Is Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer Bad For You?

Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer is a coffee creamer product made by Nestle, the same company that makes the original Coffee Mate.  Natural Bliss is healthier than the original Coffee Mate because it doesn’t contain partially hydrogenated oils.

The company also says that it does not contain milk taken from cows that have been treated with growth hormones, or GMOs (genetically modified organisms) of any kind.

While the exact ingredients of Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer vary by flavor, the main listed ingredients for this product are cream and/or milk, cane sugar, and natural flavor. But is Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer bad for you?

Is Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer Bad for You?

While it’s true that Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer is better for you than some alternatives (especially non-dairy ones), no one could ever claim that it is beneficial.

In fact, this processed milk product has ingredients that make it potentially damaging to health, especially if consumed in large quantities and/or on a long-term basis.

What Do They Mean by “Natural Flavor”?

You should be aware that even the flavors that are listed as “natural” are created in the laboratory.  The company is able to use the word “natural” only because they are technically derived from a natural product.  The process of deriving and creating these flavors involves the use of chemical processes.

Does Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer Contain Carrageenan?

Some believe that Natural Bliss’s low-fat varieties may contain carrageenan.  Carrageenan is a stabilizer and thickener, and it is frequently included in coffee creamers that use low-fat milk.  If you use the full-fat varieties of Natural Bliss, you can be confident that the product is free of carrageenan.

While it is true that carrageenan is made from a natural substance (seaweed), it has negative health effects.  Excessive long-term consumption of carrageenan can lead to problems such as inflammation of the bowels, gastrointestinal malignancy, and irritation to the digestive system.  It is possible that it could create a higher risk of cancer, but this has not been proven.

What are the Possible Short-Term Health Effects of Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer?

Short-term effects of excessive intake of Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer can include:

• Increased blood sugar
• Acne
• Bloating
• Gas

What are the Possible Long-term Health Effects of Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer?

Long-term intake of Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer (especially when ingested excessively) can include:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Tumors and cancer
• Bowel inflammation
• Gastrointestinal malignancy (for example, cancer)
• Digestive irritation

Type 2 Diabetes

Excessive intake of sugary foods and drinks (and the weight gain that will inevitably result) will put you at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition adversely affecting your body’s processes in how it metabolizes sugar (glucose).  There are two scenarios with type 2 diabetes.  Either your body fails to produce a sufficient amount of insulin for the maintenance of normal glucose levels, or it fights the effects of insulin.  Insulin is the hormone responsible for the movement of glucose into the cells of your body.

Being overweight is one major risk factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Other risk factors include, for example:

Family history: You are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes if there is a history of it in your family and you might have a genetic propensity.

Age: Older people are much more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. You are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you are older than 45.  As childhood obesity becomes more common, however, it is becoming more prevalent than before in younger people (including children).

Fat distribution: People who store fat mainly in the abdomen (as opposed to other areas, such as the hips and thighs) are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Lack of activity: Lack of exercise puts you at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is not only because exercise helps you avoid becoming overweight, but also because it increases the sensitivity of your cells to insulin and utilizes glucose as energy.

Race: it has been found that people from specific races and ethnic groups tend to have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Examples of such races and ethnic groups include African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanics.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome: Women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a condition causing symptoms such as irregular menstrual periods, obesity, and excessive hair growth on the body.  Make sure to consult with your doctor if you think you might have polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes often include:

• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Patches of darkened skin (especially in the neck and armpit areas)
• Increased hunger
• Frequent urination and increased thirst
• Frequent infections or sores that are slow to heal

If you think that you might have type 2 diabetes, it is essential that you see a doctor right away.  Untreated type 2 diabetes can have many extremely serious consequences (including, for example, limb amputation and death).

Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer is Best Just as an Occasional Treat

It’s best to keep coffee creamers like Natural Bliss as a relatively occasional treat, and make sure not to drink it in excess.  It is much healthier to use real milk or cream in your coffee.

Soy milk might also be a good option for some people, although you should do your research and make sure that you are aware of the possible adverse health effects of excessive soy consumption.  Also make sure to thoroughly read the ingredient list of any product you try.

As we’ve discussed, while Natural Bliss Coffee Creamer is a better choice than several other popular processed coffee creamers, it still contains problematic ingredients and if indulged in on a daily basis, could eventually contribute to the development of serious health problems.

 

References

“Does Healthy Coffee Creamer Exist” https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/does-healthy-coffee-creamer-exist

“Coffee-Mate Natural Bliss” http://www.fooducate.com/app#!page=product&id=60B8B87E-7403-11E1-AFF9-1231380C18FB

“Nutrition Faceoff”, https://www.healthcastle.com/nutrition-faceoff-coffee-creamers

“Natural Bliss”, https://www.coffee-mate.com/products/natural-bliss

“Gastric Cancer: Practice Essentials”, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/278744-overview

“Foods to Calm Down Irritated Bowels”, http://www.livestrong.com/article/356378-what-vegetables-can-i-eat-with-ibs

“Type 2 diabetes”, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20351193?p=1