Seven in the morning, the usual street corner. The phin (Vietnamese drip filter) drips thick black coffee, drop by drop, onto a layer of ivory condensed milk at the bottom of the glass. Stir, add ice, listen to it clink. Cà phê sữa đá, Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk, is the morning ritual of millions of Vietnamese people.
But have you ever wondered how much sugar sits in that white layer at the bottom?
The answer might surprise you. Don't worry, we're not telling you to give up your iced coffee. We just want you to know what you're drinking.
In this article
Condensed milk: more than half sugar
Sweetened condensed milk was born in the 19th century. Cow's milk is cooked down to remove water, then loaded with sugar. The sugar isn't only there for sweetness. It also helps the milk keep for a long time without a fridge.
According to the USDA food database, 100g of condensed milk has about 54g of sugar. That means more than half of the can is sugar.
Part of that is lactose, the natural sugar in milk. But most of it is added cane sugar.
In spoons, to make it easy to picture:
| Amount of condensed milk | Sugar, about | Equal to teaspoons of sugar |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon (about 20g) | 11g | nearly 3 teaspoons |
| 2 tablespoons | 22g | over 5 teaspoons |
| 3 tablespoons | 33g | over 8 teaspoons |
How much sugar is in one Vietnamese iced coffee?
Every shop makes it its own way. But a typical cà phê sữa đá usually has about 2 to 3 tablespoons of condensed milk. That's about 20 to 30g of sugar.
Now compare that with the World Health Organization (WHO) advice: free sugars should stay under 10% of daily energy, ideally under 5%. For someone eating about 2,000 kcal, 5% is about 25g, or 6 teaspoons.
In other words, one iced coffee can nearly hit the ideal limit for the whole day, before you've even had breakfast.
As for calories, 2 to 3 tablespoons of condensed milk give about 130 to 190 kcal. That's close to a bowl of rice. The black coffee itself barely counts.
What is bạc xỉu, and is it sweeter?
The name "bạc xỉu" is said to come from the Cantonese spoken by the Chinese community in Chợ Lớn (Saigon's Chinatown), roughly meaning "a glass of white milk with a little coffee". True to its name, bạc xỉu is coffee flipped around: lots of milk, a little coffee.
Recipes vary by shop. Many use condensed milk plus fresh milk, and some add creamer too. Because there's more milk, the total sugar in a bạc xỉu is usually the same as or more than a cà phê sữa.
The difference is that bạc xỉu has less coffee, so less caffeine. That's why many people order bạc xỉu in the afternoon, or when they're just starting to drink coffee.
| Cà phê sữa đá | Bạc xỉu | |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | A lot | A little |
| Milk | Medium | A lot |
| Caffeine | Higher | Lower |
| Sugar | About 20 to 30g | Usually the same or more |
What about 3-in-1 instant coffee?
A 3-in-1 instant coffee sachet contains coffee, creamer and sugar. Non-dairy creamer is usually made from vegetable oil and glucose syrup, which adds even more carbs.
Sugar content varies by brand, so the surest way is to flip the sachet over and read the sugar line on the nutrition panel. Three sachets a day can add up to a pretty big number.
Five ways to cut the sweetness and keep your morning coffee
- Ask for "ít sữa" (less milk). Going from 3 spoons to 2 cuts about 11g of sugar a day.
- Cut back week by week. Your taste buds adjust to less sweetness. A few weeks later, your old sweet glass will taste harsh.
- Half condensed milk, half unsweetened fresh milk. Still creamy, still pale, less sweet.
- Use unsweetened plant milk with a little zero-sugar sweetener if you need it.
- Try cà phê đen đá (iced black coffee) a few days a week. Vietnamese robusta is bold enough to be really satisfying black.
To learn more about the whole world of drinks, read our pillar guide: what to drink every day.
Inside the kOBE kitchen
kOBE Signature Monk Fruit Blend is a mix of five ingredients: erythritol, allulose, monk fruit, stevia and inulin. It replaces sugar 1:1, with no bitter aftertaste. If an old recipe calls for one spoon of sugar, you add one spoon.
Our recipe collection includes cà phê sữa đá, bạc xỉu, salt coffee and coconut coffee, all made without refined sugar. Each one lists calories and sugar per 100g so you can compare it with the glass from the shop.
A tip from our kitchen: brew black coffee, add unsweetened fresh milk or oat milk, then sweeten with a spoon of monk fruit blend. It's still the iced milk coffee you know, with far less sugar. See kOBE Signature Monk Fruit Blend.
Frequently asked questions
Does black coffee have sugar?
Is "reduced sugar" condensed milk much different?
How many iced milk coffees a day is reasonable?
Keep reading
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened.
- WHO (2015). Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children.
- EFSA NDA Panel (2015). Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine. EFSA Journal 13(5):4102.
- National Institute of Nutrition (Vietnam). Vietnamese Food Composition Table (sweetened condensed milk).
- Further reading: Understanding Nutrition 16th ed., chapter 4.
