Pumpkin spice lattes are coffee drinks made with steamed dairy or plant-based milk, spices, and other ingredients. They're popular at some coffee chains in the fall, but you can make them any time of year at home. If you're curious about what exactly is in that tall pumpkin spice latte (PSL), including calories and ingredients, read on to learn more. Show
Here's the not-so-great and not-terribly-surprising news about store-bought PSLs: Most chain versions are high in sugar and processed ingredients. I haven't been able to find any versions that I would recommend from a nutritional standpoint as a daily habit. So, my advice: Choose the PSL you like best and enjoy it as an occasional treat. Below you'll find my notes on two popular PSLs—plus a truly good-for-you recipe you can make at home. Starbucks lists the ingredients in its pumpkin spice sauce as:
It's great that the company is using some all-natural additives, but the final ingredient is a common preservative. (Annatto, by the way, is a natural food additive also used for color.) A tall Starbucks PSL made with 2% steamed milk foam has 300 calories, 12 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbohydrate, 11 grams of protein, and 38 grams of sugar. Substituting whole milk would presumably bump up the calorie and fat content. So, when you order a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, enjoy every sip but just think of it as a dessert rather than a coffee. Tip: Starbucks told Health that customers can customize their PSL. Ask for fewer pumps of pumpkin spice sauce, less whip, or no whip, for example, if you're looking to cut calories. The ingredients list for the Dunkin' PSL also includes sugar and common preservatives as well as high fructose corn syrup. According to the company's nutrition guide, a small signature pumpkin spice hot latte with whole milk has 300 calories, 11 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, 42 grams of carbs, and 38 grams of sugar. You can trim 50 calories and six grams of fat from the small by ordering it with skim. If you prefer plant-based milk, almond and oat milk are options, but the pumpkin swirl syrup is made with condensed sweetened milk. If you want to enjoy pumpkin spice lattes on the regular, try making healthier versions at home! Here's my recipe, which calls for all-natural ingredients and is packed with nutrients. Pumpkin Spice Latte
This version provides 210 calories, nine grams of plant-based fat, 19 grams of carbs with 13 from sugar (primarily from the maple syrup), and four grams of protein from almonds. While these numbers may not seem terribly impressive, the biggest advantages here are the sugar savings compared to commercial pumpkin spice lattes and the real food ingredients, which are bundled with bonus nutrition. Just two tablespoons of canned pumpkin packs 34% of the recommended daily requirement of immune-supporting vitamin A for women, and more than 26% for men, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends 700 micrograms (mcg) a day for adult women and 900 mcg for men. Maple syrup supplies a solid amount of manganese, a mineral that helps support bone health and your immune system, according to NIH. “I’ll have a pumpkin spice latte, please.” According to How Stuff Works, your favorite caffeinated beverage could be loaded with calories. If you drink black coffee or coffee with low-fat milk only, you don’t need to worry much about calorie intake. But, if you regularly consume some of the “fancier” coffee beverages, you may want to take a closer look at the calorie count. Any beverages with whole milk, whipped cream or flavored syrups will add lot of calories. Here are some examples:
Serving Size MattersLet’s take a closer look at our beloved pumpkin spice latte. First thing to decide on is the size of our drink. The size will affect calories, sugar and caffeine consumed. At Starbucks, did you know you can order a 8oz (called a ‘Short’), 12oz (called a ‘Tall’), 16oz (called a ‘Grande’), and a 20oz (called a ‘Venti’)? Now, let’s compare Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte to a regular flavored latte from your local coffee house. For this we will go straight to the source, Starbucks. For comparisons sake, we will choose the Short Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is 8oz, contains 210 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 75 mg of caffeine. This is in comparison to other flavored lattes that have an average of 134 calories and 63 mg of caffeine. If you are concerned about calories or sugar content, you may want to treat those specialty drinks as an occasional indulgence. For your daily cup of joe, opt for skim milk and “just say no” to whipped cream and flavored sugary syrups. Coffee CharacteristicsNot all coffees are created equal. The caffeine content of coffee can vary depending on several characteristics. If you are drinking your favorite flavored beverage for the jolt of caffeine you may want to check out these factors:
Regardless of your choice when you step up to the counter to order, we most importantly want you to be aware of what you are consuming. And if all this talk about pumpkin spice lattes has created the urge to have one, check out this article from Health and learn how to create your very own PSL at home. Want to learn more?Check out How Many Calories Are In Coffee? and How Much Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee? A Detailed Guide from Healthline to see the breakdown of both caffeine and calorie content in your favorite flavored specialty coffee drinks. How much caffeine is in a Starbucks pumpkin spice latte grande?According to the nutritional page on Starbucks' website, a grande pumpkin spice latte has about 150mg of caffeine, whereas a grande Pike Place roast offers approximately 310mg of caffeine. So, the PSL doesn't have as much caffeine as your classic cup of coffee, but it definitely does have caffeine. The plus side?
How much caffeine is in a bottle of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte?1 answer. 150 mg. I found this answer from the website. Does anyone know the caffeine content of the 14 fl oz bottle?
How much caffeine is in a short Pumpkin Spice Latte?For this we will go straight to the source, Starbucks. For comparisons sake, we will choose the Short Pumpkin Spice Latte, which is 8oz, contains 210 calories, 27 grams of sugar and 75 mg of caffeine. This is in comparison to other flavored lattes that have an average of 134 calories and 63 mg of caffeine.
How much caffeine is in a 12 oz Pumpkin Spice Latte?Because of the espresso, a Tall (12 oz.) Pumpkin Spice Latte contains 75 mg of caffeine (the equivalent of about one shot of espresso). I'm sure that some PSL fans adore that shot of energy.
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