High street coffee store Starbucks are in hot water for the amount of sugar that some of their festive drinks contain.
Once the festive cups come in Starbucks, customers look forward to some Christmassy flavours. But while we know it's a treat, be warned the sugar content may be higher than expected.
The drink to top the highest sugar content charts is a grande gingerbread coffee frappuccino with skimmed milk, which comes in at 68.7grams of sugar - that's the equivalent of approximately 17 teaspoons of sugar…. in one coffee.
The indulgent drink is swiftly followed by the toffee nut frappuccino, also with skimmed milk, which has 68.4 grams of the sweet stuff.
Starbucks gingerbread latter
So, teaspoons aside, lets put this into perspective. An original glazed doughnut from doughnut giant Krispy Kreme contains 12.6 grams of sugar.
Which means the top two festive frappuccinos contain the same amount of sugar as nearly six original glazed doughnuts.
As the British government recommends that adults consume no more than 30g of sugar a day, just one of these drinks and you'll be in sugar debt for the next two days.
And the sugar scandal doesn't sop there - there are many festive drinks on the Starbucks menu with sugar shockers. The venti eggnog latte has 56.3g sugar, and the venti gingerbread latte contains 49.1g of sugar.
And while you may think that choosing skimmed milk may cut back the fat, it could actually result in nearly a gram more sugar in your beverage, according to the Starbucks nutritional info.
Lucy Jones, of the British Dietetic Association, told The Sun: 'Festive coffee drinks can seem a harmless choice compared to a mince pie.
'But regular consumption could have big implications for waistlines, teeth and chronic disease.'
Most high street coffee chains offer sugar-free syrups too, but these contain artificial sweeteners instead.
Speaking to the Independent, Simon Redfern, vice president, public affairs for Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa said that the brand are committed to reducing the sugar content in their drinks and offered tips customers can use to make their festive drinks slightly healthier.
'We have a festive drink to suit every taste and occasion, and we have been reducing sugar in our recipes without compromising on taste. There are easy ways to customise Starbucks drinks to reduce sugar and calories', he told the publication.
'Ask to hold the whipped cream, drizzle or toppings, and choose a sugar-free syrup. All of our drinks are served using semi-skimmed milk, but you can also choose from dairy alternatives.'
What do you think? Will the sugar content in these drinks stop you from enjoying a festive coffee? Let us know in the comments box below.
