Fall is the season for swopping swim suits for sweaters and popsicles for PSLs. Yes, another Pumpkin Spice Latte season has arrived. But before you head to Starbucks to wrap your hands around a warm cup of PSL goodness, wrap your brain around the fact that each standard Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte has 380 calories and the sugar equivalent (50 grams) to 3.5 giant Starbucks sugar cookies!
Yikes!
At that rate, you’ll be packing on the holiday pounds before we even enter October.
So what’s a PSL fanatic to do?
Well, there are a good handful of ways to cut back.
The best all-around way to cut calories and sugar is to stop them at their main source. That delicious pumpkin syrup comes at a cost. Each pump delivers 7.5 grams of sugar and 30 calories to your drink, and each Grande PSL takes four pumps. The numbers add up quick! Ask your barista to make your PSL with just two pumps of syrup and save yourself 15 grams of sugar and 60 calories. You’ll still get a hot, pumpkin-y fall drink, but you won’t have quite the sugar crash later!
Of course sugar isn’t the only problem. Here are a few ways to knock some calories off the standard 380 calorie Grande PSL:
- Order a Short PSL instead of a Grande. You’ll save 170 calories.
- Order a Tall PSL instead of a Grande. You’ll save 80 calories.
- Ask your barista to use almond milk and save 80 calories.
- Skip the whip. Save 70 calories.
- Order with nonfat milk instead, and save 50 calories.
- Ask for coconut milk instead, and save 40 calories.
- Order the new Pumpkin Cold Crew size Tall and save 240 calories.
Also see, Where to get free coffee on National Coffee Day.
