Hold the whipped cream

Perhaps of more concern is our infatuation with specialty coffee drinks: espresso-based concoctions such as lattes, mochas and those dessert-like, blended concoctions flavored with any assortment of toppings, syrups, spices and extracts. Whipped cream alone pumps a 12-ounce, 230-calorie Peet’s mocha (espresso, cocoa, and two percent steamed milk) to a weighty 348 calories,¹ mostly just added fat.

Blended beverages, such as Starbucks’ Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino® (coffee with vanilla bean powder, blended with milk and ice and topped with sweetened whipped cream) start around 300 calories – and that’s just for the small, 12-ounce size.² More common are the 16-ounce versions, which, if made with two percent milk and whipped cream, are easily 400 calories and more. Flavored syrups, such as caramel and vanilla, come at a cost of 20 calories a pump. If you’re drinking these frothy treats, be prepared to pay the price, from your wallet – they run about $4 a pop – as well as your waistline.

If you’re eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, a splurge once in a while won’t hurt; when you do, choose a small, low-fat version of your favorite coffee drink: non- or low-fat milk, small amounts of a natural sweetener or sugar-free flavoring. Better yet, try replacing the sugar with a few sprinkles of sweet spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice (recipe follows).
It’s a good idea to limit your coffee intake. Caffeinated drinks have a diuretic effect and cause fluid loss. If you drink coffee, follow it with a glass of water to stay in balance. Or, replace a coffee break with a tea break. Try an herbal or decaffeinated green tea, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and boost metabolism.

Green tea is exposed to high temperatures immediately after harvesting, preserving the green pigment, which prevents the key antioxidant compounds, epigallocatechin (EGC) and epi gallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), from being oxidized. Thanks to these flavonoids and other substances, green tea actually boosts metabolism. That’s right  - a study of EGCG in green tea drinkers found that people who drank three or four cups of green tea daily burned an additional 80 calories per day!

Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon cloves

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg

Mix together and store in an airtight jar or zip-top bag. (Add a half teaspoon of this delicious blend to your hot cereal, yogurt or smoothie as well.)

1 http://www.peets.com/stores/espresso_menu.asp

2 http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/espresso/caffe-mocha?foodZone=9999#size=46&milk=67&whip=NA