5 Drinks to Avoid at your local coffee shop.
A few weeks ago we ran a story about the hidden secret in your coffee cup and we had tremendous response and feedback. I have decided to follow this up with an article I sent out last year to my subscribers. This is the five drinks to avoid at your local coffee shop, these tips are essential for making informed healthy decisions.
Many new additions will now grace your local coffee shop menu but make sure you know your numbers otherwise it may pack more of a calorific punch than you bargained for. See below for our tips on smart swaps to enjoy your coffee with less impact on your waist line.
Be sure to stay tuned as our Healthy Habits Recipe book is at the printers and we will be rolling out our launch promotion VERY soon. The first 20 customers will snap up a real bargain!
To Your Health
Andy
No 5: The Hot Chocolate
Now this first one may not come as huge surprise to many of you and may not be the first choice while the sun is shining. This is however a coffee house favorite. A Costa full fat hot chocolate will set you back 319 Kcal in Medio.
“What about skimmed or soya milk” I hear you shout. Well, that will set you back 234 Kcal and 262 Kcal respectively. These numbers are for the drink only and do not include any extras like marshmallows or whipped cream. You will quickly be heading upward of the 500 Kcal mark with these additions. If you go for the Massimo large option then your looking at 464 Kcal before extras.
4. The Mocha Latte
This relatively new addition to the Costa menu and will leave you with more than just a coffee buzz. Coming in at 347 Kcal in full fat Medio size. Make it a Massimo and you’re looking at 497 Kcal before extras!
With a men’s recommended daily allowance of 2500 Kcal and a women’s at 2000 Kcal this little treat could be having a big impact on your waist line especially if your making more than one visit a day.
NO 3: The Chai Latte
I was more than a little disappointed to see this one so high up on the list. A full fat Costa Chai Latte in Medio size will set you back 422 Kcal. Soya is still 355 Kcal closely followed by the skimmed alternative at 322 Kcal. If you want to super-size it to Massimo the you’re looking down the barrel of 667 Kcal. That’s an awful lot of burpees.
No 2: Frappe Creme Banana & Caramel
Iced coffee and Frappes are grown up milkshakes and they’re are big business these days and this little number from Nero packs quite a punch. Only available in one size, this summer cooler will set you back 460 Kcal or roughly 60 minuets swimming or two hours cleaning the house.
No 1: Mango & Passion fruit, Fruit Booster
The Nero fruit booster comes in at 191 Kcal. Sold, I hear you say. But, and there is a big BUT..
This drink contains a staggering 45g of sugar. Whilst, this is fruit based fructose which does have health benefits. The quantity is far too high and will have your blood sugar through the roof. The knock on effect will leave you feeling tired and looking for the next sugary fix not long after.
The savvy drink swaps.
First off, always opt for the soya or skimmed options. If possible ditch the milk altogether and embrace the rich and bold flavour of your coffee.
If you’re a cappuccino fan then a Medio skimmed comes in at a slimline 109 Kcal (before any added sugar).
The latte drinkers out there should keep it skimmed. A hazelnut latte comes in at 99 Kcal in Primo and 155 Kcal in Medio.
For americano drinkers, its a very slimline 13 Kcal offering when ordering a skimmed Primo, or 18 Kcal in Medio.
Its worth remembering that take away drinks typically add 10-20 Kcal to what’s listed here as the cups are bigger. All Kcal information was correct at the time of compiling this email (2014) and has come from data supplied on Costa and Nero websites. All calories listed for drinks do not include extras such as cream, syrups or added sugar.
Hopefully you will now be able to make healthier decisions while still enjoying your drink of choice. I always enjoy my coffee treat and you should too.
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