When Coffee becomes a Dessert.
A curious foodie who can't stop flipping ingredients labels and assessing wait, whats that? OG Scoop decodes the science behind every food in plain, snackable English with OG Twist.
The last time I was in Starbucks, I noticed people ordering Frappuccinos—a large cup filled with cream. I wondered if they truly consider this coffee or if they know and actually want to consume what are essentially "desserts" disguised as coffee. Let me explain.
A Frappuccino is a blended ice drink made with milk, coffee, and sugar syrup, topped with whipped cream. It's actually closed to being a milkshake than traditional brewed coffee.
In this blog, let's explore these "dessert coffees" to understand their actual ingredients and do a quick nutritional analysis. This way, the next time you're in line at a coffee shop and unsure of what to order, you'll be better informed!
What actual coffee looks like?
Black.
Brewed beans + Hot water. Zero sugar. That's how a real coffee looks.
Some add milk in varied ratios to create different versions of coffee, such as:
Coffee Type | What is it? |
|---|---|
Espresso | Concentrated Black Coffee, No Sugar, No Milk |
Americano | Hot water + Espresso |
Cappuccino | Espresso + Steamed Milk. Coffee: Milk = 1:2 |
Latte | Espresso + Steamed Milk. Coffee: Milk = 1:6 |
Piccolo | 90-120 ml glass. Coffee: Milk = 1:3 |
Anything apart of these are dessert coffees.
Nutrition label check
Ever wondered how many calories that "venti" has?
Calories: ~300-450 Kcal
Sugar: ~40-55gm
Fat: ~10-18gm
For context, the WHO recommends a limit of about 25 grams of added sugar per day. So, a single large cup of "dessert coffee" would exceed the daily sugar quota.
Coffee is a great source of antioxidants and polyphenols, but if it comes with such a high sugar content, it might not be the best choice.
Metabolic Impact
High sugar hits your blood stream.
Pancreas scream Insulin.
Insulin spike.
Insulin decides to use some glucose for energy.
Remaining glucose gets stored as fats.
Blood sugar drops and you feel "Crash" Feeling in no time.
Real problem starts when this happen frequently and your body becomes insulin resistant. That's type 2 diabetes.
The OG Recommendation
While it's ideal to enjoy black coffee for its calorie-free, full caffeine benefits, we understand not everyone appreciates its taste. You can dilute your coffee with milk and a small amount of sugar. However, if you're choosing "dessert coffee" and think you're just having coffee, then you're not.
So next time you visit any cafe for "Coffee", make sure you look for beans descriptions and type of brews than deciding between whipped cream or caramel.
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