When trying to manage your weight and health goals many people try to change the way that they eat from fried restaurant food, and processed store-bought food to manage fat, sugar and salt. But, coffee shop specialty drinks can cost you a pretty penny and end up being a calorie-bomb!
FYI:
An 8 ounce cup of plain brewed coffee or espresso coffee contains no fat and only 2 Calories.
A Grande Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha- 520 calories which is the equivalent of 3.7 cans of Coca-Cola
A Starbucks. Green Tea Latte -350 calories or the same calories of a medium McDonalds French fry Cappuccino and latte coffee both contain large amounts of milk. The most common milk choices are full cream, skim or soy.
The following shows the Calorie and fat content per 3+ fluid ounces.
Full cream milk contains about 66 Calories and 3.9g of fat
Skim milk contains about 34 Calories and 0.1g of fat
Soy milk contains about 35 Calories and 2g of fat
Skim milk contains about 34 Calories and 0.1g of fat
Soy milk contains about 35 Calories and 2g of fat
Many flavored coffee and gourmet coffees contain coffee syrups in caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate or other flavors. Each pump of syrup adds about 20 Calories or a tablespoon is around 50 Calories. Some drinks contain as many as 4 tablespoons (200 Calories). Sugar-free syrups are available and these add no calories or fat to a drink.
Donna Gelb, a New York food pro shared these recommended recipes for making iced-coffee drinks at home where you can control the amount of sugar in them. (ShopSmart.org)
Basic Cold-Brewed Coffee Concentrate-
Makes 2 cups, or about 4 servings
1 cup coarsely ground dark-roast coffee
3 1/2 cups cold water
Makes 2 cups, or about 4 servings
1 cup coarsely ground dark-roast coffee
3 1/2 cups cold water
1. Place ground coffee in a 1-quart Mason jar (or the equivalent). Add cold water and stir well.
2. Cover and let stand overnight or about 15 hours.
3. To strain the liquid from the grounds, pour the coffee through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh strainer into a clean jar or pitcher. Strain again using fresh cheesecloth. Refrigerate concentrate in a covered container. It can be kept up to two weeks.
4. To serve, pour 1/2 cup of the concentrate into a tall glass. Stir in equal amounts of water or skim or 1% milk or any combination of those two. Sweeten*, if desired, then add ice cubes.
* Try using Agave nectar or other natural sweeteners
** Use any extra coffee-base to make ice cubes if you like stronger, undiluted coffee.
* Try using Agave nectar or other natural sweeteners
** Use any extra coffee-base to make ice cubes if you like stronger, undiluted coffee.
Iced Mocha (one serving)
3/4 cup cold-brewed coffee concentrate
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoon homemade chocolate syrup (see below) or store bought such as Monin ( on Amazon) or Walden Farms chocolate syrup.
Chocolate Syrup Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
About 1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoon homemade chocolate syrup (see below) or store bought such as Monin ( on Amazon) or Walden Farms chocolate syrup.
Chocolate Syrup Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
About 1/2 cup hot water
-Mix cocoa and sugar in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons hot water; stir until smooth. Gradually add remaining hot water and stir until sugar and cocoa dissolve. Refrigerate in a covered jar. It can be kept up to a month.
Combine for one drink: coffee concentrate, milk and syrup in a tall glass. Stir well; add plain or coffee ice cubes and enjoy.