Coffee calorie count broached

David Howells

2011-09-06 3:24 PM

New legislation that requires fast food outlets to publish calorie counts on their menus has thrown up some interesting results.

Health ministers have been keen to address the growing obesity problem in the UK and believe that forcing fast food outlets to publish their calorie counts will prompt some people to address their bad eating habits.

As a result of this, the calorie information of fast food burger chains’ produce has been published; as well as information on food and drink served at coffee houses.

Whilst coffee has long been seen as a very low-calorie drink (especially when taken black), the figures show that it may be a vastly different case if ordering a coffee from a chain store.

Acknowledging that the average daily calorie intake figure should be no more than 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women, BBC News claimed that chain store lattes could reach a total figure of between 200 - 250 calories.

For hot chocolates, the figure is even higher, breaking the 500-calorie threshold. This amounts to over a quarter of a woman’s daily intake on one drink alone. Black coffee did fare significantly better however, coming in at around the 20-calorie mark.

These figures have illuminated just how fattening some of these drinks could be and could potentially drive people around the country to invest in a coffee machine at home to monitor their calorie intake.

Speaking to choicecaregroup.com, dietitian Helen Bond explained: “People don’t necessarily realise what they are consuming.

“Without clear calorie labelling, it is easy to see how someone might consume - without any guilt - an entire day’s calories in just one sitting. It’s the calories you do not factor into your daily diet that are most dangerous.”