Starbucks' Iced Cranberry white chocolate Mocha has more calories than a Quarter Pounder.
Photo / Janna Dixon
Starbucks is celebrating Christmas with a range of sugar-filled drinks, served with as much fat as a Quarter Pounder burger and more calories than a hearty serve of spaghetti bolognaise.
The range includes hot and cold drinks such as the Toffee Nut Latte and Dark Cherry Mocha, all of which
knock a significant dent in the recommended maximum daily intake of 2500 calories or 8700kj.
The worst offender is the large iced cranberry white-choc mocha, weighing in at 590 calories - 2478 kj. It has 76g of sugar and five teaspoons of fat.
If this milky take on Christmas flavours is irresistible, the gingerbread latte poses the least danger with 155 calories, 0.2g fat and 27g sugar, but only if you ask for the smallest size and non-fat milk.
Healthy Food Guide nutritionist Claire Turnbull says the biggest mistake people make is having these drinks as a snack on top of regular meals. The additional sugar and fat results in weight gain, she says.
