No one in their right mind would ever claim that Pumpkin Spice Lattes are healthy. However, if you’re human, you know it’s easy to lose track of just how many of these bad boys you have in any given holiday season.
So what’s in them? What are you drinking? What happens when you drink one?
Let’s find out together.
As with any sugary, caffeine filled drink, your weekly (daily) PSL is going to have its fair share of negative effects.
Pumpkin Spice Lattes contain around 380 calories, 14 grams of fat, and a whopping 50 grams of sugar.
The sugar in that PSL goes straight to your brain. It triggers that feel-good reaction you get when you drink this fall special, one that makes you want more.
Of course, the combined sugar and caffeine make your heart rate shoot up nice and high, so that you get a good buzz off of it. Around 15 minutes after you drink it is the sweet spot, and then the fat in the drink makes your body absorb the caffeine much slower than you would with, say, a Coke. So coming down from the caffeine will take an extra 45 minutes.
Then your tummy, which is reeling from all of this sugar and fat, probably makes you a little uncomfortable. Your metabolism slows down too.
However, because it has real pumpkin and milk in it, it’s not all bad news. If you’re looking for a post-workout treat, you can do a lot worse than 14 grams of protein per serving, which a PSL just so happens to have. But in general, it may be in your best interest to keep this fall treat what it is--a treat.
