• Alyssa Fontaine, RD
• Mar 11, 2025

Is Coffee Vegan?

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Whether homemade or store bought, many people have coffee in the morning as an energy booster to tackle the day! As a new vegan, you might be wondering if your favorite coffee drink is truly plant-based. Here’s the opinion of a vegan dietitian, keep on reading to find out!!

Is Coffee Vegan?

Coffee alone is 100% plant-based since no animal products are involved in the process of making coffee. This means that if you order black coffee at your favorite Tim Hortons or Starbucks, you can keep on enjoying it!

However, not all coffee drinks at Tims or Starbucks are entirely plant-based depending on what has been added. For example, an iced cappuccino ordered at Tims contains cow’s milk with full fat cream and other milk modified ingredients added. Moreover, many drinks at Starbucks use Caramel Sauce or other sweeteners that contain dairy like White Mocha Sauce and Pumpkin Spice Sauce.

As a vegan nutritionist, we recommend making sure to read the labels for the other ingredients, like the type of milk used, creamers and flavouring agents before choosing your caffeinated beverage. You can also ask your barista if your store-bought favorite coffee is vegan friendly. 

What can vegans add to their coffee to keep it 100% plant based?

First, vegans can opt for plant-based milk alternatives instead of regular milk. There is a wide variety of non-dairy milks on the market and offered in coffee shops!

• Almond milk
• Soy milk
• Oat milk
• Coconut milk
• Cashew milk
• Macadamia milk

Some sweeteners can also be used like maple syrup, monk fruit, stevia, agave nectar and date syrup for extra flavour! Additionally, there are plant-based creamers available from Silk to Earth’s Own.

What should vegans be mindful of when making coffee?

Other than the type of milk and cream that is used, vegans should be cautious about these other addition options:

• Honey. Often used to sweeten foods and beverages, honey is derived from bees.

• Creamers often contain dairy, but what’s even more surprising is that some of them have collagen which is found in animals’ bones and muscles. 
• Coffee syrups and sauces often contain dairy.
• Surprisingly, refined sugars can also be problematic for vegans! Certain sugars (white, brown and confectioners’ sugar) contain bone char traces. They are not suitable for vegans or vegetarians. To avoid this, choose beet or coconut sugars. Moreover, organic and unrefined sugars are never processed with bone char.

Is Coffee Mate a vegan alternative to regular creamers?

Most Coffee Mate creamers contain a milk derivative called sodium caseinate which is not vegan friendly.

Main Takeaways

• Black coffee is vegan.
• Make sure that all added ingredients added to coffee are vegan friendly!

We are a team of plant-based and vegan nutritionists here to support your journey. Book a free discovery call with us. We’ll help answer your questions and guide you through the transition to veganism with confidence.