5 of the worst beverages

Watch out for liquid calories

Can’t start your day without a fancy coffee, or desperate for that afternoon pick-me-up? With coffee shop menus featuring loaded coffees and calorie-dense juices, you have to be careful about what you select to sip. Find out what to order from your local barista, and what to stay away from at coffee break.

Coffee Time

The Culprit: Not the worst offender on our list, but a 10 oz Hazelnut or Raspberry Steameez drink at Coffee Time rings in with 280 calories, 8 g fat and 40 g of sugar.

What should I have instead? If you want to avoid just having a regular coffee, a Vanilla Cappuccino has only 180 calories, 7 g of fat and 23 g of sugar. Or try a regular Hot Chocolate which has 170 calories, 4 g of fat and 25 g of sugar.

Orange Julius

The Culprit: Maybe you’re not a coffee drinker and instead you stop by the food court to pick up a healthy-looking (and tasting!) Bananarila Julius. A large (32 oz) has a gasping 700 calories, 13 g of fat and (gulp!) 115 g of sugar.

What should I have instead? No need to abandon OJ altogether. Instead order a 32 oz Strawberry Delight which has 380 calories, 0 g of fat and 74 g of sugar.

Second Cup

The Culprit: Do you stop to pick up a Moccaccino every morning? Can’t give up the whipped cream either? Think again. A 16 oz Moccaccino with whipped cream and 2 percent milk will cost you 440 calories, 21 g of fat and 43 g of sugar.

What should I have instead? Swap it out for a 16 oz Vanilla bean latte made with skim milk (and no whipped cream!) and you’ll save 180 calories (260 calories, 4 g of fat and 37 g of sugar). And if you really need that hit of chocolate, just sprinkle on a few chocolate shavings.

Starbucks

The Culprit: The whipped cream. The white-chocolate flavoured sauce. It didn’t surprise us that the White Chocolate Creme Frappuccino beverage came in packed with calories and fat. A Grande (16 oz.) made with 2 percent milk has 410 calories, 16 g of fat and 58 g of sugar.

What should I have instead? To get that smooth white chocolate taste, opt for a White Chocolate Mocha (made with non-fat milk and skip the whipped cream)-a grande has 350 calories, 6 g of fat and 58 g of sugar. Or take it down to a 12 oz tall size made the same way and you’ll get to 270 calories, 4.5 g of fat and 45 g of sugar.  Or if you can bypass the white chocolate flavour, a grande Cafe Mocha packs in only 220 calories, 2.5 g of fat and 32 g of sugar.

Tim Hortons

The Culprit: Mmm…hot chocolate warms the soul in colder seasons. But it can also pack on the pounds as Tim Hortons’ medium Hot Chocolate Supreme has 330 calories, 10 g fat and 49 g of sugar.

What should I have instead? If chocolate is your thing, a medium Hot Chocolate shaves off almost 100 calories bringing your caloric consumption down to 240 calories, 6 g of fat and 38 g of sugar. Or have a medium Cafè Mocha (190 calories, 8 g of fat and 24 g of sugar).