Starting Tuesday, Starbucks will begin to feature calorie counts on all of its menus, to the simultaneous dismay of frappuccino fans and praise of anti-obesity advocates. Here are some of the coffee chain’s worst offenders*, plus lower-calorie alternatives to order.
Cinnamon Dolce Latte: 270 calories
With 2 percent milk, cinnamon syrup, and whipped cream on top, the espresso drink packs 11 grams of fat. If you order this drink, opting for nonfat milk and no whipped cream will cut 110 calories from this dessert in a cup.
Try instead: The 170-calorie Tazo chai tea latte with soymilk.
White Chocolate Mocha: 370 calories
With sweetened whipped cream and 2 percent milk, 130 of the 330 calories come from fat. There’s also a whopping 46 grams of sugar. The white hot chocolate drink is even worse, with 10 more calories.
Try instead: The 150-calorie nonfat vanilla crème sans whip.
Double Chocolatey Chip Blended Crème Frappuccino: 290 calories
It’s not as high-calorie as the white mocha, but if you order a grande instead, you’re asking for a bump up to 400 calories and 52 grams of sugar. Yikes.
Try instead: The 170-calorie nonfat cafe mocha without whipped cream.
Cranberry Orange Scone: 490 calories
Who knew an innocent-looking scone could pack so many evils? You’re better off avoiding the 18 grams of fat, 460 milligrams of sodium, and 27 ingredients in this snack.
Try instead: The 140-calorie petite vanilla bean scone.
Iced Lemon Pound Cake: 500 calories
Almost half the calories in this bad boy come from fat—all 23 grams of it. There’s also 46 grams of sugar, thanks to the icing, and a huge list of ingredients we can’t even pronounce (thiamine mononitrate and sodium stearoyl lactylate, anyone?).
Try instead: The 330-calorie marble pound cake.
*Nutritional information for drinks is based on a tall size with 2 percent milk and whipped cream.
