"Where's my Starbucks latte?" Many Americans can't go through the day without taking a sip of their favorite Starbucks coffee blend. While it is undeniable that the heavenly taste of Starbucks coffee completes a day, a new report stated that one cup may contain a whopping 25 teaspoons of sugar. Now, that is something to think about.
Action on Sugar, a British campaign group, recently published a report that one cup of Starbucks coffee can have 25 teaspoons of sugar in it, which is equivalent to three times the quantity of sugar used in a single can of Coke. As per CNN report, this is three times more than what the American Heart Association recommends for daily sugar intake.
While the research mainly focused on coffee chains in U.K., it was found that the nutritional value of the beverages in the U.K. is almost the same in the U.S., which is why comparative analysis can be made. In effect, the results of the research can also be applied in the U.S. and in other locations worldwide.
Some of the 131 drinks that were mentioned by Action on Sugar included hot drinks, chai teas, mocha coffees, flavored lattes, and mulled fruit drinks. Although the survey was conducted on nine major coffee shops, the top three popular ones included Costa, Starbucks and Pret a Manger.
According to The Guardian report, the worst drink was Starbucks' Hot Mulled Fruit drink. Some of the lesser evil cups included Starbucks' extra-large Signature hot chocolate, and the largest chai latte at Costa.
In response to the report by Action on Sugar, a Starbucks' spokesperson said that the company committed itself to reducing the sugar content of their "indulgent drinks" by 2020. They are looking at a 25% reduction on sugar.
The Starbucks' spokesperson also mentioned that aside from their indulgent drinks, they have other options. He said, "We also offer a wide variety of lighter options, sugar-free syrups and sugar-free natural sweetener and we display all nutritional information in-store and online."
