When you’re on the go, nothing sounds better than a big cup of coffee to get you through the day. Sometimes, you might even treat yourself to something more exciting, like a latte or mocha.
With so many different coffee drinks to choose from, it’s tough just to decide what you want—let alone pick the healthiest option.
Now that the weather is heating up, most major coffee chains are bringing back some of their tastiest iced drinks, but that doesn’t mean you should go ahead and try them all.
It’s hard to believe, but some of these so-called “coffee” drinks contain so much fat and sugar that they’re rarely worth the slight boost of caffeine.
Everybody deserves to indulge once in a while, but these terrible drinks will tank your entire diet instantly:
Large Dunkin' Donuts Frozen Caramel Coffee Coolatta with Cream
Nutritional Facts: 990 calories, 47 g fat, 29 g sat fat, 141 g carbs, 130 g sugar
For the same amount of calories in this overly sweet drink, you could eat nearly three glazed doughnuts. With almost three full cups of cream and sweetened condensed milk, this frozen coffee drink is more like a blended dessert in a plastic cup. Do yourself a favor and get a regular iced coffee with cream and sugar instead. You can save those extra calories for something actually worth eating later!
Venti Starbucks Whole Milk White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream
Nutritional Facts: 620 calories, 27 g fat, 17 g sat fat, 79 g carbs, 75 g sugar
Don’t let the description of this calorie-packed drink fool you. It’s a lot more than “expresso with white chocolate-flavored sauce.” With 75 grams of sugar in this one drink, you could eat 7 of the chain’s chocolate croissants. If you want to get a great taste without the calories, try ordering a whole-milk cappuccino instead. At 190 calories and 14 grams of sugar, this drink is just a fraction of the damage you’d take from sipping on its sugary counterpart.
Large Caribou Breve with Whipped Cream
Nutritional Facts: 650 calories, 60 g fat, 37 g sat fat, 20 g carbs, 2 g sugar
Well, at least it only has 2 grams of sugar…right? What this drink lacks in sugar, it more than makes up for in fat. Somehow, we’ve managed to take Italy’s “milk coffee” and turn it into something so unhealthy that it shouldn’t even be compared to coffee. Think about it this way: for the same amount of fat, you could order 12 McDonald’s hamburgers instead. If you want the creamy flavor without the calories and fat, order a large macchiato. With just 120 calories and 12 grams of fat, you’ll be saving yourself more than a day’s worth of fat!
How do you cut the calories in your favorite drinks? Tell us in the comments!
Photo Copyright © 2005 hirotomo t/Flickr