Is Vietnamese Coffee Strong? (Is Vietnamese Coffee Healthy)

No doubt, that if you’re a coffee-fiend looking for your next fix then you know that Vietnamese coffee, with its deeply concentrated flavor, is more than enough to satiate you!

From ca phe nau (brown coffee) to ca phe trung (egg coffee) and traditionally roasted using a phin, Vietnamese coffee has the ability to be prepared in a variety of delicious and unique ways.

That said, just how strong is Vietnamese coffee and, more importantly, is it healthy?

Vietnamese coffee is considered stronger than your average coffee as it is made with a particular species of coffee bean known as robusta. Coffee made from robusta is generally stronger, nuttier, and darker than that made from arabica, the other primary variety. Additionally, Vietnamese coffee has a zero-calorie count per cup when taken black and not diluted with any additional artificial sweeteners or creamers which makes it a very healthy drink while dieting.

Now ideally I don't recommend drinking your calories when wanting to lose weight, but seeing as how caffeine is a natural appetite suppressant and most of us live for that little extra boost to get us through the day, here are my tips to keep your Vietnamese coffee as healthy as possible:

Tip 1: Understanding The Nutritional Value In Vietnamese Coffee

Tip 2: Understanding What Makes Vietnamese Coffee So Strong

Tip 3: Understanding Why You Should Consider Drinking Vietnamese Coffee Black

Tip 4: Learn What Sweeteners And Creamers To Avoid When Drinking Vietnamese Coffee

Tip 5: Understanding What To Do With The Extra Energy Boost That Comes With Drinking Vietnamese Coffee

Now that we know what we're covering, let's get to it!

How to Stay Healthy When Drinking Vietnamese Coffee?

For starters, whether or not your goal is to be healthy via losing weight or to bulk up to get some much coveted muscle gains, what you always need to keep in mind is how many calories you need to consume on a daily basis to reach your health initiatives.

When you are aware of how many calories you need to eat and consistently track your food you can control what you look like and how you feel.

The best way to figure how many calories you need to eat in a day all comes down to knowing your TDEE score.

To find out your TDEE score I recommend check out our article How to actually get a 6 pack after 30!

Of course, any TDEE calculation will only give you a rough estimate on how many calories you need to eat in a day which might end up being perfect for some and in need of more adjustments for others.

Either way, once you get your TDEE score you are supposed to put yourself at either a deficit of 200 to 500 calories to start losing weight or a 200 to 500 calorie surplus to start gaining weight in conjunction with a consistent strength training regiment to gain muscle.

With caution, I also advise you to eat nothing less than 1,000 calories a day if weight loss is your goal as that could end up being a detriment to your overall health.

On that note, let’s start figuring out Vietnamese coffee’s health benefits in our first tip below!

Tip 1: Understand The Nutritional Value In Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese coffee is ultimately just caffeine which has no calories as seen in the nutritional label bellow:

Caffeine, by itself, has a great many potential health benefits as well as some risks.

In fact, some of those possible health benefits include the following:

Aiding in fat burning: Drinking caffeine, according to various studies, has the ability of boosting a person’s metabolism through a process called thermogenesis by 3–11%, additionally, caffeine has been accredited to increase fat burning by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in lean people (granted it only has this effect for relatively new coffee drinkers and it tends to ware off once coffee drinking becomes long term).
Giving a powerful dose of antioxidants: Coffee beans contain disease-ravaging antioxidants, called quinines, which become more potent after roasting. These antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures.
Enhancing energy levels: Though the effects are short-term, according to the data by The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), caffeine can increase endurance performance, endurance capacity, and reduction in perceived exertion.
Reducing the risk of diseases: Research has found that lifelong caffeine consumption can help prevent the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and even certain types of cancers.

As great as those benefits above are, however, there are certain risks involved in the overconsumption of caffeine.

Those risks include:

Anxiety: Caffeine stimulates your “fight or flight” response triggering anxiety especially within people with existing anxiety disorders and can trigger severe anxiety attacks.
Possible Pregnancy Issues: According to the statement released by the March of Dimes, until more conclusive studies are done, pregnant women should limit caffeine intake to less than 200 mg per day. This is equal to about one 12 oz cup of coffee.
Insomnia: Heavier caffeine consumption, compared with light or no caffeine consumption, will be associated with higher insomnia symptoms and daytime sleepiness.
Menopause:‏ According to findings of a cross-sectional survey published online, caffeine intake is associated with worse hot flashes and night sweats (but fewer problems with mood, memory, and concentration, in menopausal women).

