It’s pumpkin spice latte season. If you’re a Pumpkin His Spice His Latte lover, you can’t wait for fall to arrive and for your local coffee his shop to roll out his sweet fall indulgence.
Not only is it warm and delicious on chilly autumn mornings, but it also contains pumpkin. So is it healthy too? After all, pumpkin is highly nutritious. Rich in vitamin A and a good source of potassium and fiber. But there’s more than just pumpkin in the Pumpkin Spice Latte. With all the extra ingredients, your favorite drink can quickly fall short on the healthy scale.
“It really depends on how and how often you order,” says Kimmy Sharp, MMN, RDN, LMNT, LD, Nebraska Medical Registered Dietitian.
Depending on the coffee shop, one cup of 16 oz. Pumpkin Spice Latte has about 400 calories, 13 grams of fat and nearly 60 grams of sugar. This is approximately double the recommended additional sugar allowance in your daily diet.
Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to food not only at the table, but also during cooking and processing. Added sugar provides no nutrients and can result in extra pounds around the waistline. We recommend that you limit your intake of
Lattes are loaded with sugar and fat, but there’s a way these sweet treats do less damage to your waistline.
How to make a healthy pumpkin spice latte
- ask for sugar free syrup
- Add fewer syrup pumps to your drink
- Use sugar substitutes such as stevia, aspartame, and sucralose instead of syrup
- add cinnamon instead of sugar
- Eliminate or reduce the amount of whipped cream
- Seek non-fat milk or another alternative such as almond, soy or oat milk
- Avoid coconut milk, which can contain a lot of fat
- If you are making your own, choose heavy cream that is lighter than heavy cream.
- Buy small cups instead of big ones
Pumpkin Spice Latte Health Benefits
Pumpkin and spice are included in this fall drink, but they’re in small amounts and don’t offer many health benefits, Sharp says. “If you have the healthier version, it’s a good way to get extra protein into your diet,” says Sharpe.
Skim and soy milk are the highest protein sources, with 11 and 12 grams in a 16-ounce serving, respectively. cup. Almond milk, on the other hand, only provides 1.5 grams of protein and 1.5 grams of oats.
Considering the benefits of coffee stripped of all the superfluous, as long as you keep things in moderation, you can get quite a few health benefits associated with regular Javanese habits.According to the American Heart Association, These include:
- Thanks to caffeine, coffee gives you energy, aids weight loss and sharpens your mental focus
- May improve mood, brain function, and athletic performance
- Regular coffee consumption lowers risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
- A rich source of antioxidants that can protect against cell damage
- Coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of death. This includes death from heart disease, nervous system disease, and suicide.
How to make a healthy pumpkin spice latte at home
If you want to avoid going to the coffee shop and save a little money, you can make a healthy version of Pumpkin Spice Latte at home. Try this version and modify it to your liking.
- 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee or 1-2 shots of espresso
- 1/2 cup skim milk or milk of your choice
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree – make your own or buy pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (mixed with ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened maple syrup or sweetener of your choice
- sprinkle with cinnamon
Mix milk and pumpkin in a pan. Heat over medium heat or microwave for 30-45 seconds. Removed from heat. Stir in vanilla, spices and sweetener. Put it in a cup and froth the milk with a whisk. Pour the coffee into a large mug and add the frothed milk mixture on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
“If you like all the extras in your pumpkin spice latte, remember that it’s okay to splurge and treat yourself once in a while,” says Sharpe. “Don’t make it a daily habit. Moderation is the key.”
