How many calories do the holiday coffees have?
Γίνεται ένα καφές να είναι πιο παχυντικός από ένα μελομακάρονο;
Coffee is probably the most suitable drink for the diet, as in addition to the fact that its calories are almost zero, scientists say that its reasonable use speeds up metabolism, helping us burn calories. But, of course, this only applies if we enjoy our coffee plain - since with all kinds of accompaniment, the caloric value of coffee is anything but zero!
The accompaniments of coffee are calorie bombs, since they increase the calorie value of coffee vertically! By accompanying, we do not mean snacks that may accompany our mug, such as cookies, sweets, etc., but what we use in our own coffee: milk, whipped cream, syrup, sugar, etc.
Christmas is known to be a time of increased calorie intake, as temptations are everywhere around us: foods, traditional sweets, drinks, all contributing to a real calorie party. Of course, festive drinks could be no exception: holiday coffees are usually full of whipped cream, milk, syrup, sugar, loyal to the gastronomic exuberance of Christmas.
With 'holiday pounds' a nightmare for many, we tried to map out the calories of the festive drinks so we could be prepared for the days to come. Who imagines that a Latte might have more calories than a ... christmas desserta?
How many calories do the holiday coffees have?
Sugar: White processed sugar has about 20 calories per teaspoon. Things get a little better with brown sugar or coconut sugar, but they do not lack calories. For a sweet, festive drink, calculate that sugar-calories are no less than 40-50. One solution for those who want to get away from this awkwardness is the sweetener from the Stevia plant, which has zero calories and extremely low glycemic index.
Flavored Syrups: A classic feature of festive beverages, in addition to spices, are flavored syrups. Here, calorie counting is a daunting task: considering that each drink contains about 30ml of syrup, calories can vary from 50 to 150 calories, depending on the manufacturer. If we enjoy our drink in a cafe, it is difficult to know the calories we consume, but if we prepare our drink at home, it is advisable to consult the label of the product, which will list all the relevant information.
Whipped Cream: It's hard to imagine a festive drink that is not crowned with a generous dose of whipped cream! This guilty pleasure, however, will cost our coffee about 50 extra calories - at the very least!
Milk: Milk relieves the intense taste of coffee and in a magical way effectively combines all the individual flavors, such as spices, chocolate, syrups, etc, so almost no festive coffee is missing. Although milk is not a multi-calorie food in itself, nor is it naturally unhealthy, Christmas Latte usually has at least 100 ml of milk, which translates to about 70 calories. Of course, calories go up depending on the amount of milk we add and decrease if we use light milk - which is not that tasty.
Alcohol: There are a few winter, festive coffees that contain a small shot of alcohol, usually whiskey, brandy, rum or some liqueur. As incredible as it may seem, a single shot of liqueur can add up to 100 calories to a drink, while other "heavy" drinks, such as whiskey or rum, have the same lower calorie value.
Adding in the individual calories, a Ginger Caramel Latte (a classic Christmas delicacy) can reach up to 400 calories, that is, two whole melomakarons or a large piece of vasilopita.
Of course, this does not mean that we should be deprived of our festive coffees nor that we should spend Christmas in misery. But it is good to know that these beverages are out of place in our daily lives and that festive "exceptions" should remain. Having a balanced diet throughout the year can allow us some side effects for ten to fifteen days.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, hang out with our favorite drinks, without stress and without exaggeration. And the diet can wait till the next year!
