Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Skinny on Starbucks

Starbucks is a bad, bad habit.
How do I know?

Because I started with 125 Starbucks bucks in my account and five weeks later, I'm down to about 5.

& here's the thing:
if you're gonna have a bad habit, you might as well make it as healthy as you can.

So here are some great Starbucks choices:

1.) My favorite drink: Soy Latte with 1 pump Sugar-Free Vanilla

My vegetarian, health nut cousin turned me on to this one & it's great.
It tastes like a milk shake but really, it's just steamed milk with a little bit of vanilla mixed in.
Soy milk is naturally a good source of protein & the sugar-free part makes it a much better choice than most hot bucks drinks.
The best part?
It's only about 170 calories for a grande!

2.) Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon With Egg Whites on an English Muffin

a hurry in the morning? Are you running through the Starbucks drive through or store just before you head off to work or school?
Need a quick healthy lunch?
This is the answer.
With 18 grams of protein & only 320 calories, it's better for you than most meal replacement bars.
& yummy at that!

3.) Chicken on Flatbread with Hummus Artisan Snack Plate

I've never tried this one, but while looking at the nutrition information here, I noticed that this is one of the best snacks Starbucks offers.
What a better way to feel posh than a little mid-day hummus?

4.) Iced Tazo Passion Tea Unsweetened

I know, I know, you're thinkin, "unsweetened? GIRL YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR MIND?"
Well by itself this passion tea has 0 calories and unfortunately also 0 grams of protein.
It's a much better choice than the chai-apple infusion that I love because it has no sugar.
Do you think no sugar = no taste?
Well just pop off that lid, add some Splenda & wala!! a fabulous drink with no calories.
:: slurp ::

These are some biggies you should avoid ... except maybe once or twice a year ...


1.) Peppermint White Chocolate Moca

This tasty treat is a winter favorite, but unfortunately, your butt cheeks love it just as much as you do!
With 520 calories for a Grande
and ... hold the phone ... 75 grams of sugar
it's definitely not a drink you wanna get hooked on!

2.) Double chocolaty chip Frapp

this guy is the worst of the bad & everyone loves him.
DON'T DO IT.
It has 500 calories and way too much sugar to count
& you really just shouldn't.

3.) Double Iced Cinnamon Roll

You guys might be thinking well DUH!
but I'm pretty sure most people don't know just how bad these things are, or they wouldn't be eating them. So here you go, the facts:
490 Calories
70 carbs
34 g Sugar
Unfortunately, the 7 grams of Protein doesn't outweigh the bad.

4.) Zucchini Walnut Muffin

490 Calories
28 grams of Sugar
7 grams of Protein
NO THANK YOU!

5.) SURPRISE: Roasted Vegetable Panini

I know, shock.
You would think a "roasted vegetable Panini" would be a great choice.
wrong.
True it only has 350 Calories, but it also has 48 carbs & only 13 grams of protein.
Too many carbs & calories for so little protein.
You'll be hungry again in a couple of hours.

Next time you hit up your local Starbucks, remember these healthy & not so healthy choices.

Also, remember that the key to a great diet is moderation, not depravation - let yourself have a treat every once in a while, just not every day!

Oh & lastly, most baristas are more than happy to discuss the nutritional value with you while you're in the store, if you're not sure - ask!

All images but one & all nutrition information can be found & double checked here

1 comment:

Heidi said...

Hey! Thanks for the comment! It's always so awesome to think some read my blog & then liked it enough to comment. Kinda makes a girl's day! I hope you figure out your memory card issue, your scavenger hunt pics were really good! Also, I want the food in these Starbucks pics!! Especially the hummus... Mmm... hummus.