A Miss TLC Note of Nutrition: Starbucks Edition

Everyone knows I love me some Starbucks. However, I am not oblivious to the fact that a lot of their yummy treats are full of calories and sugar. I am a nutrition freak, so even though I fall victim to a high calorie drink here or there, I always look for the healthier options within that gorgeous store of greatness.

Autumn is my favorite season, and anything "spiced" or "pumpkin-flavored" usually gets me. :) Therefore, their Pumpkin Spiced Lattes are usually a staple of my Fall mornings (except that I get them with no-fat milk and no whipped cream). The thing that I stay away from is their pumpkin flavored pastries, because they are very high in calorie and sugar content. Check out the cals below on the Pumpkin Scone and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin. 500 calories each. Yowza.



But there are plenty of newly introduced healthier options in the pastry case at the famous coffeehouse. Check some out below:



They have introduced a multi-grain roll, oatmeal, a berry stella, a fruit and nut bar, and an apple bran muffin as the "smarter choices" for Fall. The fruit and nut bar especially is delicious and nutritious (at only 150 calories and chock full of seeds, dried fut, and nuts and I've had a few so I know personally that it's yummy). Plus, it's a MUCH better option than the traditional "fruit and dry roasted nuts" packet that you may have gotten near the register thinking you were making a healthy choice. But you're really not. That tiny little package (I propped it up next to a CD before taking the pic so that you could really see how small it is), is almost 400 calories:



And now they have even added crudite trays (cut veggies with a pesto dip), a high protein breakfast plate (consisting of a whole wheat mini-bagel, hard boiled egg, peanut butter, and a couple other items), and whey protein Vivanno drinks (which I assumed would be very sweet and high in calories like their other mixed drinks, but it's not - they use natural ingredients the chocolate one I like is really only sweetened by a whole banana).






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