For about five calories a cup, black coffee is a great option if you’re gulping down four cups a day. But let’s be real: How many people really prefer their coffee black? That blended peppermint mocha latte with extra whip and chocolate sauce might taste mighty good, but these specialty drinks can easily become a 400-plus-calorie dessert with 40-50 grams of sugar. That’s more than double the recommended amount of sugar per day — all in one drink. (Here are more surprising sources of sugar in your diet.)
Luckily, nutritionists agree that coffee — without all the extra bells and whistles — is just fine for a healthy diet. Here’s more info about the benefits of drinking coffee.)
References
American Heart Association. (2021). Added sugars.
American Heart Association. (2021). Suggested servings from each food group.
Duyff, R. L. (2017). Complete food & nutrition guide. 5th ed. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Klemm, S. (2020). Benefits of coffee. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (n.d.). Other healthy beverage options.
Nutritionix. (n.d.). Hazelnut syrup.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2017). Land O Lakes, rich & creamy heavy whipping cream.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2019). Milk, lowfat, fluid, 1% milkfat, with added vitamin A and vitamin D.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2021). Original soy milk, original.
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