South India · Drink
Filter coffee
Also called filter kaapi, kaapi, South Indian coffee, degree coffee, filter kapi
Strong South Indian coffee decoction dripped through a steel filter and mixed with hot sweetened milk. It is served frothy in a steel tumbler and davara.
The short answer
Filter coffee has about 112 kcal in a regular serving (1 tumbler, about 240 g), with 4.1 g of protein and 0 g of fibre. It rates 3.0/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 2 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 112 kcal
- 1 tumbler (about 240 g)
- For weight management
- 3.0 / 5Rated 3 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 4.1 g · 0 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 20 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in filter coffee?
Raw weights for one serving (1 tumbler, about 240 g), from the standard recipe
- Milk, 125 g
- Sugar, 5 g
How is filter coffee made?
Preparation 5 min · Cooking 15 min
- 1Put the filter coffee powder in the top part of a South Indian steel filter and press it down.
- 2Pour in boiling water, cover and leave it to drip for about 30 minutes to make a thick decoction.
- 3Heat the milk until it is steaming hot.
- 4Add the sugar to a tumbler, pour in a little decoction, then top with the hot milk.
- 5Pour the coffee back and forth between the tumbler and davara a few times for a frothy top.
Filter coffee nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 tumbler, about 240 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 112 kcal | 47 kcal |
| Protein | 4.1 g | 1.7 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11.5 g | 4.8 g |
| Fat | 5.5 g | 2.3 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Added sugar | 5.4 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Hebbar's Kitchen: Filter Coffee Recipe (Filter Kaapi), serves 4) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (708 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Hebbar's Kitchen, Filter Coffee Recipe (Filter Kaapi) 177 g, Archana's Kitchen, South Indian Filter Coffee Recipe With Filter Coffee Powder 238 g and Sanjeev Kapoor, Filter Coffee 305 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is filter coffee good for weight management?
It rates 3.0/5, a moderate fit, because it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)0.47 kcal · 100/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)3.6 g · 36/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.0 g · 0/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)112 of 150 kcal (drink) · 75/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have filter coffee
- Cut the sugar to one teaspoon or less, and reduce it a little each week
- Use toned milk instead of full-cream milk
- Use more decoction and less milk for a stronger, lighter cup
- Keep to one or two tumblers a day
- Have it without the biscuit or snack that often goes with it
Common questions about filter coffee
How many calories are in filter coffee?
About 112 kcal in 1 tumbler, about 240 g, or 47 kcal per 100 g.
Is filter coffee good for weight management?
It rates 3.0/5, a moderate fit: it is low in calories for its weight and a regular serving is a modest portion, but it has little fibre for its calories and it is low in protein for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in filter coffee?
About 4.1 g in 1 tumbler, about 240 g, which is 3.6 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in filter coffee?
About 20 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
How many calories are in a cup of filter coffee?
It depends on the milk and sugar, not the coffee. A tumbler of about this size gives about 110 kcal here.
Is filter coffee better with less milk?
Yes. A stronger decoction with less milk and less sugar has fewer calories and a stronger coffee taste.
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Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.