Cripes, Starbucks!

Yesterday I was feeling pretty good about my dieting, so I treated myself to a venti pumpkin spice latte at the 'Bucks.  About halfway through the drink, I could no longer manage to wrestle with the coffee, my umbrella and my shopping bags, so I tossed the rest of it.  And boy, am I glad I did! 

When I got home, I checked the calorie content, and---no kidding here---a TALL (their smallest size) contains 240 calories!!  It's an effing drink!  Why so many calories?  Is there THAT much sugar in there?

No more Starbucks for me.  Sheesh.

Order it non-fat and with no whipped cream, and it will knock down the cals quite a bit.  Some stores also have the sugar free pumpkin spice syrup, so if that's available, it would put it even lower.

I only get lattes (anywhere, not just Starbucks) for special treats or on days I've worked out a lot.

I ordered with no whip, but perhaps I'll have to check into the non-fat- didn't know that was an option!

I get lattes almost every day! Non-fat and sugar-free, they are not much worse than plain non-fat milk. I factor it in as a "snack", and a "grande" (medium, 16 oz.) is just 130 calories according to Starbucks. CC says 168, but I figure the sugar-free syrup probably adds some calories so I go with the CC number for logging my food.

It is so easy to pack on the cals there without realizing it, though! In the past I might have stopped by on my way to work for a grande whole-milk white chocolate mocha with whipped cream (500 cals) and a "reduced fat" coffee cake (300 cals) and had 800 cals in one sitting and thinking I had a "light" breakfast!

I just cant get behind drinking something with more than 40 calories if it's not getting me inebriated :)

When it's not a special day or holiday of some sort, I have a fairly strict "eat your calories, don't drink them" rule. 

I have a friend that works at Starbucks.  The way they make some of their drinks is obscene.  She calls them cups of sugar and fat with a shot of espresso.  Truly, they have a drink that is steamed heavy cream, sugar syrup, and a shot of espresso.            Steamed. Heavy. Cream. 

I never got into the fancy coffee drinks, and now that I am consiously putting food into my body, I'm glad I never did.

denise07- The sugar free syrup actually doesn't have any calories!

I have a bottle of the cinnamon dolce syrup at home and it's great! I'd recommend to anyone who isn't into a plain old latte to get a nonfat, sugar-free cinnamon dolce latte- the tall is only 90 calories!! I also just found out that they now have caramel sugar free syrup, so one more flavor to add to the list!

cosmictuesday- I guess it's different for some people, but coffee can really fill me up so since I'm not a big lunch person especially I fit it into the calories of my meal. (not even as a snack most of the time). And with 90 calories the only better thing you are going to get (calorie wise) is fruit pretty much.

 I own a coffe shop and there are many misconceptions about what is actually in the drinks.... If you want "less-fat" ask for a Skinny Latte or Capp.  Remember that if you can always ask for half the syrup which would actually be better for you than getting the sugar free syrups.  Also if you are looking at low-carb (which is what I prefer) as for a Breve. (a breve is your espresso drink with half n half)  Although a breve is lo carb it is high in calories, but hey, you are getting a treat right? 

 Also keep in mind that one shot of "true" espresso has the caffeine equivilant of 4 cokes. So if you need a good jolt you can do an Americano, which is just espresso and hot water.  If you do that then you can add a raw sugar and go!  Americano would be the best way to do a low calorie espresso.  Regular coffee is also easy to go also calorie free. 

Also if you go to a coffee shop that makes specialty drinks the "old fasioned" way you really are better off as far a quality and freshness.  Starbucks beans are often stale and everything is done by machine.  Coffee and espresso does have antioxitants if it is fresh...

perfectlittefam- What do you mean when saying at starbucks "everything is done by machine"? What would you not do by machine that starbucks does? Personally even my home coffee maker does everything for me. Grinds the beans, makes the coffee a cup at a time (and lets you choose the size), and has an attachment to steam milk...and I would say it's for sure as homemade as you can get, everything is happening right in front of you! And on top of that I don't get all the sugar-free bashing that goes on, on these boards. Unless you are a totally holistic organic eater, you still are getting your preservatives somehow!! (not directly you, but in general) You should have it in moderation, just like almost everything else.

everything is on their website:

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/nutrition_bev erages.asp

Starbucks has a lot of options to make your drinks low-cal. I used to be a frappachino addict, so the light ones are my best friends.

A tall pumpkin spice frappachino light has only 120 cals. Yum!

I prefer the little booths to starbucks any day!!! starbucks for being such a big chain has a lot less sugar free and healthy options as the little booths have.......I get an espresso a few times aweek and I get triple shot so it has less milk and if it's warm iced has even less milk....with sugar free suryp's and without the whipped cream it only has like 120 calories (non fat) so it would be calculating like 12 oz of milk for a 16 oz drink and that's all the calories in it....my favorite breakfast!!! :)

I worked at Tully's over the summer/school breaks, and I LOVE it.  Bascially, though, it has turned me into a complete coffee snob!  I used to love Starbucks, but now I avoid it at all costs-- mainly because it's a "competitor" and, like perfectlittlefam mentioned, I find the quality lacking.

ANYWAY!  Another good option is to get any tea, and sweeten it with a sugar-free syrup....  sugar-free vanilla works great for all sorts of teas.

Also keep in mind that many places, Starbucks included, do have 8 oz. cups.  Sure, it's only a cup, but better than nothing (if you want something like those crazy pumpkin spice lattes)...

One thing I've always wondered about Starbucks sugar-free drinks and nutrition info: How can a tall, nonfat sugar-free drink have only 90 calories, when a tall, plain nonfat latte has 100?  I mean, really, all it is is a shot of espresso and milk, so if it's a 12 oz. cup, shouldn't it just be the same nutrition info as 12 oz. of milk?  That's how I calculate most of my lattes (I always get soy, and just go by the brand).  I mean, the syrup is hardly anything, how can it really take up that much space?

I would never order a venti of anything there. Learning moderation doesn't mean get the biggest size (even if it does have less cals) Try to always get the tall size. Especially when you are getting a drink that does not contain the word "light" or "sugar free" when you order it :) Besides, there is no real reason to spend 5 dollars on a drink. Talls are cheaper.