by As we head into the warmer months, you may be thinking of swapping your thin latte for something more refreshing.
The choice can be quite large, and if you are on a diet, you will want to steer clear of those extra calories.
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“Coffee, tea and other drinks should be a small part of our daily intake,” says Robbie Puddick, nutritionist at Second Nature.
In particular, the drinks we order on the go – say from your local Starbucks or Costa – can be quite high in sugar and calories.
It’s easy to think it’s just coffee, but when you add syrups, whipped cream and skim milk to the mix, they may contain more calories than a typical healthy breakfast.
This can in turn make you want to eat more in the long run, explains Robbie.
Consider this your guide to summer sipping.
Order the best drinks
1. Iced Latte – Pret A Manger
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- calories: 98
- Fat: 3.4g (2g saturated fat)
- Protein: 6.8g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Sugar: 10g
- Salt: 0.15g
Pret’s coffee and milk are 100 per cent organic, which Robbie praises.
Although a latte is usually a milky drink, it comes in at less than 100 calories in total.
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“If you choose full-fat milk, this can be a refreshing, delicious option without consuming too much energy from added sugar,” says the expert.
In addition, milk contains protein, calcium and other essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, he says.
2. Regular Tea – Greggs
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- calories: 9
- Fat: 0 (0.3g saturated fat)
- Protein: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 0.9g
- Sugar: 0.9g
- Salt: 0g
Regular tea can be a great weight loss option and the little caffeine kick can give you a little extra energy throughout the day.
“A classic English breakfast or black tea is very low in energy and contains a number of antioxidants which help the body to function effectively,” Robbie asserts.
He recommends drinking it with your choice of milk and no added sugar – from Greggs or anywhere else.
3. Americano – Costa
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- calories: 12
- Fat: 0.1g (0.1g saturated fat)
- Protein: 0.8g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9g
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Salt: 0.06g
An Americano is basically espresso diluted with water, so it has very few calories compared to lattes or sugary props.
“This is a very low calorie option and is free of added sugars or fats, making it a better choice if you’re trying to lose weight,” says registered nutritionist Jenna Hope.
4. Cappuccino with dark chocolate – Starbucks
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- calories: 133
- Fat: 4.6g (saturated fat 4.4g)
- Protein: 9.9g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Sugar: 12.2g
- Salt: 0.33g
Most high street coffee shops will offer a range of different toppings for your cappuccino, from cinnamon to chocolate.
“If you choose no added sugar, full-fat milk and dark chocolate on top, it will be indulgent without leaving you feeling hungrier later,” says Robbie.
5. Espresso – Black Sheep Coffee
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- calories: 2
- Fat: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
- Salt: 0g
The simple pure espresso is a more intense take on an Americano.
Although the calorie content is the same, the concentration of caffeine is much higher, warns Jenna.
“So if you’re sensitive to caffeine it’s important to moderate your intake or choose an Americano or green tea instead.”
6. Bald White – McDonald’s
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- calories: 86
- Fat: 3.1g (unsaturated fat 1.9g)
- Protein: 6.3g
- Carbohydrates: 8.4g
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Salt: 0.19g
If you’re looking for a slightly more filling drink that’s still lower in calories and sugars than many others, then a flat white is a good choice, says Jenna.
That said, a flat white can still contain up to 100 calories and that should be taken into account when considering your weight loss goals, she says.
The one from McDonald’s is a reasonable bet, with only 86 in each cup.
7. Unsweetened Iced Matcha Latte – Leon
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- calories: 129
- Fat: 6.5g (unsaturated fat 4.7g)
- Protein: 6.6g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5g
- Sugar: 8.5g
- Salt: 0.2g
Don’t be fooled by the color green – matcha is packed with antioxidants.
It also gives your metabolism a kick, making it a great choice for weight loss this summer.
“Matcha is a good source of vitamin A, which is an essential component of your immune system,” says Robbie.
The worst drinks to order
1. Clotted Cream Fudge Cold Brew – Starbucks
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- calories: 379
- Fat: 23.5g (saturated fat 14.1g)
- Protein: 12.7g
- Carbohydrates: 32.4g
- Sugar: 27.5g
- Salt: 0.49g
“The combination of sugar and fat has been shown to trigger the most reward signaling in the brain compared to other food combinations, such as protein and fat,” explains Robbie.
“Although okay for the occasional choice, this will probably send your reward signals firing and leave you craving more sugar later in the day.”
Maybe save this one for when you want a special treat!
2. Crème Espresso Caramel Frappe – Caffè Nero
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- calories: 491
- Fat: 23.5g (saturated fat 12g)
- Protein: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 67.5g
- Sugar: 52.2g
- Salt: 0.49g
It’s all too easy to drink liquid calories without even realizing it – and this one comes by the bucket load.
“The oat milk version of this Caffè Nero drink contains 52g of sugar (well above the recommended 30g) and the calories are around a quarter of your recommended daily calorie intake,” Jenna points out.
3. Blueberry burst bubble tea – Costa
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- calories: 119
- Fat: 0.1g (0g saturated fat)
- Protein: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 27.8g
- Sugar: 26g
- Salt: 0.03g
Although this option is on the lower end of the calorie scale, it’s packed with sugar—almost the maximum sugar intake for one day, says Jenna.
“It’s really important not to look at calories alone because sugars are often high even when there are no calories,” she says.
4. Orange Juice – Pret A Manger
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- calories: 105
- Fat: 0.5g (0.5g saturated fat)
- Protein: 2.3g
- Carbohydrates: 22.5g
- Sugar: 21g
- Salt: 0g
Orange juice looks like a healthy choice from the label.
But most of the fiber is removed in the juicing process – and we need fiber to keep us full longer.
Orange juice is also full of sugar.
“One small bottle could contain the same amount of sugar in five oranges,” says Robbie.
5. Luxury Hot Chocolate – Caffè Nero
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- calories: 419
- Fat: 26.9g (saturated fat 16.3g)
- Protein: 3.9g
- Carbohydrates: 38.3g
- Sugar: 30.2g
- Salt: 0.82g
Rich and decadent, this luxury hot chocolate should be treated as such, as one portion contains over 30g of sugar.
This means it’s very energy dense or, in other words, high in calories, Robbie explains – not great if you’re trying to lose a few pounds.
6. Caramel Cream Frappuccino – Starbucks
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- calories: 363
- Fat: 18.9g (saturated fat 13g)
- Protein: 5.7g
- Carbohydrates: 42.7g
- Sugar: 41.5g
- Salt: 0.61g
Frappuccinos are great for weight loss, as they are usually very high in sugar and calories.
This is almost a quarter of your total recommended calorie intake for an entire day and the caramel syrup will really increase that sugar level.
“These drinks are very high in sugar, containing around 54g per drink, which is almost two full days of the maximum recommended sugar intake,” says Jenna.
