Autumn Lattes: A Nutritional Minefield
Seasonal coffee shop drinks are packed with sugar and calories, making some equivalent to a meal or dessert.
High street coffee shops are releasing their new autumn-themed drinks, featuring inventive flavors like apple crumble, banoffee matcha, and cinnamon roll lattes. However, a nutritional analysis reveals these "fusion drinks" are often high in sugar and calories, with some posing significant health concerns.
Starbucks' iced apple crumble matcha latte, for instance, contains 35.6 grams of sugar, exceeding the recommended daily limit of free sugars, which is seven teaspoons. This amount is more than a Mars bar and contributes 328 calories and 10 grams of fat, a calorie count comparable to a McDonald's cheeseburger. Dietician Carrie Ruxton notes that liquid calories have a minimal impact on satiety, potentially leading to overeating later in the day. Starbucks' maple pecan macchiato, while lower in calories and fat, still contains 31 grams of sugar, surpassing daily recommendations. The "mummy" frappucino, made without cream and featuring mocha sauce and chocolate buttons, is identified as Starbucks' best option among the analyzed drinks, with 95 calories and 12 grams of sugar. The classic Starbucks pumpkin spiced latte, even without whipped cream, contains 31 grams of sugar, equivalent to nine custard cream biscuits.
Costa's maple hazel iced matcha offers a lower saturated fat content, with all its fat coming from milk, which some studies suggest may be less concerning than fat from other sources. However, the drink still contains 26 grams of sugar from flavored syrups. The purported health benefits of matcha, such as disease prevention and fat burning, are largely based on preliminary lab studies and not conclusive human trials. While matcha contains L-theanine, which may counteract caffeine's jittery effects, its sugar content remains a concern.
Costa's maple hazel hot chocolate is highlighted as particularly unhealthy, with 54 grams of sugar and 456 calories in a medium serving with light whip, nearly twice the daily sugar limit and equivalent to half a tub of ice cream. Adding full whipped cream increases the calorie count to 520, more than a Big Mac. Caffè Nero's cinnamon roll latte, made with oat milk, offers a more favorable profile with 220 calories and 23.3 grams of sugar, benefiting from the protein in oat milk which can contribute to feelings of fullness. The Caffè Nero banoffee matcha latte contains 28.6 grams of sugar, though the addition of banana provides a small amount of fiber. The Caffè Nero spiced pecan latte, while having moderate calories and fat, is undermined by a high sugar content of 28.4 grams.