Who First Added Sugar to Coffee? (Solved & Explained!)

In 1625, the Egyptians first introduced sugar in coffee. They devised a brewing method typically based on their Middle Eastern tradition. In this brewing method, coffee powder is boiled with sugar added. This resulted in sweet and syrupy coffee beverages.

It is recorded that the people of the Arabian peninsula used to drink coffee without adding any sugar. They drank unsweetened black coffee with a few spices added to the beverage.

This changed by the end of 1625 when Egyptians first started to add sugar to the boiling coffee. Everyone quickly began adding sugar to their coffee, creating a new variety of coffee recipes.

This article will look at a few more facts about adding sugar to coffee, why people added sugar to coffee, and who adds sugar to their coffee.

Why Did People Start Adding Milk and Sugar to Coffee?

People started adding milk and sugar to the coffee to reduce coffee’s bitterness and make it rich, frothy, and delicious in taste. 

The components such as proteins in milk lessen the bitterness of coffee by binding to polyphenols such as tannins.

People who like sweetness add sugar to coffee to reduce its bitterness even more.

Fat in milk changes the texture of coffee; it makes your coffee thick, rich in nutrients, and soothing to drink.

Chlorogenic acid work in the brightness of coffee. When chlorogenic acid reacts with coffee, it reduces its acidity.

Do Europeans Put Sugar in Their Coffee?

Most Europeans add sugar to their coffee. However, the culture of sweetened coffee is varied all over Europe, from Germany’s famous Pharisaer coffee to Slovakia’s Vienesse.

In some areas, there is no concept of adding sugar to the coffee as it is thought to compromise the originality and taste of the coffee, but the health benefits are somehow suppressed. While in other areas, the flavor is preferred above everything.

According to Agnieszka, it is more of the personal and cultural preferences whether they add sugar in the coffee or not. For instance, famous Metrio coffee is made by adding sugar in hot boiling water and is well stirred until it reaches a particular texture.

Which Coffee Recipes Include Sugar and Milk?

Following are the coffees that include sugar in their coffee recipes.

  • Cold coffee
  • Whipped Coffee
  • Original Irish Coffee

Can You Add Sugar to Cold Brew Coffee?

You can add sugar to it. however, you should consider adding liquid sugar to your cold brew coffee as sugar grains may sit down on the bottom of the glass, which will keep your beverage unsweetened.

To avoid getting a hit of undissolved sugar grains at the end of your coffee, it’s a good idea to add liquid sugar or honey or take the time to stir your coffee well before drinking.

You can also add other ingredients such as cinnamon and vanilla to enhance the flavors of coffee and sweetness.

Can you Make Whipped Coffee Without the Sugar?

You can skip adding sugar to your whipped coffee. Although sugar plays a vital role in making your coffee sweet, it also makes your coffee bubbly and frothy. Cutting sugar will compromise the frothiness of the coffee, and it will be a less fluffy version than the sugar version of this coffee. 

Do You Add Sugar to Irish Coffee?

19 grams of sugar is necessary to be added to Irish Coffee to bring forward its taste. A mix of two sugar packets (or portions) of brown sugar and granulated sugar is added during the preparation to get a perfect balance of sweetness to your Irish coffee.

Is Cinnamon an Alternative to Sugar?

Cinnamon brings a small level of sweetness and a taste resembling earthiness to the beverage. It is a healthy, low-calorie alternative to sugar that adds spice to your coffee, however, it is not necessarily sweetening.

You could consider adding honey or vanilla along with the cinnamon for a more pronounced sweetness.

Do Americans Put Sugar in Their Coffee?

According to recent studies, more than 40% of Americans add sugar to their coffee brew. The amount of sugar consumed by the average American coffee drinker per day is three tablespoons, equalling 41.5 calories per serving.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage of an average American. Americans drink cold and hot coffee of different flavors, with variations on ingredients such as with or without sugar.

According to the most recent study, 65 percent of Americans add sugar and cream to their coffee brews.

Do the French Put Milk and Sugar in Their Coffee?

French people usually do not add milk and sugar to their coffee. If you order coffee in a cafe in France, they provide black coffee. You need to order a bowl of milk separately to add it to your coffee. The other way is to mention them about your choice of coffee. 

French usually avoid adding sugar and milk to their coffee. If you are traveling for the first time to France and order a cup of coffee, you will get surprised; it is usually served in small cups. In France, coffee is known as a type of coffee shot called espresso.

How Much Sugar Should be Added to Coffee?

According to AHA, males should not exceed sugar amounts over 150 calories a day, while for women, the recommended calories should not be over 100.

Considering some dietary guidelines, there are certain limitations to adding sugar to your coffee for men and women, due to the different make-up of the body for each gender.

If someone is drinking two cups of coffee each day, they are already taking roughly 40% of their recommended calories in sugar from coffee only.

Coffee drinking, especially with high amounts of sugar, should be done in moderation to ensure the body is not receiving more sugar than it can handle over the course of days and weeks.

People with diabetes should strictly stick to lower limitations of calories and sugar, or even take coffee black without sugar, especially at the recommendation of their doctor.