Starbucks, known for its wide range of delicious drinks, sandwiches and cake pops might be the reason why so many Americans are obese. It's come to the point where Starbucks drinks are replacing regular meals. Is this healthy at all?
1. SUGAR... and far too much of it
I'm sure you've heard of it before: sugar is bad for you. But have you ever thought of how much sugar is really in our Starbucks drinks? On nutrition labels, sugar is usually measured in grams. However, sometimes it is hard to try to picture what a certain amount of grams of sugar looks like in reality. Did you know that a Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee has 65 grams of sugar? Now 65 grams sounds like a lot, but what is it actually? Well, it's equal to about 16 teaspoons of sugar. Yup.
Other drinks like the Caramel Brulee Latte, Green Tea Latte, Eggnog Latte, and the Chai Tea Latte contain 42-52 grams of sugar. Many Americans chose to go to Starbucks right before work or school in the morning. However, many of the drinks we order have tons of sugar and we shouldn't be starting off the day with that much sugar. It just isn't healthy for you AT ALL.
2. Caffeine is truly a monster that wants to take over your body
Coffee is addicting. There's simply no other way to put it. Caffeine is the main ingredient in coffee that makes it so addicting. It is also the reason why you get a sudden burst of energy to get your day started or even to pull an all-nighter. However, is caffeine even good for you? The answer is no. Studies have shown that caffeine can spike up blood pressure levels and is not good for your heart. Instead of coffee in the morning, you can try green tea. It has natural caffeine that doesn't affect your health.
3. Carbs, carbs and more carbs!
Not only do the sandwiches have carbs, but the drinks do too. More than eating junk food and drinking drinks with a lot of carbs, it is actually better to eat healthy carbs in moderate amounts. Usually, people will order cake pops or grab some chips to do with their drink. Especially for those who are in a hurry in the morning, it's easier to just pick up something that has more carbs than something that is low-carb and healthy. A lot of people think the drinks don't have carbs but actually, most of the drinks do have them. Be careful of what you put into your body.
4. Endless amounts of whipped cream
You're at the counter and the cashier asks if you would like whipped cream or no whipped cream with your drink. What do you say? It's no secret that drinks taste better with whipped cream. Did you know that there are 80 calories in the whipped cream alone? So when you put whipped cream on frappuccinos, it's like layering sugar on sugar. It's a recipe for disaster. Do yourself a favor and skip the whipped cream.
5. Some drinks have protein
Hellooo peppermint mocha. 13 grams of protein? If it has protein in it, it must be good for you, right? WRONG! Forget about the protein, it has no effect when all that sugar is mixed in too. Don't let the grams of protein trick you. It's important to understand that the amount of sugar can affect the nutrition levels of a drink.
6. What about kids?
We know that kids love going to Starbucks. Whether it be a hot chocolate or a frappuccino, it's considered "cool" to go to Starbucks. However, when we look at the sugar, carbs and fat content in the drinks, we know that kids shouldn't be drinking it. Many people say that obesity starts from childhood and with restaurants and chains that put a ridiculous amount of sugar in their drinks and food. No wonder why America has the highest rate of obesity. So from now on, please look at the content percentages in your drinks and food and think if it is the right thing to put into your body. If we start taking care of our bodies, we can beat obesity together.
