The 7 best and 6 worst drinks from high street coffee shop chains if you’re on a diet and want to lose weight for summer
AS we head into the warmer months, you might be thinking about switching your skinny latte to something a bit more refreshing.
The choice can be pretty overwhelming, and if you’re on a diet, you’ll want to steer clear from those extra calories.
In particular, the beverages we order on the move – say from your local Starbucks or Costa – can be rather high in sugar and calories.
It’s easy to think it's just coffee, but once you add syrups, whipped cream and whole milk to the mix, they might contain more calories than a typical healthy breakfast.
This in turn can make you want to eat more in the long run, explains Robbie.
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Consider this your go-to guide to summer sipping.
The best drinks to order
1. – Pret A Manger
- Calories: 98
- Fat: 3.4g (saturated fat 2g)
- Protein: 6.8g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Sugar: 10g
- Salt: 0.15g
Pret’s coffee and milks are 100 per cent organic, which gets a thumbs-up from Robbie.
Even though a latte is typically a milky drink, it comes in at under 100 calories in total.
"If you opt for full-fat milk, this can still be a refreshing, delicious option without consuming excess energy from added sugar," says the expert.
Plus, milk contains protein, calcium and other essential nutrients like vitamin B12, he adds.
- Calories: 9
- Fat: 0 (saturated fat 0.3g)
- Protein: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 0.9g
- Sugar: 0.9g
- Salt: 0g
Regular tea can be a great weight loss choice and the slight caffeine kick could give you a little extra energy throughout the day.
"A classic English breakfast or black tea is very low in energy and contains several antioxidants that help the body function efficiently," confirms Robbie.
He recommends drinking it with your milk of choice and without adding sugar - from Greggs or anywhere else.
3. – Costa
4. – Starbucks
- Calories: 2
- Fat: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
- Salt: 0g
The pure and simple espresso is a more intense take on an Americano.
While the calorie content is the same, the caffeine concentration is considerably higher, warns Jenna.
"Therefore, if you’re sensitive to caffeine it’s important to moderate your intake or opt for an Americano or a green tea instead."
- Calories: 86
- Fat: 3.1g (unsaturated fat 1.9g)
- Protein: 6.3g
- Carbohydrates: 8.4g
- Sugar: 8.2g
- Salt: 0.19g
If you’re looking for a slightly more filling drink which is still lower in calories and sugars compared to many others, then a flat white is a good option, Jenna says.
That said, a flat white can still contain upwards of 100 calories which should be taken into consideration when you’re thinking about your weight loss goals, she adds.
The one from McDonald's is a decent bet, with just 86 in every cup.
- Calories: 129
- Fat: 6.5g (unsaturated fat 4.7g)
- Protein: 6.6g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5g
- Sugar: 8.5g
- Salt: 0.2g
Don’t be put off by the green hue – matcha is packed with antioxidants.
It also gives your metabolism a kick, making it a great option for weight loss this summer.
"Matcha is a good source of vitamin A, which is an essential component in your immune system," adds Robbie.
- Calories: 491
- Fat: 23.5g (saturated fat 12g)
- Protein: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 67.5g
- Sugar: 52.2g
- Salt: 0.49g
It’s all too easy to drink liquid calories without even realising it – and this one comes by the bucket-load.
"The oat milk version of this Caffè Nero drink contains 52g of sugar (well over the recommended 30g) and the calories equate to around a quarter of your recommended daily calorie intake," Jenna points out.
3. – Costa
- Calories: 363
- Fat: 18.9g (saturated fat 13g)
- Protein: 5.7g
- Carbohydrates: 42.7g
- Sugar: 41.5g
- Salt: 0.61g
Frappuccinos are a big no-no for weight loss, as they’re typically very high in sugar and calories.
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This is nearly one quarter of your total recommended intake of calories for a whole day and the caramel syrup will really ramp up that sugar level.
"These drinks are exceptionally high in sugar, containing around 54g per drink, which equates to nearly two whole days of the maximum recommended sugar intake," says Jenna.