How many calories do the holiday coffees have?

15/12/2023

by coffees.gr

It makes a coffee more fattening than a gingerbread?

Coffee is probably the most suitable beverage for dieting, as apart from the fact that its calories are almost zero, scientists claim that its regular use speeds up the metabolism, helping us burn calories. But, of course, this only applies if we enjoy our coffee plain – since with all kinds of accompaniments, the caloric value of coffee is anything but zero!

Coffee accompaniments are caloric bombs, since they dramatically increase the caloric value of coffee! By the term accompanying, we do not mean the snacks that may accompany our cup, such as cookies, sweets, etc., but everything that we use in our coffee itself: milk, whipped cream, syrup, sugar, etc.

Christmas is known to be a time of increased caloric intake, since temptations are all around us: food, traditional sweets, drinks, all contribute to a real caloric party. Of course, holiday drinks could not be an exception: holiday coffees are usually full of whipped cream, milk, syrup, sugar, faithful to the culinary extravagance of Christmas.

With "holiday pounds" being a nightmare for many, we've tried to map out the calories in holiday beverages so we're prepared for the days ahead. Who would have thought that a latte could possibly have more calories than a… gingerbread?

How many calories are in holiday coffees?

Sugar: White, refined sugar has about 20 calories per teaspoon. Things get slightly better with brown sugar or coconut sugar, which are not without calories though. For a sweet, festive drink, we estimate that the calories due to sugar are no less than 40 – 50. A solution for those who want to escape from this hoarseness are sweeteners from the Stevia plant, which have zero calories but also extremely low glycemic index.

Flavored Syrups: A classic feature of holiday beverages, in addition to spices, are flavored syrups. Here, calculating calories becomes a tricky business: considering that each drink contains about 30ml of syrup, calories can vary from 50 to 150 calories, depending on the manufacturer. In case we enjoy our drink in a cafeteria, it is difficult to know the calories we consume, but if we prepare our drink at home, it is good to consult the product label, which will state all the relevant information.

Whipped cream: It's hard to imagine a festive drink that isn't topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream! However, this guilty pleasure will add about 50 extra calories to our coffee – at least!

Milk: Milk softens the intense taste of coffee and in a magical way effectively "unites" all the individual flavors, such as spices, chocolate, syrups, etc., which is why it is missing from almost any festive coffee. Although milk is not a high-calorie food in itself, nor is it naturally unhealthy, Christmas Lattes usually have at least 100ml of milk, which translates to around 70 calories. Of course, the calories increase depending on the amount of milk we add and decrease if we use light milk - which is not as tasty.

Alcohol: There are not 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 roughly the same caloric value.

Adding up the individual calories, a Ginger Caramel Latte (a classic Christmas treat) can reach up to 400 calories, which is as much as two whole gingerbread cookies or a large piece of king pie.

Of course, this does not mean that we should be deprived of our festive coffees nor that we should spend Christmas with the computer in hand. But it is good to know that these drinks have no place in our everyday life and that they should remain festive "exceptions". Having a balanced diet throughout the year, we can allow ourselves some indulgences for ten to fifteen days.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, in the company of our favorite drinks, without stress but also without exaggeration. And the diet... next year!