STARBUCKS/HOW MUCH/HOW BAD

Starbucks has gotten the word about high calorie coffee and snacks.

There has been a concerted effort on the part of the coffee maker to accommodate their patrons.  Walking in to Starbucks, it is easy to order a mid morning drink and snack and totally derail healthy eating for the day!  Ordering a venti nonfat café mocha and a reduced fat berry coffee cake will add almost 1000 calories to your day.

Let’s look at some of the choices….

Petite Vanilla scone has 140 cals.  But they do not call it petite for nothing!  Think ordering the strawberry blueberry yogurt parfait is a better choice?  Nope!  These little delites are a whopping 350 cals.  A better choice is the oatmeal.  A bowl of the oatmeal has a mere 140 calories.  Watch the add ins.  The toppings can add 250cals.

The chocolate croissant has fewer calories than the butter croissant.  Don’t get too excited.  Both are over 300 calories.  Same goes for the breads and the muffins.  The marshmallo dream bar contains only 210 calories.  It is big  in size, but totally empty in nutritional value.

The breakfast sandwiches are new to Starbucks.  Steer clear from the classic sausage, egg and aged cheddar sandwich.  It packs 500 calories and 29 grams of fat.  The best is the spinach roasted tomato, feta and egg white wrap.  There are only 280 calories and 9 grams of fat.

The drink menu offers many 200 calorie or less sips!  All tall sandwiches are less than 180 calories.  This is good news for those who love blended drinks.  The light caramel frappuccino is 130 calories and the coffee frappuccino   180 calories.   Holding the whip cream will cut 50 to 100 calories and 5 to 11 grams of fat.  Using skim milk will save 120 calories and 15 grams of fat.  Ask for the light base for frappuccinos and sugar free syrup.  If you do not like sugar free ask for less pumps of the regular syrup.  Asking for “skinny” drinks will automatically order your drink with sugar free syrup, non fat milk and no whip.

All the calorie and nutritional values are posted in the sugar and milk bar. Stay informed!