Happy back-to-school, collegiettes! Unfortunately, going back to school also means going back to classes, late night study sessions and, for many of us, an undying caffeine addiction to get us through said late night study sessions. But how do we keep up with a need for coffee without adding too many unnecessary calories to our daily diet?
Sure, drip coffee is a good low-calorie option (about 5 calories), but that daily cup of joe can get a bit boring after a while. Lucky for us, there are delicious low-calorie caffeine options that aren’t just black coffee or Diet Coke. Check out our pick it or skip it guide to our favorite coffee places on Franklin Street.
Caribou Coffee
With its cozy atmosphere, adorable “I stay awake for” cups and delicious drinks, Caribou is a great place to go for a long study session. Face it; you will need a caffeine boost in between chapters of organic chemistry.
It’s unfortunately also a great place to find coffee drinks that are definitely not good for you. One of Caribou’s biggest calorie culprits, the pumpkin white chocolate mocha, has 450 calories and 23 grams of fat in a small. (No, the fact that pumpkin is a vegetable does not help you here!) But never fear, collegiettes; there are actually low-cal options at Caribou, so you can reserve your stress for that orgo midterm instead of your daily caloric intake.
Skip it
Small Pumpkin White Chocolate Mocha with 2% milk and whipped cream: 450 calories, 23g fat
Small Mocha Cooler with whipped cream: 530 calories, 21g fat
Small Campfire Mocha Cooler with whipped cream: 560 calories, 20g fat
Small Berry Mocha with 2% milk and whipped cream: 570 calories, 31g fat
Small Mint Condition Cooler with whipped cream: 570 calories, 20g fat
(Note: Asking for no whipped cream takes off 100 calories and 11 grams of fat.)
Pick it (100 calories or less)
Small Cappuccino with skim milk: 35 calories, 0g fat
Small Northern Lite Caramel High Rise with skim milk and no whip: 80 calories, 0.5g fat
Small Northern Lite Espresso Cooler with skim milk and no whip: 80 calories, 1.5g fat
Small Northern Lite Caramel Cooler with skim milk and no whip: 90 calories, 2g fat
Small Northern Lite Latte with skim milk and no whip: 90 calories, 0.5g fat
Starbucks
There’s no denying it—Starbucks is a classic. Miranda Priestly didn’t send Andrea off for those endless Starbucks runs in The Devil Wears Prada for nothing. But even though it may be a classic, pack in one of Starbucks’s sugary, higher-calorie drinks every day and you could add an extra 2,590 calories to your weekly intake. Yikes! Thankfully, there are options at Starbucks that won’t break your calorie bank but are still delicious (Skinny Caramel Macchiato with just 100 calories? Yes, please!).
Skip it
Tall Cinnamon Dolce Latte with whole milk: 230 calories, 8g fat
Tall Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino: 240 calories, 5g fat
Tall White Chocolate Mocha with whole milk: 330 calories, 12g fat
Tall Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with whole milk: 360 calories, 11g fat
Tall Caramel Brulée Latte with whole milk and whipped cream: 370 calories, 14g fat
Pick it (100 calories or less)
Tall Nonfat Cappuccino: 60 calories, 0g fat
Tall Iced Skinny Latte: 60 calories, 0g fat
Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte: 90 calories, 0g fat
Tall Nonfat Caffè Latte: 100 calories, 0g fat
Tall Skinny Caramel Macchiato: 100 calories, 1g fat
See? Low-calorie caffeine doesn’t have to always mean boring black coffee. Now go conquer that orgo reading with a skinny vanilla latte in hand!
Photos:
Caribou (photo): Brand New, http://www.underconsideration.com/brandnew/archives/caribou_coffee_leaps…
Starbucks (photo): inhabitat, http://inhabitat.com/all-starbucks-cups-will-be-recyclable-or-reusable-b…
