It’s that time of the year again: Pumpkin Spice Latte season.
The temps still might be sweltering, but that won’t stop Starbucks (and every other food company) from rolling out their line of pumpkin spiced products. The king of all pumpkin spice, as we know, is the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. It’s creamy, warm, delicious and transports you right to the fall season.
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As much as they are great to indulge in, they’re also full of sugar, fat and calories that you may not want to be consuming on the daily. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to make the Pumpkin Spice Latte just a little bit healthier without compromising on that signature flavor.
Cut the fat
Pumpkin Spice Lattes are made with whole milk or 2% milk, so depending on which size you get, that’s a lot of fat in one drink. A drink could contain 16-17 grams of fat, according to InnerBody.com.
Your best bet is switching your dairy option up, such as 1% or even skim milk. If you’re looking for a non-dairy option, Starbucks has plenty of options. Almond milk, oat milk or coconut milk can all be used as substitutes. Soy milk could be your best option if you still want all the protein that whole milk has. Registered dietitian Amy Richter said that soy milk packs the same amount of protein as milk from a cow, and it’s also non-dairy.
Plus, you can always ask for no whip cream, or light whipped cream to also cut some of the fat.
Cut the sugar
Did you know when you order a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, it can have anywhere from 63 to 71 grams of sugar in it? That’s at least double the American Heart Association’s daily added sugar limit, which isn’t great to drink every single day.
Richter suggests asking for less pumps of the pumpkin spice syrup when you order from Starbucks in order to cutback some of the sugar. The standard amount is four to five pumps, so try asking for one to two pumps to cut that sugar intake in half.
Now, if you occasionally treat yourself to a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks (or any other coffee shop), you should treat yourself! It only comes around for a couple months a year, so you deserve. But if this is a daily thing for you during the fall, maybe use some of these tips.
Happy fall!