There’s no mistaking Starbucks’ appeal — freshly brewed coffeehouse beverages, pleasing flavors and tempting aromas. Yet, inside those appealing brews often hides heaps of processed sugar, sodium, artificial flavors and high calories. So what’s a health-conscious coffee lover to do? Make your own coffee house beverages, of course, but with organic coffee, natural sweeteners and real flavorings that come from real whole food.
Let’s spill the beans
A few years ago, it was revealed that Starbucks was using crushed bugs to color their Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino®. Thankfully, they responded to the public outcry and eliminated beetle juice from their fraps.
But what else lurks behind those trendy coffeehouse beverages? Well to start, not all coffees are made with organic beans. And if you’re not drinking organic brews then that premium-priced latte might just contain a host of toxins from pesticides.
In fact, since Starbucks coffee is grown all over the world in developing countries, the U.S. can’t regulate the type and amount of pesticides used in foreign countries. That means consuming non-organic coffee on a regular basis can be a little risky for your health.
Artificial flavors
Unfortunately, non-organic beans are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to manufactured coffee beverages. Popular Starbucks drinks also contain artificial flavors, which trick your body and brain into thinking that what you are tasting is actually what you are eating. Thousands of carefully combined chemicals come together to make natural flavorings. These natural, yet artificial flavors are perfected to trick your taste buds and trigger pleasure sensors in your brain, which keep you craving these foods in the future. And craving these flavors inevitably leads to consuming too much sugar.
The cost of high sugar
Popular “fraps, caps and lattes” contain more sugar than your body knows what to do with. While it may be hard to resist an afternoon latte, a sugar-laden beverage actually fans the flames of inflammation. And while the goal of inflammation is to defend the body against bacteria, viruses, remove debris and help repair damaged tissue, inflammation influences the formation of artery-blocking clots — the ultimate cause of heart attacks and many strokes, says Harvard Health.
And that’s not all. Too much sugar in your diet can wreak havoc on your health including increasing your chances of developing metabolic syndrome, a disease that’s comprised of weight gain, abdominal obesity, decreased HDL (“good”) cholesterol and increased LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, elevated triglycerides and high blood pressure.
How much sugar should you consume each day?
There’s no simple answer to this question. While some people can eat sugar without harm, others should avoid it as much as possible. Nevertheless, there are guidelines set out by the American Heart Association (AHA) that the average person can follow. According to AHA, the maximum amount of sugar women should consume each day is 25 grams (or six teaspoons), which is equivalent to 100 calories. Men should consume no more than 37.5 grams (or nine teaspoons), which is equivalent to 150 calories.
Now let’s compare that to a Starbuck’s Frappuccino®. One “grande” frappuccino contains 50 grams of sugar. If you choose to make it your own and add a flavored syrup, you’ll be adding five grams of additional sugar with each pump. For some, that means at least 60 grams of sugar hiding in your favorite coffee drink.
It’s important to note that there is no need for added sugars in the diet. They don’t serve any physiological purpose, except to gain weight. And guess what? According to the Washington Post, Americans consume on average 126 grams of sugar per day! That’s more sugar consumed than any other country in the world.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re crazy for coffeehouse beverages — hot or frozen — then why not try making your own healthier versions at home? They take very little time, you can use all-natural sweeteners like raw honey, maple syrup or stevia, incorporate real flavors from whole foods, and you can even create your own vegan versions as well. So pull out your coffee maker and start brewing!
Spiced Pumpkin Frappuccino
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold brewed organic coffee
- 1 cup of dairy milk, almond or coconut milk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl add milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk well to combine.
2. Pour mixture into an ice cube tray, covering lightly with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
3. Brew one cup of strong coffee. Allow to cool in the fridge.
4. Pour coffee into the blender and add frozen ice cubes. Blend until smooth.
5. Add additional maple syrup if required.
6. Top with whipped dairy (or coconut cream) and cinnamon before serving.
Frozen Mochaccino
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of strong brewed organic coffee
- 1 cup of dairy milk, almond or coconut milk
- 2 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder (or raw cacao)
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Dash of cinnamon
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
1. Pour cooled coffee in an ice cube tray and freeze until firm, at least four hours or overnight.
2. Combine the frozen coffee cubes, milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon in the blender until smooth.
3. Divide between two glasses, serve with a straw and enjoy!
Vanilla Bean Latte
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of strong brewed organic coffee
- 1 cup of dairy milk, almond or coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla paste (or 1/2 a vanilla pod split and seeded)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp raw honey
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until light and frothy. Pour evenly into two cups and enjoy!
Vanilla Iced Coffee
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of strong brewed organic coffee, cooled
- 1 cup of dairy milk, almond or coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp raw honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup of ice
Instructions
1. Combine coffee, milk, vanilla and honey.
2. Fill a tall glass with ice and add the coffee mixture. Serve with a straw and enjoy!
Peppermint Mocha
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
Coffee:
- 1 cup of strong brewed organic coffee
- 1 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp raw honey (or pure maple syrup)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup premium bittersweet chopped dark chocolate
- 1 tsp pure peppermint extract, more if desired
Topping:
- 1 cup whipped coconut cream
- 1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate
Instructions
1. Add the coconut and coffee into a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add cocoa, honey and chopped chocolate.
3. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking often.
4. Remove mocha from the heat and add peppermint. Whisk to combine.
5. Ladle in mugs and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Pumpkin Spiced Latte
Serves 1
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 3 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 to 3 drops of liquid stevia, raw honey or maple syrup to taste
- 1 cup of strong brewed organic coffee
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
1. In a medium saucepan, mix together almond milk and pumpkin. Cook on medium heat until hot.
2. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, spices and sweetener.
3. Pour into the blender and process for 30 seconds until foamy.
4. Pour hot coffee into a large mug and add the foamy milk mixture on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Enjoy!
Salted Caramel Latte
Serves 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of strong brewed organic coffee
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp organic grass-fed salted butter
- 1/8 tsp of pink Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp raw honey
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high for about 15 seconds or until emulsified and frothy.
2. Pour in a mug and drink immediately. Enjoy!
— Katherine Marko