There are Good Choices at Starbucks
Cindy and I go to Starbucks after class quite often. As we sit surrounded by the glorious smells of coffee, we see lots of people walking out with a cup that holds well over 400 calories. Ladies, we fool ourselves into thinking that if we are drinking something, it doesn't really add to our caloric intake, but the reality is....IT DOES! Most people order a drink at Starbucks that has the caloric equivalent of an entire meal. And don't get me started on the sugar count in that high calorie beverage. According to American Heart Association, women should have no more than 25 g of sugar/day. Some of the Starbucks options have MORE than your entire days worth of sugar in it! The 12 oz. Caffè Vanilla Light Frappuccino Blended Coffee, which is thought to be a "good" choice, only has 130 calories, but it has 29 g of sugar! THAT'S CRAZY!!!! Sugar=Fat, so be mindful of your sugar intake. Even the soy and almond milk is sweetened at Starbucks, so if you add those instead of creme (which seems like a good idea), you're still adding sugar.
Don't panic! There is some good news. Use your Starbucks run as another opportunity for you to make a good choice. There are coffee, tea, and refresher drinks that you can choose at Starbucks that are under 150 calories and have a lower sugar count. You don't have to deprive yourself of the Starbucks experience...just be informed and smart! Beverages DO count in your calories/sugar intake and WILL add to your waistline if you aren't careful!
Coffee tall/12 oz:
Caffè Misto; a one-to-one mix of fresh brewed coffee and steamed milk: 80 calories (two percent milk), 40 calories (almond milk)/8 g sugar.
Cappuccino; espresso with a thick layer of thick foam: 90 calories (two percent milk), 80 calories (almond milk)/4 g sugar.
Black coffee; 16 oz/5 calories/0 sugar.
Iced Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte; espresso, steamed nonfat milk, sugar-free cinnamon-dolce-flavored syrup, cinnamon dolce topping, served over ice: 60 calories/8 g sugar.
Iced Caffe Americano; espresso shots are topped with water to produce a light layer of crema then topped with ice. 15 calories/0 sugar.
Iced Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte; espresso, steamed non-fat milk, sugar-free cinnamon dolce flavored syrup and ice. 80 calories/10 g sugar.
Tea:
Any of the loose leaf teas are good choices. No calories/No sugar!
Mint Majesty Tea; spearmint and peppermint with a touch of lemon verbena: 0 calories/0 sugar. No caffeine
Jade Citrus Mint Tea; green tea, lemon verbena and lemongrass with a hit of spearmint: 0 calories/0 sugar. Has caffeine . MY FAVORITE.
Refreshers tall/12 oz:
Cool Lime Starbucks Refreshers Beverage; real fruit juice, mint, and a lime slice, with Green Coffee Extract: 45 calories/11 g sugar.
Very Berry Hibiscus Starbucks Refreshers Beverage; real fruit juice, whole blackberries, with Green Coffee Extract: 60 calories/12 g sugar.