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Posted on Oct 2nd 2009 3:00PM by Martha EdwardsFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss
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| Photo: pierofix, Flickr |
Researchers from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene set out to find out just how we like our coffee and followed the habits of afternoon coffee drinkers at Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts for 11 weeks. They found that while 78 percent of patrons at Dunkin' Donuts stuck to regular coffee with milk or sugar (averaging around 69 calories a cup), two-thirds of Starbucks addicts opted for fancier coffees, which upped the calorie count drastically.
Researchers determined that more than half of the people who ordered milk-based coffee drinks at Starbucks, such as lattes and macchiatos, ended up with a drink that had more than 200 calories. And those who opted for ice-blended drinks often consumed over 300 calories -- if they were lucky. Those who ordered a Venti Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème were looking at 750 calories. Ouch. Dunkin' Donuts fared a bit better -- their milk-based drinks averaged 162 calories -- but their Vanilla Bean Coolatta registered even higher at 860 calories. Double ouch.
So what does all this mean? Well, your afternoon coffee habit could cause you to gain an extra 20 pounds in one year, and nobody wants that. But you don't have to go without -- just drink smarter. Opting for skim milk instead of whole will save you around 76 calories, and ordering the small version instead of the extra large could save you hundreds. And, obviously, skip the whipped cream.
Does your latte have more calories than a slice of apple pie? Find out for yourself.
