The 7 best and 6 worst drinks from high street coffee shop chains if you’re on a diet and want to lose weight for summer
AS we head into the warmer months, you might be thinking about switching your skinny latte to something a bit more refreshing.
The choice can be pretty overwhelming, and if you’re on a diet, you’ll want to steer clear from those extra calories.
“Coffee, tea and other drinks should form a small portion of our daily intake,” says Robbie Puddick, a nutritionist at Second Nature.
In particular, the beverages we order on the move – say from your local Starbucks or Costa – can be rather high in sugar and calories.
It’s easy to think it’s just coffee, but once you add syrups, whipped cream and whole milk to the mix, they might contain more calories than a typical healthy breakfast.
This in turn can make you want to eat more in the long run, explains Robbie.
Consider this your go-to guide to summer sipping.
The best drinks to order
1. Iced Latte – Pret A Manger
- Calories: 98
- Fat: 3.4g (saturated fat 2g)
- Protein: 6.8g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Sugar: 10g
- Salt: 0.15g
Pret’s coffee and milks are 100 per cent organic, which gets a thumbs-up from Robbie.
Even though a latte is typically a milky drink, it comes in at under 100 calories in total.
“If you opt for full-fat milk, this can still be a refreshing, delicious option without consuming excess energy from added sugar,” says the expert.
Plus, milk contains protein, calcium and other essential nutrients like vitamin B12, he adds.
2. Regular Tea – Greggs
- Calories: 9
- Fat: 0 (saturated fat 0.3g)
- Protein: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 0.9g
- Sugar: 0.9g
- Salt: 0g
Regular tea can be a great weight loss choice and the slight caffeine kick could give you a little extra energy throughout the day.
“A classic English breakfast or black tea is very low in energy and contains several antioxidants that help the body function efficiently,” confirms Robbie.
He recommends drinking it with your milk of choice and without adding sugar – from Greggs or anywhere else.
3. Americano – Costa
- Calories: 12
- Fat: 0.1g (saturated fat 0.1g)
- Protein: 0.8g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9g
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Salt: 0.06g
An Americano is essentially espresso diluted with water, so it has very few calories compared to sugary lattes or frappes.
“This is a very low calorie option and it’s free from added sugars or fats making it a better option if you’re looking to lose weight,” says registered nutritionist Jenna Hope.
4. Cappuccino with dark chocolate – Starbucks
- Calories: 133
- Fat: 4.6g (saturated fat 4.4g)
- Protein: 9.9g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Sugar: 12.2g
- Salt: 0.33g
Most high street coffee shops will offer a range of different toppings for your go-to cappuccino, from cinnamon to chocolate.
“Opting for no added sugar, full-fat milk and dark chocolate on top will make it indulgent without leaving you feeling hungrier later on,” Robbie says.
5. Espresso – Black Sheep Coffee
- Calories: 2
- Fat: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
- Salt: 0g
The pure and simple espresso is a more intense take on an Americano.
While the calorie content is the same, the caffeine concentration is considerably higher, warns Jenna.
“Therefore, if you’re sensitive to caffeine it’s important to moderate your intake or opt for an Americano or a green tea instead.”
6. Flat White – McDonald’s
- Calories: 86
- Fat: 3.1g (unsaturated fat 1.9g)
- Protein: 6.3g
- Carbohydrates: 8.4g
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Salt: 0.19g
If you’re looking for a slightly more filling drink which is still lower in calories and sugars compared to many others, then a flat white is a good option, Jenna says.
That said, a flat white can still contain upwards of 100 calories which should be taken into consideration when you’re thinking about your weight loss goals, she adds.
The one from McDonald’s is a decent bet, with just 86 in every cup.
7. Iced Unsweetened Matcha Latte – Leon
- Calories: 129
- Fat: 6.5g (unsaturated fat 4.7g)
- Protein: 6.6g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5g
- Sugar: 8.5g
- Salt: 0.2g
Don’t be put off by the green hue – matcha is packed with antioxidants.
It also gives your metabolism a kick, making it a great option for weight loss this summer.
“Matcha is a good source of vitamin A, which is an essential component in your immune system,” adds Robbie.
The worst drinks to order
1. Clotted Cream Fudge Cold Brew – Starbucks
- Calories: 379
- Fat: 23.5g (saturated fat 14.1g)
- Protein: 12.7g
- Carbohydrates: 32.4g
- Sugar: 27.5g
- Salt: 0.49g
“The combination of sugar and fat has been shown to trigger the biggest reward signalling in the brain compared to other food combinations, such as protein and fat,” Robbie explains.
“While OK for the occasional option, this will likely send your reward signals firing and leave you craving more sugar later in the day.”
Perhaps save this one for when you want a special treat!
2. Espresso Caramel Frappe Crème – Caffè Nero
- Calories: 491
- Fat: 23.5g (saturated fat 12g)
- Protein: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 67.5g
- Sugar: 52.2g
- Salt: 0.49g
It’s all too easy to drink liquid calories without even realising it – and this one comes by the bucket-load.
“The oat milk version of this Caffè Nero drink contains 52g of sugar (well over the recommended 30g) and the calories equate to around a quarter of your recommended daily calorie intake,” Jenna points out.
3. Blueberry Burst Bubble Tea – Costa
- Calories: 119
- Fat: 0.1g (saturated fat 0g)
- Protein: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 27.8g
- Sugar: 26g
- Salt: 0.03g
While this option is on the lower end of the calorie scale, it’s packed with sugar – nearly the maximum intake of sugar for one day, says Jenna.
“It’s really important not to look at calories in isolation as often sugars can be high even when calories aren’t,” she says.
4. Orange Juice – Pret A Manger
- Calories: 105
- Fat: 0.5g (saturated fat 0.5g)
- Protein: 2.3g
- Carbohydrates: 22.5g
- Sugar: 21g
- Salt: 0g
Orange juice sounds like a healthy choice from the label.
But the fibre is mostly removed in the juicing process – and we need fibre to keep us feeling full longer.
Orange juice is also packed full of sugar.
“One small bottle may contain the same amount of sugar in five oranges,” Robbie warns.
5. Luxury Hot Chocolate – Caffè Nero
- Calories: 419
- Fat: 26.9g (saturated fat 16.3g)
- Protein: 3.9g
- Carbohydrates: 38.3g
- Sugar: 30.2g
- Salt: 0.82g
Rich and decadent, this luxury hot chocolate should be treated as such, as one portion includes over 30g of sugar.
This means it’s extremely energy-dense or, in other words, high in calories, explains Robbie – not ideal if you’re trying to shed some pounds.
6. Caramel Cream Frappuccino – Starbucks
- Calories: 363
- Fat: 18.9g (saturated fat 13g)
- Protein: 5.7g
- Carbohydrates: 42.7g
- Sugar: 41.5g
- Salt: 0.61g
Frappuccinos are a big no-no for weight loss, as they’re typically very high in sugar and calories.
This is nearly one quarter of your total recommended intake of calories for a whole day and the caramel syrup will really ramp up that sugar level.
“These drinks are exceptionally high in sugar, containing around 54g per drink, which equates to nearly two whole days of the maximum recommended sugar intake,” says Jenna.