Coffee shop customers warned over fat content

Paul Smithson

06/12/2011 13:42:29

Coffee lovers may be tempted to rely on their trusted espresso coffee maker at home after hearing the fat content of shop-bought equivalents.

Mail Online reported that seasonal hot drinks from some of the most common coffee shops in the UK have been found to contain worrying levels of calories.

The news provider picked out that Starbucks venti eggnog latte as being particularly pertinent example; boasting more sugar, fat and calories than a McDonalds double cheeseburger. The festive coffee contains 24g of fat, 74g of sugar and 579 calories.

“Such a massive amount of sugar and fat in one drink is alarming. The calories are the equivalent of a meal, but one that lacks any real nutrition,” Dr Frankie Phillips of the British Dietetic Association remarked, according to the DailyRecord.co.uk.

Anyone keen to watch their weight over the Christmas season could be put off by these figures and revert to brewing their coffee at home - where they know more about the nutritional content of their drink.

Starbucks responded to the reports by noting that people can choose what size they take their drinks, so a calorie-loaded option such as the eggnog latte may be ordered in smaller cups.

A spokesperson added: “Starbucks recognise that customers want to make informed decisions about calories. That’s why we are transparent about our nutritional information.”