# Why no nutrition facts on coffee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620 "2005-10-30T20:16:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/1 "2005-10-30T20:16:34Z")
I just noticed that the only thing in my fridge right now without that little white “nutritional info” panel is the cannister of coffee. Why is this? I know that even bottled water requires it, so what gives? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/2 "2005-10-30T20:20:20Z")
None on teabags either, at least the ones I have. Perhaps it’s because you don’t normally consume the contents of the package, you just use them in preparation? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/3 "2005-10-30T20:30:56Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > None on teabags either, at least the ones I have. > > Perhaps it’s because you don’t normally consume the contents of the package, you just use them in preparation? Coffee isn’t food. Tea too. mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![John\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@John\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_F)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/4 "2005-10-30T20:52:04Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > Why is this? The factual answer is that coffee is exempt. I’ll add that coffee is a fairly complicated little bean and has different properties from bean to bean (origins) and commercial blends could have different values from crop to crop as the same origins and lots may not always be available or desirable. It would be a task and 1/2 to keep the label accurate and up to date I think. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/5 "2005-10-31T02:22:41Z")
You mean it isnt because Coffee isnt nutritious? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/6 "2005-10-31T02:38:02Z")
Alcohol generally doesn’t have nutritional or ingredient information, either. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/7 "2005-10-31T02:44:42Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > You mean it isnt because Coffee isnt nutritious? 😛 More accurately, it has negligable nutritional value. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/8 "2005-10-31T03:49:01Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Alcohol generally doesn’t have nutritional or ingredient information, either. That’s because they’re not required by to provide that information, however that could change, since there’s some movement to get that to change. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/9 "2005-10-31T04:45:49Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > More accurately, it has negligable nutritional value. So does water, though - that just seems odd, to me, to require one to have the info and not the others. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/10 "2005-10-31T04:55:11Z")
> [@NinjaChick](#): > > So does water, though - that just seems odd, to me, to require one to have the info and not the others. Mineral water can have quite significant amounts of various salts. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/11 "2005-10-31T12:26:29Z")
Coffee beans contain some fat, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/12 "2005-10-31T13:42:07Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > Coffee beans contain some fat, I believe. Coffee beans may, though I doubt it. Coffee itself wouldn’t have any fat though, as water is passed over it through a filter, and fat is not water soluble. ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/13 "2005-10-31T16:00:38Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > Coffee beans may, though I doubt it. Coffee itself wouldn’t have any fat though, as water is passed over it through a filter, and fat is not water soluble. From Maxtor in Coffee Forums: “…Each bean releases these oils, no matter where they are from. The Coffee bean contains oil just like soy or peanut…” More details in: [http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1219&highlight=oil+fat](http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1219&highlight=oil+fat) ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/14 "2005-10-31T16:03:20Z")
> [@Gymnopithys](#): > > From Maxtor in Coffee Forums: > > “…Each bean releases these oils, no matter where they are from. > The Coffee bean contains oil just like soy or peanut…” > > More details in: > > [http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1219&highlight=oil+fat](http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1219&highlight=oil+fat) Excuse me if I am hesitant to believe another forum as a cite, especially when I can cite a whole lot more in that fatty acids are not water soluble. Find me a mechanism in which the fat can get into the coffee through the filter, and I will be more convinced. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/15 "2005-10-31T16:08:06Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > Excuse me if I am hesitant to believe another forum as a cite, especially when I can cite a whole lot more in that fatty acids are not water soluble. Find me a mechanism in which the fat can get into the coffee through the filter, and I will be more convinced. Why would the oil need to be water soluble in order to get in the coffee? It only has to be released from the beans by the heat and then flow with the water through the filter. It doesn’t need to be in solution. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/16 "2005-10-31T16:13:34Z")
> [@Dag Otto](#): > > Why would the oil need to be water soluble in order to get in the coffee? It only has to be released from the beans by the heat and then flow with the water through the filter. It doesn’t need to be in solution. Well, I guess if you use thin filters. Seems to me that the fatty acids would stick to the paper, the reason the coffee gets through is that it is in solution with the water. Fat molocules tend to be pretty big. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/17 "2005-10-31T16:14:39Z")
Sorry, molecules. My spelling is atrocious today. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/18 "2005-10-31T16:14:42Z")
From the Scientific American article: [The Complexity of Coffee](http://www.sciamdigital.com/browse.cfm?sequencenameCHAR=item2&methodnameCHAR=resource_getitembrowse&interfacenameCHAR=browse.cfm&ISSUEID_CHAR=31E7F518-2EC9-4DDC-93A6-21E8488C35D&ARTICLEID_CHAR=75A5C13D-28C5-4C09-B898-767A01FC54C&sc=I100322): > [@](#): > > The resulting concentrated liquor contains not only soluble solids but also a diverse array of aromatic substances in a **dispersed emulsion of tiny oil droplets** , which together give espresso its uniquely rich taste, smell and “mouthfeel.” You will need to either purchase the item or find a paper copy. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/19 "2005-10-31T16:15:50Z")
> [@Epimetheus](#): > > Excuse me if I am hesitant to believe another forum as a cite, especially when I can cite a whole lot more in that fatty acids are not water soluble. Find me **a mechanism** in which the fat can get into the coffee through the filter, and I will be more convinced. It’s called a [French Press.](http://fantes.com/french_press.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Violaceous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@Miss\_Violaceous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Violaceous)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620/20 "2005-10-31T16:17:50Z")
I can see a little skim of oil on top of my coffee, and all I use is a gold filter in an automatic drip machine. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-nutrition-facts-on-coffee/328620.md?page=2)