I tested high street pumpkin spiced lattes – the bargain winner was £2 less than Starbucks
WITH Halloween just two weeks away, the season’s favourite coffee is firmly back on the menu.
But a pumpkin spice latte is more sinister than it looks – with some options containing more sugar than a Mars Bar (31g).
Dietician Emma Shafqat said: “Pumpkin lattes are marketed as an autumn treat.
“However, they are not the best pick for our health, as they are high in calories, sugar and fat.
“I would classify them as more of a pudding than a drink.”
But if you still want to (trick or) treat yourself to a pumpkin spice latte or similar seasonal tipple, which popular chain offers the tastiest and healthiest?
Lynsey Hope put eight to the test and gave each a score out of five.
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte (grande), £5.15 – 3/5
Calories 266, Fat 9.4g, Sugar 32.9g, 6.5 tsp
THE biggest of the bunch, Starbucks’ famous pumpkin drink has become synonymous with this time of year.
It comes with a generous helping of whipped cream and a sprinkling of mixed cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves on top.
What really stood out here was the flavour of the espresso, which was better than the rest, and it wasn’t as sweet as the others.
But beware: this one has more sugar than a Mars Bar, even if it was delicious.
At this price, costing over a fiver, it will likely be a once-in-a-while treat anyway.
Pret A Manger Pumpkin Spice Latte (reg), £4.40 – 2/5
Calories 183, Fat 4.7g, Sugar 24.6g, 4.9 tsp
I THOUGHT the Pret offering was pricey for what I was given.
No cream – just cinnamon sprinkled on top.
The coffee was nicely roasted, as you would expect from Pret, and this one had the most potent cinnamon flavour of all the drinks I tested.
Not only did this deliver a lovely taste but it had a really appetising aroma, too.
It cheered up my day and felt warming and comforting to drink – but despite that, I didn’t think it was great value for money.
Costa Maple Hazel Latte (medium), £4.65 – 4/5
Calories 320, Fat 13g, Sugar 33.5g, 6.7 tsp
I LOVED the maple syrup and roasted hazelnut flavour of this delicious and comforting drink.
It was thick and creamy, and came topped with a drizzle of rich maple syrup and crunchy biscuits.
I’d never had one of these before and although it is calorific, with 320 in a medium cup and a whopping 33.5g of sugar – that’s even more than Starbucks – I’ll definitely be sneaking another while it is still on the menu.
Caffe Nero Amaretto Latte (regular), £2.45 – 1/5
Calories 343, Fat 22.7g, Sugar 23.5g, 4.7 tsp
A CLASSIC flavour of espresso mixed with amaretto syrup and steamed milk.
The syrup was less noticeable in this than it was in many of the other drinks.
It tasted pretty similar to a regular latte with just a slight hint of amaretto, which you really had to prime your taste buds for.
If I had not seen it go in there, then I may not have noticed it.
And the closer to the bottom of the cup I got, the stronger the flavour, but alas I wasn’t that impressed.
Leon Honeycomb Latte (regular), £4.55 – 4/5
Calories 234, Fat 9.8, Sugar 27g, 5.4 tsp
IF you like honeycomb, you will be in heaven with this.
There is a lovely espresso flavour, with a hint of sweet, golden honeycomb syrup.
It is not so overpowering as to make it sickly.
It has just the right notes of sweet and I really enjoyed the drink and would go back for another.
It is not cheap, but it still comes in cheaper than the Costa and Starbucks offerings and had a lovely autumnal feel.
M&S Cafe Cinnamon Bun Latte (regular), £3.80 – 3/5
Calories 152, Fat 7.7, Sugar 9.8g, 2 tsp
YOU get an unmistakable whiff of cinnamon as soon as you put your nose to the cup.
It has that really cosy, autumnal feel, but sadly the aroma was better than the flavour.
I had to drink quite a bit before I could make up my mind as to whether I liked it or not.
But sadly I found it over-sweet, verging on sickly.
It is pretty low in calories though, and not too sugary despite the taste.
Plus it comes at a decent price.
Greggs Pumpkin Spice Latte (regular), £2.50 – 5/5
Calories 204, Fat 7.3, Sugar 25g, 5 tsp
HALF the price of the Starbucks favourite while also being smaller – but with slightly less fat, sugar and calories, so that is a plus.
It came with whipped cream and a sprinkle of spiced sugar, and, although the cream melted quickly, it did give the coffee a lovely, rich body and full flavour.
It was strong with cinnamon notes, without being too over-powering.
This was my favourite, and the price point makes it an even sweeter deal.
McDonald’s Toffee Latte (regular), £2.29 – 3/5
Calories 186, Fat 6.1, Sugar 23g, 4.6 tsp
McDONALD’s McCafes are known for offering budget-friendly hot drinks, but sadly its autumnal offering is toffee- flavoured rather than pumpkin.
As expected, it is priced very reasonably at just £2.29 and comes with some smooth, whipped cream on top and a drizzle of toffee sauce.
It was uber-sweet, verging on sickly, and I’m not sure I’d order it again.
It was more similar to a dessert than coffee, but if that is your thing, you will like this.
Unlike the posher chains, buying one won’t break the bank.