Latte Calories – Coffee That Could Ruin Your Diet

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

When it comes to losing weight, most of us pay attention to what we’re eating. But more often than not we forget about all the drinks we’ve had. However, that cappuccino on the way to work, mid-morning latte and afternoon frappucino can add up to 600 calories – do that every day and you’ve consumed enough calories to stop you losing more than 1lb in a week!

The effect drinks can have on our weight hasn’t bypassed scientists either. Recent information from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) highlighted the fact that some iced coffee drinks such as a latte, contain up to a quarter of the calories recommended for women in a day. Rachel Thompson, Science Programme Manager for the WCRF says,

“Having these types of drinks as an occasional treat is unlikely to do you any harm. But if you are having them regularly then they will increase the chances of you becoming overweight, which in turn increases your risk of developing cancer, as well as other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.”

WLR says . . .

As we move into Autumn, chances are many of us will swap water and juices for hot drinks like coffee and hot chocolate. But if you want to keep track of your diet, lose weight or eat healthily, it’s worth checking out the calorie and fat content of your favourite beverages.

The WLR Food Database has the nutritional and calorific information for many of the popular coffee shop chains and now some of them include nutrition information on their websites – this really can help you to choose wisely.

For example, a Grande Caffe Americano from Starbucks will set you back just 17 calories, while a Starbucks Grande Caramel Macchiato made with whole milk provides 269 calories. Similarly, Costa a double espresso Coffee contains just 4 calories, while a Massimo Cinnamon Latte made with full-fat milk provides 255 calories.

Most slimmers know to avoid topping hot drinks with cream – adding whipped cream to a Grande drink at Starbucks, for example, will set you back 72 calories. But syrups can provide even more calories than cream! Four pumps of mocha syrup at Starbucks, for example, can add a massive 106 calories.

Fortunately, most coffee shops now have skimmed milk available, so it’s easy to request a ‘skinny’ version of your favourite drink. Even better, a number of coffee shops, including Starbucks, Costa, Caffe Nero and BB’s Coffee and Muffins, have signed up to work with the Food Standards Agency to help consumers make healthier choices when they’re purchasing food and drink outside of the home. These companies have come up with a number of ‘health commitments’ to help make the healthier choice easier.