Starbucks’ frappuccino is the reason I fell in love with coffee. As a college student, coffee is something that makes me survive the tedious task of attending two-hour lectures and four-hour labs. With Starbucks only walking distance from my college campus, it feels like heaven to be able to drop by just for a frappuccino. But only recently did I come across an article about how the frappuccino is no more than a calorie bomb, and now when I get one it feels like a guilt trip.
During my first year of college, I loathed coffee (omg, right?). But, when Starbucks opened a new outlet near my college at the start of my second year, I couldn’t help but to go down there with a friend. That was the first time I would have finished half of a tall frappuccino in my life. From that day, my love for the frappuccino just went on, increasing day by day to such an extent that I would go down to Starbucks almost every day — you can imagine what effect that had on my pocket.
Photo by Sabhyata Badhwar
Little did I know that the frappuccino was a bomb of calories. When a couple of people told me the reality behind the frappuccino’s amazing flavor, I was not ready to accept it, so I went online to do a little reading of my own, hoping that I could find something that would prove them all wrong. How can something so delicious be so harmful? But, I was left heartbroken when I found out that Starbucks’ frappuccino was indeed the reason I was adding extra inches to my hips.
As a college student, no one wants to accept that their favourite coffee at their favourite franchise outlet is nothing more than sugar.
Frappuccino Base
Photo by Alex Waxenbaum
This base contains sugar, natural and artificial flavour, water, xantham gum (which is a thickening agent), caramel color, caffeine, and potassium sorbate.
Coffee is considered to be one of the best sources of antioxidants available — studies show that it has more antioxidants than black tea, and even an apple. But, coffee is also a victim of harmful fertilizers. Unfortunately, Starbucks does not offer the organic version of coffee. Now isn’t that a bit ironic that a coffee shop does not use organic coffee?
Caramel Sauce
Photo by Paige Rodgers
Calling caramel sauce outrageously unhealthy is also an understatement. When caramel sauce is made from scratch, it consists of three ingredients — whipping cream, butter, and sugar. But, Starbucks has to produce it on a large scale, which may turn out to be very expensive, so they use substitutes. A couple of the substitutes are high fructose corn syrup (which is a cause of obesity), and mono- and diglycerides, which are just as harmful. Excess of such glycerides may lead to heart disease, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.
As it is, caramel sauce contains enough calories, but even more calories…?
Caramel Syrup
Photo by Sabhyata Badhwar
This caramel syrup could take lives. Your source to even more sugar, and a coloring agent which contains 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, which may lead to lung, liver, and thyroid cancer.
You read that last sentence again, didn’t you? How can this sugary delight cause cancer? I still cannot register that, no matter how many times I reread it.
Whipped Cream
Photo by Dyan Khor
Ever thought about what goes into this foamy pleasure? Well, it contains vanilla syrup, which again, contains sugar. According to this website, the amount of whipped cream on a tall frappucino equals 80 calories. Why is Starbucks doing this to me?
The “Sugar Cube” On Top
Photo by Aakanksha Joshi
One Starbucks Venti Caramel Frappuccino consists 81 grams of sugar. Can’t imagine how much sugar that is? Imagine around 18 cubes of sugar despicably being added into your coffee. And this is separate from the other sugar bombs discussed above. You want to know how many chocolate bars this would equal out to be? Think about it, or better yet, Google it.
After reading these facts, the best I can do is find a corner of this world and cry, hoping that all of the websites out there are lying to my face. But unfortunately, the facts are true.