Maltodextrin, a highly processed carbohydrate and another common ingredient, is a bulking agent that gives the product more volume.
These ingredients are “highly regulated” and, because they are used in small quantities, do not have any harmful health effects, Ramesh said.
Among “the biggest concerns” about 3-in-1 coffee, however, is the fat and sugar content.
The creamers used tend to be “very high in hydrogenated fat”, said Ramesh. Hydrogenation is a chemical process that makes fat unhealthier but is done to make the fat stable so that it “doesn’t taste rancid”.
It would be “very challenging” to find 3-in-1 coffees without hydrogenated fat, but some manufacturers use low-fat or non-fat creamers, he added.
Sugar seems easier to cut down on, with more 3-in-1 brands offering lower-sugar options. Consumers can look out for the Health Promotion Board’s lower-in-sugar Healthier Choice Symbol.