Keeping in mind this information, caffeine is definitely a mixed bag on both the nutritional and general health spectrum but if you were to get any key takeaway from the information provided in this section it’s that Vietnamese coffee (as with any coffee) doesn’t have to be an incumbent to your overall health goals and can even be a great dietary tool in your arsenal, that is, unless you pair it with the wrong things and drink it in excess.

Tip 2: What Makes Vietnamese Coffee So Strong?

Since the introduction of coffee beans by the French, Vietnam had established itself as the second-largest producer of coffee in the world and, as touched upon previously within the article, the majority of Vietnamese coffee is made of the robusta bean, a species whose hardy plant thrives in lower elevations, while the other species is known as Arabica.

The Robusta’s amplified caffeine content, along with its chlorogenic acids (naturally occurring antioxidants) stems from the plant’s self-protection mechanism in warding off pests and disease.

The levels in chlorogenic acids within robusta are higher then in other species of coffee bean and the oxidation products generated by these acids can ultimately introduce a bitter cup quality or taste profile.

Still, the Robusta bean, when produced and nurtured in the right conditions, is also widely diverse and its taste varies according to the region with the highest quality robusta beans coming from the central highlands.

As for the reason why the majority of authentic Vietnamese coffee is made of the Robusta bean, which caffeine aficionados consider second rate in comparison to the more delicate undertones of the Arabica bean, the answer is simple—it's the cheapest to reproduce (and the worst choice when it comes to the environment, but we won’t get into that).

Vietnamese coffee is also known for having a traditional dark roast.

The roasting process itself is often accompanied with other flavors such as mocha, chicory, vanilla, butter, or even whiskey.

What also adds to Vietnamese coffee’s notoriety for being particularly strong in flavor is its unique brewing method.

Traditionally brewed in a phin (a small metal cup that fits over most mugs and is essentially a coffee filter), the coffee is allowed to brew incredibly slowly which allows for an intensely strong and small coffee which, some say, resembles a thicker, more caffeinated espresso.

Now that we got some basic Vietnamese coffee facts out of the way and answered why it's so notoriously strong in flavor let's move on to it's potential health benefits and how you can keep it at its most healthy.

Tip 3: Why You Should Consider Drinking Vietnamese Coffee Black

I know most of us would never dare consider drinking our coffee black especially one as strong in flavor as Vietnamese coffee but hear me out!

There are a lot of benefits to drinking your coffee black.

Black coffee, unless you are someone who has severe sleep, heart, or anxiety issues, is considered healthy for the very reasons covered in Tip 1.

The main issue has always been the sugar content that comes with pairing caffeine with certain sweeteners and creamers (an issue we will go into further detail in the next section).

Back to sugar, there seems to be no end to studies that highlight the harmful effects of its over-consumption.

Sugar is in almost everything, especially in America where added sugars account for up to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults and up to 14% for children.

Dietary guidelines suggest limiting calories from added sugar to less than 10% per day as sugar consumption can increase the likelihood of developing heart diseases, cancer growth, obesity, and a myriad of life-altering effects.

For these reasons, added sugar should be kept to a minimum whenever possible, with only natural sugars getting a pass.

Take the sugar out of your black coffee and you will most certainly enjoy the benefits of it without the dire consequences—it’s just that simple.

Tip 4: What Sweeteners And Creamers To Avoid When Drinking Vietnamese Coffee

Seeing as how most of us can't tolerate drinking coffee by itself, especially when it’s of the robusta variety, it’s no surprise then that Vietnamese coffee is usually paired with an array of high calorie sweeteners and creamers all of which should be avoided if you wish to more easily meet a certain caloric intake... but, alas, most of us are only human.

The sweeteners I listed below are just some examples of the kind of sweeteners and creamers you should try to avoid when drinking your Vietnamese coffee:

WHAT TO AVOID:

Artificial Sweeteners: Sweet’N Low (saccharin), Splenda (sucralose), and Equal (aspartame) are all advertised as low calorie alternatives but can be 200-700 times sweeter than natural sugar and while it’s not all together bad it consumption should be limited.
White Sugar: Stay away from this one for all the reasons listed in the previous section and opt for a healthier (non-bleached) alternative like coconut sugar.
Flavored syrups: The calories and sugar intake from simple syrups and extracts can really add up.
Whipped Cream: Whipped cream is one of those extra treats you’re better off skipping as it will add calories, fat and sugar to your morning coffee that you really don’t need.
Powdered creamer: A combination of sweeteners, flavoring agents and partially hydrogenated oil (i.e., trans fat), coffee creamers can be a flavorful yet calorically dense addition to your cup.

