By Carmen Staicer for DietsInReview.com
One of the most anticipated parts of fall's return is all of the pumpkin recipes. And the leader of those may just be the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Some people wait all year to order this immensely popular seasonal beverage. Like most of the things on the coffee shop menu, it sounds wonderful until you pop a peek of the nutrition info. If you're trying to manage your weight it might seem like a splurge not worth taking.
The 16-ounce Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte, made with 2 percent milk, contains 380 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 49 grams of sugar (via Starbucks.com). That's a whopping serving of empty calories and sugar, not to mention fat, for a beverage. A beverage you're most likely consuming at, or for, breakfast.
There is a way to indulge and not regret it. Make one, or some of these adjustments to whittle down that latter to just a 100-calorie treat.
- Order a Tall to save 80 calories, or a Short, an option not posted on many menus, to save 170 calories.
- Request skim milk to save 50 calories. Soy milk will only cut 10 calories from the original recipe.
- Use one less pump of the flavored syrup, which adds 30 calories/pump to your drink.
- Forgo the whipped cream and save 70 calories.
Order a Tall Pumpkin Spice Latte with our changes to have a 170-calorie latte that isn't as bad. Order the Short with our changes, and you've got a delightful 100 calorie latte that's just enough to satisfy your craving. If you count calories, you can easily work this in to your budget once a week, especially if you have a dedicated workout regimen.
If you really can't budge from the original formula, even with all of its calorie- and sugar-filled goodness, you can always burn it off. Those 380 calories mean you'll have to:
- Walk a 4 mph pace for two hours
- Run a 7 mph pace for 20 minutes
- Do Bikram yoga for 45 minutes
- Ride a bike for 45 minutes
If you're trying to save calories and money, you can always make one of these at home. A couple of recipe ideas include:
- The Biggest Loser Frosty Pumpkin Smoothie. It won't keep you warm, but it only has 132 calories.
- Homemade Low-Fat Pumpkin Spice Latte. This is Divine Caroline's 186-calorie solution to this fall treat.
Let us help you enjoy a healthy fall season!
See all of our healthy pumpkin recipes
Try a Pumpkin Patch Bootcamp
Healthy Recipes for Festive Fall Cocktails
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