Beware the Calories in Coffee

As it gets colder, and warm drinks become enticing as a means to regulate body temperature, keep in mind that, calorically speaking, not all hot beverages are created equal. A cup of black coffee contains about 5 calories - no worries, there. But as a general rule, the more wordy the name of your coffee becomes, the more calories it contains. Mocha, frappa, double, extra, w/ whip, w/ syrup, w/ caramel, etc. are all making your drink taste sweet, yummy, and in certain cases, adding on the amount of calories found in some meals.

Starbucks' nutrition webpage posts the calorie content for menu items. I've selected a few examples to post here. All drinks are "grande" size or 16 ounces. The dangerous ones appear towards the bottom in bold.

Coffee of the Week - Black: 5
Cappuccino - Whole Milk: 140
Cappuccino - Skim Milk: 80
Cappuccino - Soy Milk: 110
Caffe Latte - Whole Milk: 220
Caffe Latte - Skim Milk: 130
Caffe Latte - Soy Milk: 170
Caffe Mocha - Whole Milk: 290
Caffe Mocha w/ Whip - Whole Milk: 360
Caramel Macchiato: 270
Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino - Whole Milk: 310
Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino w/ whip - Whole Milk: 430

Keep in mind that even if you are drinking "regular" coffee, you add 20 calories for every Tablespoon of Half-n-Half (most of us use 2 TBSP) and 16 calories for every teaspoon of sugar (I've observed anywhere from 2-5 for this one) that you dump in there. Your innocuous cup of low-cal coffee may actually be tacking on calories of which you are unaware.

Perhaps you're wondering what I drink? If I'm on the go, I usually grab a 12 oz. coffee and add what I'd guess is a TBSP of half-and-half. I'm a coffee drinker so this is daily. If I'm couching at the local coffee shop with friends, I might go for a 12 oz. cappuccino or a latte, both made with whole milk. This is the kind of drink I have once or twice a month. And if it's the more rare dessert drink (every other month), I like a double-shot mocha, whole milk, no-whip:)

Don't forget to tip your Barista!!