How to Slim Down Your Frappuccino

If you’re like most Americans, you likely start your morning with a cup of coffee—whether it be a straight cup of joe, a cappuccino or a Frappuccino. And there’s recently been good news for coffee drinkers: A study out of Harvard discovered that regular coffee consumption was associated with a lower mortality rate. Researchers found that those who drank one cup of coffee per day reduced their risk of death by six percent while those who drank up to three cups reduced their risk by eight percent.

While for many, coffee is the jumpstart to a busy day, a regular coffee habit could be costing you more calories than you realize. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to enjoy your coffee drink without all the calories. Check out these

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Drink it Plain(er)

A cup of brewed black coffee has only two calories—that’s right, two. It’s when you start dressing it up that coffee can become a problem.

Cream, sugar, whip and syrup all add empty calories. If you want to cut down, substitute or even eliminate some of the added sweeteners and creamers you’ve been using.

For instance, choosing milk to make your morning Joe creamier can cut the added calories by more than half. One tablespoon of half-and-half contains 20 calories while the same amount of whole milk contains nine calories. Skim milk is even lighter. It’s just five calories per tablespoon.

If you like your coffee sweet, try a sprinkle of cinnamon for a flavor boost that adds zero calories. If you can’t go without a sweetener added, use a natural zero-calorie sweetener like stevia or monk fruit. You can also try a small drizzle of honey or real maple syrup. Just watch your portions as too many drizzles can lead to diet destruction.

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Make it at Home

Making your own brew ensures that you get the healthiest cup possible since you control the add-ins. Looking into the calorie counts for some of America’s most popular coffee drinks is sobering.

A Grande (16 ounce) Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks with whole milk is 370 calories and 15 grams of fat. And a medium McCafé Mocha Frappé is a whopping 500 calories and 20 grams of fat. Bear in mind a McDonald’s cheeseburger is less than that (300 calories and 13 grams of fat).

Of course if you must treat yourself to a particular coffee order, you can make some healthy changes. Forgoing that dollop of whipped cream can save you more than 50 calories alone. And all those squirts of flavored syrup add loads of calories. Ask your barista to limit it to one or two at most.

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Cut Back

It might be virtually impossible to consider cutting out your morning coffee habit. However, could you cut back on the number of cups? Research shows that most Americans drink more than one cup of coffee each morning. Cutting back that number is one of the simplest ways to save yourself calories—and of course bring your caffeine intake down a bit too.

Want to indulge in your favorite coffee drinks without all the guilt? Try this recipe for a Mocha Faux Frappuccino or this Caramel Faux Frappuccino.

*Nutritional information taken from company websites on 6/29/2021.