Now that we know what to avoid let’s look at some safer and healthier choices to consider:

WHAT’S HEALTHY:

Milk: A go-to commonplace choice, milk is packed with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, magnesium, zinc and thiamine (B1), however, be wary as most milk found in your supermarket could have nutrients of concern depending on where and how it’s manufactured.
Plant-Based Milks: Containing the three major macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats and protein, Plant-based milk enables the body to function properly and even has the ability of reducing coffee acidity.
Agave: Agave nectar is a natural sweetener derived from cacti and is high on the glycemic index (though it also does have high levels of fructose which might or might not have any long term health risks according to recent inconclusive studies by researchers)
Honey and Maple Syrup: These natural sweeteners are most commonly seen paired with teas, however, they both have many health benefits and are a great source of antioxidants.
Spices: It’s been studied that spices like cinnamon can actually bring out the drink’s sweetness without adding sugar, while a swirl of turmeric can even amp up the flavor to your cup of coffee and provide some additional health benefits.

Finally, the following are ingredients that should all be taken in moderation and that you should be mindful of as most are commonly seen in traditionally made Vietnamese coffee:

TRADITIONAL CHOICES:

Condensed Milk: Back when the French invaded Vietnam they couldn’t find fresh milk to add to their coffee so they used the condensed kind creating what is now known as ca phe nau in the north or ca phe sua in the south. Condensed milk is a dairy product, so it is a concentrated source of protein and calcium that is pretty calorically dense.
Yoghurt: Another ingredient introduced to Vietnam by the French, yoghurt has become a well known creamer and you can often see the drink on the menu where it’s known as sua chua ca phe. If you’re planning to put yoghurt in your coffee then I advice using the plain kind with no artificial flavors that way you get the full benefit of pure protein.
Egg Yolk: Egg coffee, also known as ca phe trung, is made with both egg yolk and condensed milk and the drink was said to have been created in the 1940s when milk was scarce. Try to stay away from this one as it’s a drink with a lot of fat and sugar with very little protein.
Coconut Milk: Also known as ca phe cot dua, is a very trendy drink nowadays amongst the younger Vietnamese population and is often a mix of both coconut milk as well as regular milk. Measure out just how much you’re putting into your coffee and you should be good.
Fresh Fruits: Sinh to ca phe or caffeine fruit smoothies are a popular healthy drink in Vietnam. Fruit is a great source of vitamins but if you’re planning to get this drink then consider it a mini meal or dessert in and of itself.

Each of these typical sweeteners and creamers are what you might see accompanying your coffee and you can have any one of these to enjoy, but by carefully watching your portion size, it will be easier to stick to your goals.

Tip 5: What To Do With The Extra Energy Boost That Comes With Drinking Vietnamese Coffee

There is a reason caffeine is the most commonly seen ingredient in energy drinks as it’s known to increase alertness and works by blocking the effects of adenosine (a brain chemical that makes you feel tired).

So where to use this caffeine high of sorts?

Exercise and, better yet, strength training!

Several years of research on the benefits of weight training have shown that individuals that do some sort of consistent resistance training at least 3-5 times a week have shown not only a great amount of weight loss but are also able to keep the weight off!

The secret to this phenomenon is that strength training leads to a build-up of muscle.

Not only does your body recomposition into a more fitting and athletic-looking aesthetic, but having more muscle also increases your resting metabolic rate which essentially means you burn more calories at rest!

Consistency and longevity are the two key factors when building muscle so there will be some commitment involved.

That said, we understand that not everyone has access to a gym membership or feels comfortable starting in such an intimidating environment.

Although I would strongly recommend that everyone should get a gym membership, don’t worry we got your back!

You can either go to the gym or build one for yourself.

It really just comes down to 3 pieces of equipment that you need to do most workouts.

These three are the workout bench, dumbbells, and gym flooring.

Check out our recommended gear page to see our best picks for these pieces of equipment here.

If a home gym is not for you then getting a membership somewhere works too.

All it takes are a couple of adjustable weights (bowflex adjustable weights on amazon) and a reliable workout bench (steelbody bench on Amazon) that will allow us to do all the necessary workouts.

Just stick with it for the long run and you’ll see how amazing the results can be.

Now Let’s Wrap It Up!

Vietnamese coffee is as strong as it could be intensely sweet and, depending on how you make it, it could also not be the healthiest despite it being non-calorically dense itself.

Regardless, it's treasured and is a dietary staple.

I do hope that this article was informative and helpful in you figuring out how Vietnamese coffee can fit into your fitness and health goals!

Until next time, I wish you all the best, and just know that our team is rooting for you!