The Unhealthiest Pumpkin Spice Lattes—Ranked!
It's not officially fall until you sip on a pumpkin spice latte, right? The pumpkin spice latte (famously known as the PSL) has quite a fan base across the United States. And while Starbucks has served one of the most iconic pumpkin spice lattes for years, it's not the only coffee chain that features a pumpkin spice latte on their fall menu. However, if you take a look at the nutrition information for some of these frothy drinks, they're loaded with so many added sugars. Which is why we decided to rank the unhealthiest pumpkin spice lattes out there.
In order to evaluate the unhealthiest pumpkin spice lattes, we ranked them based on the amount of sugar that's in an average 16 oz. pumpkin spice latte. We say "average" because that can look different for each coffee shop. For some shops, the average pumpkin spice latte comes with 2% milk and a whipped cream topping. Others serve pumpkin spice lattes without whipped cream and are even make it with skim milk instead of 2%.
Regardless of what the order says, if we were to simply order any of these medium-sized pumpkin spice lattes without any alterations, this is the drink that would be handed to you.
Ranked from the most tolerable to the absolute worst, here are the unhealthiest pumpkin spice lattes you can order right now. And speaking of sweet treats, we think these 15 Classic American Desserts Deserve a Comeback.
Pumpkin Spice Latte: McDonald's
Although the McDonald's Pumpkin Spice Latte has the same amount of sugar as Peet's Coffee, because it has fewer calories, we ranked it as one of the better pumpkin spice lattes to choose from. Just be careful of the fat and saturated fat content of this latte! However, it does have the least amount of sodium and carbs compared to all of these other unhealthiest pumpkin spice lattes, making it the best option if you decide to treat yourself to one of these cozy fall indulgences.
Pumpkin Latte: Peet's Coffee
Peet's Coffee may not be in every part of the country, but if you do live near one, it's definitely one of the better options for a Pumpkin Latte. The fat content is practically slashed in half compared to Starbucks and brings in fewer calories, sodium, carbs, and sugar. So if you have the choice between Starbucks and Peet's, the latter will be the healthier option.
Pumpkin Spice Latte: Biggby Coffee
The calories (and carb count) for Biggby Coffee's Pumpkin Latte may be slightly higher compared to Starbucks, but with the sugar count lower, it does rank as healthier. However, when you start to compare the rest of the nutrition information—like sodium, protein, and fat—it almost evens out the playing field. Nevertheless, if your goal is to consume less sugar, Biggby's version of the Pumpkin Latte is the choice for you.
Here's What Happens To Your Body When You Drink a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Pumpkin Spice Latte: Starbucks
Even though Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte has the same amount of sugar as three Twinkies, when looking at the nutrition information, it isn't nearly as unhealthy as some of the others. However, the Starbucks version of the pumpkin spice latte does have the most fat content (14 grams) out of all of them—accounting for a 2% milk and a whipped cream topping—and the most saturated fat content at 8 grams.
Pumpkin Spice Latte: Dunkin'
Although the calorie count for Dunkin's Pumpkin Spice Latte is significantly less compared to the unhealthiest, the sugar count makes it the second unhealthiest pumpkin spice latte you can order. However, unlike these other lattes, Dunkin's was evaluated with the use of skim milk instead of the generic 2% used in most coffee shops, which does cut down the fat and saturated fat content significantly.
Pumpkin Latte: Caribou Coffee
Ranking as the unhealthiest pumpkin spice latte out there is Caribou Coffee's Pumpkin Latte. While they do have other types of pumpkin offerings—like the Pumpkin White Mocha and Pumpkin Chai—we evaluated the nutrition for a classic medium-sized Pumpkin Latte. Unfortunately, with a sugar count of 76 grams, this latte comes in dead last. It exceeds the Dietary Recommended Intake (DRI) for sugar and even has more calories than some of the average meals you can cook at home.
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