Have you ever thought of your coffee’s spirit animal? No? Don’t worry, we have. Sipping on your favorite Starbucks morning must-have is almost identical to scarfing down a big ol’ bowl of Ben & Jerry’s for breakfast. Coffee in its purest form is a great way to kickstart your day, but to save your health, you may want to limit your Starbucks splurges. Join me as we delve into the wonderful world of nutrition facts:
Chocolate Fudge Brownie vs. Caffè Mocha
Photo courtesy of weheartit.com
A tall Caffè Mocha totals a whopping 290 calories in that little cup, while a 1/2 cup of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream totals in at 260 calories, which is 30 less than the tall Mocha (that’s one less lap you have to run on the track, am I right or…).
The Caffè Mocha and Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream are #twins in total fat (13g) and saturated fat (8g) but carbs and sugar are a different story. The ice cream has less carbs and less sugar than the coffee. Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream contains 30g carbs and 27g of sugar and the Caffè Mocha racks in 34g carbs and 28g of sugar.
Photo courtesy of panerabread.com
Cherry Garcia vs. Dark Cherry Mocha
Photo courtesy of benjerry.com
Any day you begin to consider a Dark Cherry Mocha stop yourself and buy Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia instead. The teeny-tiny tall Starbucks cup contains not so teeny-tiny numbers of the “bad stuff.” With 310 calories, 13g total and 8g saturated fat, 46g carbs and 39g sugar, you have your tall Dark Cherry Mocha.
But why have the mocha when you could have the ice cream at 50 calories less? Cherry Garcia contains 15g total and 9g saturated fat, 27g carbs and 23g sugar. Note that the carbs and sugar in 1/2 cup of Cherry Garcia are both almost 20g less in their respective categories.
Photo courtesy of facebook.com
Cinnamon Buns vs. Cinnamon Dolce Latte
Photo courtesy of theicecreaminformant.com
Coming in hot with 270 calories, 11g total and 6g saturated fat, 32g carbs and 31g of sugar is the tall Cinnamon Dolce Latte. Compared to the Cinnamon Buns flavor of Ben & Jerry’s, the latte has lesser values in everything but sugar.
A 1/2 cup of Cinnamon Buns ice cream contains 290 calories, 15g total and 8g saturated fat, 35g carbs, and 29g of sugar. Although the latte is a tad more nutritional than the Ben & Jerry’s (as if either are the epitome of health), the latte could still pass as ice cream in another life.
Photo courtesy of flickr.com
Pumpkin Cheesecake vs. Pumpkin Spice Latte
Photo courtesy of theicecreaminformant.com
The tall (basic) Pumpkin Spice Latte contains a hefty 300 calories. Along with the artificial pumpkin-y goodness, the latte adds 11g total and 7g saturated fat, 40g carbs and 39g sugar.
Feelin’ like you ate one too many pieces of Grandma’s pie yet? At 40 calories less than the latte, you could have Ben & Jerry’s Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream. With 15g total and 7g saturated fat, 30g carbs, and 25g sugar, the 1/2 cup of ice cream only outweighs the latte in the total fat category.
Photo courtesy of everydayhealth.com
Boom Chocolatta vs. Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
Photo courtesy of benjerry.com.sg
To start, the Mocha Cookie Crumble sounds more like a dessert than a drink. The frappuccino may as well be front and center on the Christmas dessert table with its 350 calories, 14g saturated and 9g unsaturated fat, 53g of carbs and 48g of sugar.
Ben & Jerry’s recently answered the prayers of those debating between a cookie and ice cream by combining the two sweets into one heavenly masterpiece called “Boom Chocolatta.” A 1/2 cup of Boom Chocolatta contains 290 calories, 18g total and 9g saturated fat, 27g carbs, and 22g of sugar. Boom Chocolatta beats the Mocha Cookie Crumble in all categories except fat, are you seeing a trend? Ice cream for breakfast it is.
Photo courtesy of laughandshare.com
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough vs. Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino
Gif courtesy of giphy.com
What does a Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino have in common with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream? Well, they both have wonderful vanilla flavors, and a less wonderful amount of calories. The frappuccino has 280 calories, 11g total and 7g saturated fat, 41g carbs, and 39g sugar. A 1/2 cup of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough also has 280 calories, 15g total and 9g saturated fat, 32g carbs, and 29g sugar.
Photo courtesy of eatingonadime.com
Triple Caramel Chunk vs. Caramel Brulée Latte
Photo courtesy to benjerry.com
Think the Caramel Brulée Latte will be filling your Starbucks red cup this season? The nutrition facts may persuade you otherwise. This tall latte contains 350 calories, 11g total and 7g saturated fat, 54g carbs, and 42g of sugar. While its alter ego, Ben & Jerry’s Triple Caramel Chunk, fills your cone with 270 calories, 15g total and 10g saturated fat, 32g carbs, and 29g of sugar. So what do ya prefer, a latte or ice cream?
Photo courtesy of thecookingmom.com
Hazed & Confused vs. Hazelnut Macchiato
Photo courtesy of benjerry.com
Personally, I’d rather eat Nutella with a spoon, but if you want the Hazelnut Macchiato, just know a grande contains 240 calories, 6g total and 3g saturated fat, 35g of carbs, and 32g of sugar. Ben & Jerry’s Hazed & Confused ice cream, aka the perfect treat for Nutella-lovers, has 280 calories, 16g total and 10g saturated fat, 30g carbs, and 25g of sugar. Give or take a little, the Hazelnut Macchiato is basically a warm version of Hazed & Confused.
Photo courtesy of foxnews.com