Cappuccino, caramel macchiato, pumpkin spice latte, extra whipped cream mocha—we all have our favorite coffee drinks. They’re sweet, delicious, and give an extra boost of energy. Who wouldn’t love that, right?
While these drinks are a tasty treat, they typically have a lot of extra saturated fat (unhealthy fat) and added sugar. While fat and sugar can be a part of a healthy diet, getting too much can be bad for your health.
Don’t panic! You can still enjoy coffee drinks once in a while.
Let’s break down each part of the drink and see how we can make healthier choices:
Coffee: Regular coffee is really just water that has been flavored by brewing it with coffee beans. It doesn’t add sugar or fat to your drink!
Milk: Whole milk contains a lot of unhealthy fat. Ask for 1% or 2% milk in your drink instead of whole.
Flavored syrup: Pumps of flavored syrup bring the taste and the sugar to our favorite drinks. Ask for only 1 pump or a smaller amount of syrup in your drink to cut back on the sugar.
Whipped cream: Whipped cream is mostly made of sugar and unsaturated fat. Ask for no whipped cream to enjoy a healthier drink!
Caramel or chocolate: Drizzle on top of the drink makes it look pretty, but it also adds more sugar. Since most of the flavor in the drink comes from the flavored syrup, try asking for no drizzle. You might not be able to taste the difference!
Coffee drinks are a fun treat to be enjoyed every once in a while. How will you make your coffee healthier?
By Logan Joyner