditional creamers. Sweetened with sucralose, they have 0g added sugar. Try the Caramel Macchiato or Café Mocha flavors.
28. International Delight Zero Sugar Coffee Creamer
International Delight offers similar flavors to Coffeemate that taste delicious and have that traditional creamer taste. They’re sweetened with sucralose and acesulfame K and have zero sugar.
Zero sugar holiday coffee creamers
Holiday creamers are usually loaded with sugar, but a few brands make zero sugar or unsweetened seasonal flavors. These are on shelves for the holidays:
- Nutpods Winter Collection: Pumpkin Spice, Peppermint Mocha and Toffee Nut, all unsweetened with 0g sugar.
- Coffee mate Zero Sugar Peppermint Mocha: 0g added sugar, sweetened like the rest of the Zero Sugar line.
- International Delight Zero Sugar Pumpkin Pie Spice: part of the Zero Sugar lineup with French Vanilla and Caramel Macchiato.
- International Delight Zero Sugar Peppermint Mocha: this was in last year’s holiday lineup, so keep an eye out for it again this season.
New this year, Planet Oat also launched Zero Sugar oat milk creamers in Caramel and Vanilla Cinnamon. Those are sold year-round.
Overall best coffee creamer for diabetes
As I mentioned above, Nutpods Almond + Coconut Creamer is my go to recommendation for coffee creamer for diabetes. With no added sugar and a wide variety of flavors, they check all the boxes. And, they’re available at most grocery stores.
Best flavored coffee creamer for diabetes
My favorite flavored coffee creamer is the Peppermint Mocha Nutpods creamer. It’s only available October-January usually, so make sure to stock up!
*Keep in mind this is my personal preference as someone who’s lived with diabetes for over 30 years. All of the brands on this list offer delicious options!
Best sugar-free coffee creamer for diabetes
The Starbucks Zero Creamers win the title of best sugar free creamer for me. The flavors are spot on, the texture is super creamy, and the price point is reasonable.
Diabetes friendly coffee recipes
Want to try some of the barista milks or other coffee creamer recommendations at home? Add them to your morning coffee, or try these delicious specialty drink recipes.
6 Responses
My morning sugar reading was 86 – After 2 cups of coffee with Nestle Coffeemate Zero Sugar, it is 145 (nothing else to eat or drink). This seems like a high spike to me???
The caffeine in coffee can raise blood sugars for some people. You can read more about that here: https://www.milkandhoneynutrition.com/does-coffee-raise-blood-sugar/
Thank you for so many great alternative creamer suggestions. I’m definitely going to try some of these but not the nut pods, just not my favorite. Lol
I normally have one cup of coffee a day with my breakfast, rarely more.. I love trying different roasters like sasquatch Coffee, Black rifle, Gevalia Coffee, Tom Sawyers coffee and so forth but I like to maintain my blood sugars with being type one diabetic so I am seeking a sugar free creamer that is not flavored.. I prefer a plain coffee with a creamer.. I sweeten with Stevia but and about to try Monk fruit since I hear they add sugar based products to Stevia.. I like coffeemate but sugar content worries me.. They have sugar free but it is flavored.. as I said, I prefer just plain creamer that is sugar free.. Milk or cream has sugar content… a glass of milk sends my blood sugar through the roof..So what creamer would you recommend? Also not so sure about the nut milks, I am not crazy about almond milk and such..as I said, I desire no extra flavorings in my coffee and nut milks tend to add flavor..I wish coffeemate would make a sugar free version like the regular coffee mate,without the flavor..
What about heavy ream?
If you choose heavy cream, I would use a very small amount.