Most people start their day with a little caffeine, whether it’s from a cup of green coffee beans brewed at home or one picked up on the way to work. And while regular coffee can give you the caffeine you’re looking for, one with a little flavor can help the day start off even better. But what you may not realize is that your Café© Mocha, Espresso, Cappuccino or Latte may be adding more than caffeine to your daily diet “ in fact, some coffees can add 500 calories or more! Have a second cup and you better be ready to put in a few extra miles on that treadmill. Curious about which coffees are the most high-calorie, and how you can cut back on the calorie count while still enjoying a tasty caffeinated beverage? Read on.
Starbucks Iced Peppermint Mocha.
This coffee is a tasty treat around the holiday times, giving a caffeine kick that gets ratcheted up a notch by the peppermint. But at 400 calories, you may want to rethink that coffee choice. Equally as delicious and high-calorie is another holiday favorite, the Eggnog Latte, which has 470 calories and 21 grams of fat! (At least the Peppermint Mocha only has six grams of fat.) Have a Skinny Vanilla Latte for only 90 instead.
McDonald’s Mocha.
Delicious, yes, but for 330 calories there has to be a better way to get some caffeine. A Caramel Latte will net you the same (330). You’re better off eating a cheeseburger than sipping this coffee on your way to work. Their Cappuccino brings it down a little, coming in at only 130 calories, but when you consider a black coffee has only about five calories in it, that’s still a lot for one drink! Try a large, Nonfat Cappuccino instead, with a meager 90 calories in the entire cup. Their Nonfat Latte with sugar free vanilla syrup is tasty, too, and only 90 calories.
Second Cup’s Candy Cane Latte. This lovely caffeinated beverage has a refreshing hint of candy cane flavour, perfect for the holiday season. Not so refreshing though is the 260 calories in it, coming in far below the Starbucks beauties above but still a little high for a cup of coffee. Their Eggnog Latte weighs in at 320 calories! Instead, try a regular Cafe Latte for 140 calories or a delicious Cappuccino for only 110 calories and lose the guilt.
Other tips.
Try ordering different sugar-free coffee syrups to see if you can find one you like “ caramel, vanilla, hazelnut and raspberry are just a few of the flavors out there. These can give your coffee some flavor without adding any calories. Also try artificial sweeteners instead of sugar, or switch from cream to 2% milk. And skip the whipped cream. It is possible to enjoy a tasty cup of coffee without taking in 200, 300, 400 calories or more!
