Alright, first post on Twenty-Fit & Fab!
What better way to begin my blogging experience than to talk about Starbucks?! This article is not only my first blog post, but was also my first article written for JMU's newspaper, The Breeze (it was also edited by The Breeze employees). Enjoy!
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What better way to begin my blogging experience than to talk about Starbucks?! This article is not only my first blog post, but was also my first article written for JMU's newspaper, The Breeze (it was also edited by The Breeze employees). Enjoy!
This goes out to everyone who loves Starbucks as much as I do, especially those of you who want to remain committed to your healthy New Year’s resolutions in the face of tasty temptation. Whether you need to wake up for your 8 a.m., have a long night of studying planned at the library or just want something to warm you up in the chilly weather, grabbing a quick drink from a coffee shop never seems like a bad idea. It’s easy to write this off as your “daily coffee,” but what you might not realize is that most of the drinks offered at Starbucks can add too many non-nutritious calories to your daily dietary intake. Follow these five helpful tips to slim down your order so you can indulge and stay energized without breaking your resolutions.
- Take the “skinny” route: When ordering your drink, ask the barista for the “skinny” version. “Skinny” options entail using non-fat milk rather than whole milk as well as sugar-free syrup. This simple change can save you anywhere from 60 to 110 calories. Beyond that, Starbucks actually offers plenty of different drink options to get your order under 200 calories.
- To whip, or not to whip: Though it may be hard to pass, saying no to whipped cream in your latte can end up saving you 80+ calories… think you can forget the whip now? If not, click here to check out more nutritional facts (or lack thereof) about whipped cream.
- Sizing up your options: Tall (12 ounces), Grande (16 ounces), Venti (20 ounces)… what does it matter? Whether you believe it or not, portion size plays a large part in healthy eating (and Starbucks-ing). With a smaller size, you’ll consume fewer calories and prevent mindless slurping; a Venti will only leave you making multiple trips to the bathroom during class. Remember, you can always go back for more. After you let your first drink sit, you might be surprised at how full you actually feel.
Ordering a smaller size doesn’t have to jeopardize the amount of caffeine in the drink … after all, you are drinking a coffee. Don’t hesitate to ask the barista to add an extra shot of espresso to your tall beverage. - Tea, please: Simply said,tea is always a good idea. A hot cup of tea not only has caffeine, it provides more nutritional benefits than you might imagine, especially green teas.Starbucks offers a variety of brewed teas (chai is my favorite), and since tea is just hot water infused with herbs, it’s calorie-free.
- Halve the “pump”: A single pump of flavored syrup can add anywhere between five to 90 extra calories to your Starbucks coffee, and sweetened drinks can have between two and six pumps in them. An easy tip to slice away some of those calories is to ask the barista for a “half-pump,” instead of a full, or even two pumps instead of three. As you may have guessed, this will cut the calories of syrup… in half. Using sugar-free syrup and cutting back on pumps will give you sustainable energy, clearer skin and help keep those pearly whites white.
