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New Starbucks Frappuccinos: A Healthier Treat?
Posted on May 4th 2010 12:00PM by Vanessa VoltolinaFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, We Tried it
Fans of the tasty, iced Frappuccino, rejoice! Today, Starbucks rolls out its However-You-Want-It Frappuccinos, a new take on the old Frapp formula. The coffee chain famous for its long (if not sometimes complicated) orders is now giving customers even more choice with a totally customizable menu of options for the blended concoction (similar to the sandwich creation forms that Cosi has its customers fill in). Last week, That's Fit tested a few of the different Frappuccino options before they hit stores nationwide.
Originally, Frappuccinos consisted of one of three pre-made bases (Creme, Light or Regular) combined with syrups or mocha sauce and then blended with ice. Now, Starbucks begins with an empty blender. The company has "decoupled" its pre-made bases, according to Starbucks' senior nutritionist and registered dietitian, Katie Thomson.
This means that besides choosing a Tall, Grande or Venti drink, you can decide on the type of milk (nonfat, 2 percent, whole or soy); coffee intensity (regular, double, triple or decaf); syrup (mocha, peppermint, hazelnut, caramel and raspberry, among others) and an optional topping (whipped cream, mocha drizzle, shaved chocolate curls and more).
Five coffee-free beverages, including strawberries and cream, vanilla bean, chai, green tea and double chocolaty chip, are also available for non-coffee drinkers. The base price of the drinks ($3.65 for a Grande) won't change, but the add-ons, such as soy milk or extra espresso shots, will cost extra.
Over the past year, the brand has done their part to offer customers healthier options. It did away with all high-fructose corn syrup in Starbucks food, and for these new customizable Frapps, the company has opted to use strawberry sauce without HFCS to replace the previous syrup used in the Strawberries & Cream drink. Also, the Light Frappuccinos will all be made with natural sugar substitute Stevia and include water, a bit of real sugar, salt and natural flavors. Select syrups -- vanilla, hazelnut, caramel and cinnamon dolce -- will even be available as a sugar-free option.
The new options are still close in calories (or the same) as the Frapps of the past, but it's a step in the right direction to give customers real ingredients to choose from instead of having to settle for more processed, pre-made mixes. To lower the calories in your customizable Frappuccino, Starbucks has a few pointers, including start with the Light Coffee base, adding any sugar-free syrup, using nonfat or soy milk, holding on the whip cream and add extra coffee (calorie-free) to lower the calories as it displaces some of the milk/base.
As myself and the other "testers" point out as we sipped some of the new combos -- including soy green tea and double caramel -- even the low-calorie options still tasted like a dessert. While using fresher ingredients, Stevia and less HFCS-loaded products is certainly a partial move in the right direction, Frappuccinos are still an indulgence. Before going wild over the new drink options, remember that not all of the syrups are sugar-free, and "natural flavors" doesn't necessarily mean healthier.
As far as a low-cal "treat," a customized Frappuccino probably has more potential for fewer calories than a 16-ounce skim milk Coffee Coolata from Dunkin' Donuts, which clocks in at 210 calories. Starbucks' tall (which is 12 ounces), sugar-free syrup, nonfat, no whip Coffee Frappuccino Light is just 80 calories, while a tall sugar-free syrup nonfat, no whip Creme Frappuccino Light is 120 calories. There is no "light" option for whipped cream lovers. The philosophy, said Thomson, is that a little bit of the real thing is better than a whole lotta fluff. Of course, this could also mean that having a little bit of real ice cream every once in a while instead of a daily Frappuccino could keep your cravings at bay more effectively.
If you're watching your waistline and decide you do need a little ice cream, try avoiding the most fattening flavors.
