Running away from Starbucks’ two new summer drinks may take a little longer than you think.
This week, America’s largest coffee chain launched beverages for the warmer months: the Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino and the White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew.
Roasters claimed the drinks were intended to induce a “moment of summer fun,” laced with flavors that reminded customers of “tropical vacations” and “poolside mint chocolate chip ice cream on a hot summer day.”
However, the drinks are loaded with calories, with more than two and a half hours on a treadmill required to burn off the Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino.
They also slather on sugar and salt, blowing past what doctors would recommend for a quick snack.
The image above shows the nutritional information for a Venti measure of each drink and how long it can take someone to burn while walking or running
A Venti-sized Java Mint Frappuccino sets one back 600 calories, while the same size cup of Macadamia Cream Cold Brew packs a whopping 37 grams of sugar — or as much as a can of Coca-Cola.
Starbucks pitched the drinks as perfect for a hot summer day at the park or beach.
But indulging in it can sabotage the summer beach body that many have worked so hard for.
The Java Mint Frappuccino contains 600 calories and 87 grams of sugar in the Venti size – that’s 24fl oz.
For a person weighing a healthy 150 lbs, that would take two hours and 32 minutes of walking at three miles per hour to burn.
To run at six miles per hour, the same person would have to sweat on the asphalt for 49 minutes.
It also blows past the Food and Drug Administration’s recommended 50 grams of sugar per day for the average American, at 174 percent of this level.
The other drink contains 280 calories and 37 grams of sugar.
If the same person wants to burn it off, they have to walk for 1 hour and 11 minutes or run for 23 minutes.
However, if you’re the size of an average American, at 180 pounds, you’d have to put in a little less work to burn off the drinks — though it would still be challenging.
Consuming too much sugar puts a person at risk for weight gain, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
This is then linked to a slew of health problems, including heart problems, cancer in certain areas such as the colon, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Scientists warn that having type 2 diabetes can cause Alzheimer’s disease because the condition can damage blood vessels in the brain, which is believed to be one of the main causes of the condition.
A newspaper of the International Journal of Epidemiology published in 2021 also warned that those who were obese were a third more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those of a healthy weight.
Doctors say that if you want to stay within your sugar parameters, you should watch what you eat and drink throughout the day.
They warn that sugary drinks are the worst for getting people to exceed their sugar intake because they are often unaware of how much sugar they contain.
At the launch of the drinks this week, Maureen Matthews of the company’s beverage development team said their goal with the Frappuccino was “to create a blended coffee drink that inspires nostalgia for one of our favorite summer treats.”
She added, “The new white chocolate mint sauce is subtle and creamy, and when combined with the crunch of Frappuccino chips and a swirl of rich mocha, it’s reminiscent of poolside mint chocolate chip ice cream on a hot summer day.”
Of the Chocolate Macadamia Cold Brew, Matt Thornton of the same team said it was trying to reminisce about a “tropical vacation.”
‘When creating Starbucks White Chocolate Macadamia Cream Cold Brew, we were inspired by memories of fresh macadamia nuts on tropical vacations and the distinct taste of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies,” he added.
“The smooth flavor profile of Starbucks® Cold Brew combined with the nuttiness of macadamia flavor, creaminess of white chocolate sauce in the cold foam, and salty cookie crumbs delivers the perfect balance of sweet and savory that customers love, providing a moment of summer fun with every drink. gulp.’