Watching Your Weight? Beware Some Jeans-Splitting Holiday Coffee Treats

With the holiday hustle between family visits and crowded stores, many times, coffee lovers will pop into the nearest shop for a warm, flavored holiday treat.

If you’re watching your waistline, beware: many of seasonal treats have as many calories as an entire meal, said Cindy Weiss, a Registered Dietician with Sola Fitness in Rochester Hills. “You really are drinking up to 1/3 of your calorie intake for the day,” she said. “There are people who are in denial when it comes to drinks, they think because its a liquid it’s not as bad as what we eat, but that’s not true.” 

There are ways to enjoy holiday treats without drinking a meal. Weiss suggested opting for smaller portions, omitting whipped cream, and requesting low-fat (or 2 percent) milk instead of whole. If you like the unflavored, hot teas and regular black coffee have no calories to begin with. 

At , and many other coffee shops, baristas will make lattes, mochas and other drinks lighter at the customer’s request, said Dave Danyko, owner of the shop. Avoiding candy pieces is another way to trim calories, Danyko added.

Still, knowing what to look out for may be the best way to avoid drinking holiday pounds.  So, what are some of the worst offenders? Here’s a rundown of a few gut-busting, jeans-splitting caffeinated holiday drinks: 

McDonald’s Frappe Mocha (22 ounces):

680 calories 

28 g. fat

Starbuck’s Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, Venti (20 ounces) made with whipped cream and whole milk: 

680 calories 

26 g. fat

Biggby Coffee Peppermint Stick Mocha (24 ounces):

534 calories 

17 g. fat 

Dunkin Donuts Peppermint Mocha with cream  (24 ounces):

460 calories 

15 g. fat 

Panera Bread Peppermint Mocha Latte (16 ounces): 

520 calories 

14 g. fat 

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