Starbucks®,

mrscates

Starbucks®, et al.

Coffee chains have gotten in on the game too. Sometimes called smoothies, coffeehouse options are also referred to by various other names. Coffee and tea don't have any calories and give you a rush. But people seem to want their rush with other assorted items, like sugar and fat. So now when you order a black coffee at one of these places, you often get a strange look, or you're asked, "Are you sure?" I guess that's not what the cool kids are ordering. So let's have a look, shall we? Because the kids won't stay cool if they keep eating like this.

Frappuccinos. An average 24-ounce Starbucks Frappuccino® (the large or Venti® size) has around 700 calories, 25 grams of fat, 100 grams of sugar, 400 milligrams of sodium, and 70 milligrams of cholesterol. You can save a few hundred calories by ordering "light," which substitutes artificial sweeteners for sugar.

Analysis: These are dessert items. There is no other way to categorize them.


Lattes 'n' such. These are slightly less caloric and vary quite a bit. A Grande Nonfat Cappuccino might only have 100 or so calories, but a Venti White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream has over 600 calories.

Analysis: There's a lot of variance here, and I believe most of you know the good from the bad. Here's a quick rundown:


Coffee or tea: Zero calories; the best option is to drink them unsweetened and without milk or cream.


Milks and cream: Nonfat is best. Low fat is the second best option, and last is whole, which is highly caloric and loaded with fat. Half-and-half or cream is even worse. Soy milk is a good option for the lactose intolerant, but it has fat and calorie contents similar to regular milk. Most nondairy creamers are filled with sugar and hydrogenated junk. You're better off with the real stuff.


Chocolate, caramel, vanilla, etc.: All of these flavorings are sugar—a lot of sugar.


Whipped cream: 100 percent fat and condensed sugar and almost zero nutritional value.


Chai and other holistic-sounding stuff: These follow the exact same pattern as the Frappuccinos. The only difference is that they use tea instead of coffee as their base. Often touted as "a taste of Asia," or some such nonsense, these have long ago lost any trace of their "exotic spices" and are flavored by the same junk that's in all the unhealthy stuff.

steadyboost

Very good analysis. Thanks for telling it like it is while offering solutions to the members on this site. Starbucks isn't as harmless as it seems just because everyone drinks it. I always order a skinny or non fat drink from there and I feel great about it when I enter it into MFP.

CarterGrt

It was hard to admit, but Starbucks is bad, bad, bad... Pumpkin Spice Latte's were my favorite, washing down a pumpkin muffin or scone. That ended up at almost a full day's calories.

Now I brew great black coffee at home...

--Carter

EBell83

I fell for this trick over the holidays. I am used to drinking a cup or two of coffee at home during the day, so I started drinking a coffee mixture at Starbucks, since I spent my holidays out shopping, in airports, basically anywhere but home and there seemed to be a SB just about everywhere. I loaded up on the calories and sugar, and because I am used to having Splenda at home, I wanted to "treat" myself while I was out. This added nearly a thousand calories to my daily intake everytime I stopped for a coffee and a scone (because you can't REALLY just enjoy the coffee, can you?) Oh, I caught on and I am working the weight gained (about 15 pounds or so including holiday feasting) back down and have learned how to order an appropriately made drink and still enjoy treating myself. But those "coffees" can really do a number on you. They were definitely my hidden culprit.

NikkisNewStart

I used to get a Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte w/ Whip and Whole Milk every single morning on my way to work... no wonder I was fat, seriously. I didn't want to look at the nutritional facts (what nutrition?!?) because I did not want to know... I wanted to keep self enabling my weight gain.

I have started brewing my own coffee at home and have cut back on my coffee consumption as a whole. Thanks for spreading the word and I hope people are receptive as to how self sabotaging these drinks can be to their health!

mem50

Venti Triple shot mocha and caramel.....something or other.... latte with extra chocolate, whipped cream and whole milk. That was my downfall. It has been over a year since I have had one.

P.S. I was drinking 1 sometimes 2 a day of those nasty boys. Oh yes, toss in the blueberry coffee cake while you're at it dear!:bigsmile:

blondie76

I always go for a grand non fat no whip sugar free vanila latte!! but only 1 or 2 a week!!