|
|
| The immensely sweet, and increasingly complex, Starbucks holiday drinks are back on store menus – and the company sells tens of millions worldwide each year.
Nutritionists recommend adults limit their added sugar intake to 50 grams each day, and children should have no more than 25 grams. Eating too much sugar has been tied to heart disease, diabetes and harmful inflammation. However, many of the Starbucks specialty drinks start at 25 grams, basically half the total for a given day. Experts also say the key to a healthier drink starts with the milk. Almond and oat milk are lower in calories and fat than the 2 percent milk that is standard in Starbucks’ holiday drinks. “Holiday drinks made with whole milk or cream can be high in saturated fats, contributing to elevated cholesterol over time,” nutritionist and health coach Bharathi Ramesh told The Manuel. “A grande-sized drink with whole milk can have 10 to 15 grams of fat.” Peppermint Mocha The Peppermint Mocha has been sold at Starbucks for 23 years. The most popular holiday beverage in company history, it is sold internationally. A grande option has 440 calories, and 54 grams of sugar (assuming you get it with whipped cream, mocha sauce and its signature chocolate curls — which used to be red sprinkles.) The mocha is lower on carbs and the sodium too. Each grande-sized cup has 140 milligrams of sodium and 63 grams of carbs. “The good news is, there are many ways to make modifications to this beverage to fit your dietary needs and health goals,” Stewart added. Eggnog Latte While the peppermint mocha is Starbucks’s most popular holiday drink, the Eggnog Latte was the company’s first handcrafted holiday beverage. Created in 1986, the festive beverage is also the most caloric and has the most sodium, at 235 milligrams per grande cup. That’s about the same as a slice of turkey. With 470 calories, 53 grams of carbs and 52 grams of sugar, it’s pretty sweet. But, why else drink egg nog?
A regular-sized Snickers bar contains 27 grams of sugar. Just look at some of these eye-popping numbers:
69 grams of sugar = Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino 68 grams of sugar = Caramel Apple Spice 62 grams of sugar = White Hot Chocolate 61 grams of sugar = Peppermint Hot Chocolate 59 grams of sugar = White Chocolate Mocha
|
