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JIGGENS: Getting the scoop on sugar in our coffee

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A CBC Marketplace report has taken a hard look at something many Canadians hold dear to their hearts – their coffee consumption.

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According to the report, we may be consuming more sugar than we realize when sipping on a cup of coffee. Based on the gathering of online nutrition information, it seems the uniquely Canadian “Double-Double” from Tim Hortons – two teaspoons of sugar and two teaspoons of milk or cream – is that in name only. The actual amounts of sugar and milk or cream could merit rechristening the popular beverage to a “four-by-four.”

According to a hepatologist and gastroenterologist who provided input for the CBC investigation, the amounts of sugar and milk or cream actually double the double-double. That’s an awful lot of sugar.

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You’d almost expect the coffee shop employee to ask the customer, “Would you like some coffee with your sugar?”

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A long time ago, I was one of those people who couldn’t drink a cup of coffee without sugar. I’d mix in two heaping spoonfuls of sugar without giving any thought to the possible health implications. I’d add a splash of milk – I find the taste of cream repulsive – to the mix for the sole purpose of cooling it down. Upon learning about the dangers of excessive sugar consumption, I began to wean myself off of it sometime during the late 1980s. I’m still adding milk to the mix, but I’m strongly considering cutting it out as well, knowing that it, too, has sugar content.

For me, the milk doesn’t add any significant flavour and serves only to ensure my tongue isn’t scalded. Letting the freshly poured cup sit two or three minutes before that first sip should protect my taste buds.

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I know people who drink six to eight cups of coffee a day. I have no idea how they do it. And this isn’t decaf, either. Some of these people drink their coffee black, but those who prefer these so-called double-doubles are ingesting a lot of sugar over the course of a day. They must be bouncing off the walls during their frequent trips to the bathroom.

As much as I enjoy my daily morning cup of coffee, I limit myself to just that – one cup per day, with the occasional second cup perhaps one evening during the week. I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee, but I can’t help but think that drinking too much of it – even without sugar and milk – isn’t good for me.

I’m not a connoisseur of coffee, so whatever is cheapest works for me. You could subject me to a blindfolded taste test of different coffee brands and I’d tell you that Folger’s, Nabob, Maxwell House, Tim Hortons and No Name all taste the same to me. Then again, I’ve never been able to taste the difference between Coke and Pepsi.

I honestly don’t think this Marketplace investigation is going to alter Canadians’ coffee-drinking habits. Those who have enjoyed their coffee – double-double or otherwise – all these years aren’t likely going to change course anytime soon. They know what they like, and, if their health hasn’t already gone off the rails, they’ll see no reason to adjust their routine.

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