Festive-themed drinks have officially landed in coffee shops as plenty of caffeine enthusiasts will be scurrying to try them to get into the Christmas spirit, although they may be in for a shock when they discover how much sugar they’re sipping.
A ‘coffee and a catch-up’ has been a staple in people’s social lives for years, however research has now revealed that some high-street chain coffee shops are selling drinks that are laced with MORE sugar than a Mars bar.
NHS Health Advice suggests people should not exceed a maximum of 30g – or around seven teaspoons of free sugar a day. However, a fan-favourite Starbucks large Toffee Nut Latte with whole milk comes in at an eye-watering 38.9g of sugar – equivalent to about 9 teaspoons.
Over at Costa, a new drink that has recently been unveiled as part of their seasonal menu – the medium After Eight Hot Chocolate with whole milk packs a whopping 41.8g of sugar.
By comparison, a standard 51g Mars chocolate bar comes in with 31g of sugar, equivalent to 7.5 teaspoons. Having just one of these drinks is also the equivalent as tucking into 4 sugar strand doughnuts from Greggs.
Excessive sugar intake is one of the biggest contributors to people eating in a calorie surplus which leads to weight gain. Being overweight majorly increases your risk of health conditions such as heart disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes – with diabetes rates expected to soar to 1.3 billion by 2050 as it’s believed there is still an estimated 850,000 people in the UK living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
And if you’re trying to look after your dental health, we would encourage you to avoid these sugar-laden drinks with sugar being one of the main causes of tooth decay.
Luckily, there is plenty of other low-sugar and healthier drink options available on the menu so you don’t have to fear going out for a coffee.
If you’re watching your sugar intake, steer clear from any frappes or cream-based drinks and instead opt for an iced Americano. Or you could go for a classic latte, cappuccino or flat white but avoid adding syrups or sugar to them. Tea-drinkers are in luck with both a Classic English breakfast tea and Earl Grey containing low sugar (just watch how many sugars you’re asking for when ordering!).