There’s no denying that pumpkin spice lattes have become an autumn staple. However, beneath their enticing flavor lies a nutritional profile that would make any nutritionist shake their head.
In this research, Healthnews’ nutrition expert Sandra Vigelienė, BSc, examines popular pumpkin spice lattes from some of the largest coffee chains globally, including Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Tim Hortons, Krispy Kreme, and McCafe (McDonald’s coffee).
Some of these lattes contain up to 490 calories, 47 grams (about 12 teaspoons) of added sugar, 11 grams of saturated fat, and 300 mg of sodium per serving — exceeding daily intake recommendations outlined by USDA and HHS dietary guidelines for Americans.
Key insights
- High-calorie content. All the reviewed coffee beverages are high in calories, mainly from saturated fats and added sugars. With a recommendation to limit the caloric intake from saturated fat and added sugar-containing foods to 200–250 kcal per day for most Americans, such drinks already exceed the recommended limits. The highest calorie content can be found in the Krispy Kreme coffee.
- High caffeine content. Not all brands provide caffeine content, especially for specific seasonal coffee beverages. However, some brands’ large-size drinks may contain as much as 431 mg of caffeine per serving, which exceeds the daily caffeine limit recommendation of 400 mg for healthy adults.
- High in total sugar and added sugar. Not all of the reviewed brands provide added sugar content. However, all the reviewed coffee beverages have high total sugar content. Given the high total sugar content, it can be assumed that more than 50% can be attributed to added sugar. Of the brands that disclose added sugar content, the highest levels can be found in Dunkin’ Donuts, with around 12 teaspoons (47 g) per serving.
- High sodium content. All pumpkin spice lattes can be considered high in sodium. Almost all brands include around 300 mg of sodium per serving, with the highest sodium content in the Krispy Kreme coffee.
- High saturated fat content. All reviewed coffee beverages are high in saturated fats, with the highest content found in Tim Hortons (11 g) and Starbucks (10 g).
- Contains trans fat. Some brands contain trans fats in their pumpkin spice lattes. These brands include Starbucks (0.5 g), Krispy Kreme (0.5 g), and Tim Hortons (0.3 g). This type of fat is recommended to be limited as much as possible in the diet.
- High in protein. Compared to standard daily calorie intake and the overall protein intake recommendations, plain coffee has almost no protein, and the protein content in most seasonal coffees can be considered relatively high due to added milk and cream. However, given the overall nutritional composition of those coffees, such beverages may not be an ideal option for meeting one’s protein needs.
- Low in vitamins and minerals. Although coffee, especially with added milk or cream, contains small amounts of some micronutrients, seasonal beverages like pumpkin spice lattes are generally not rich in micronutrients compared to daily dietary requirements. Additionally, caffeine can inhibit the absorption of certain micronutrients, such as calcium.
- Unfavorable ingredients. All reviewed coffees contained some form of added sugar — table sugar, brown sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup. They also contained artificial flavors, artificial colors (Yellow 6 found in Scooter’s coffee), and preservatives that, while regulated by authorities and considered safe in allowed quantities, may still be associated with certain health implications.
Nutritional evaluation
These seasonal beverages are often loaded with calories, saturated fats, added sugars, and sometimes, high levels of caffeine and sodium. Such nutritional profiles can easily surpass daily recommended intake levels, potentially leading to weight gain and other health issues when consumed regularly.
Calorie content
American dietary guidelines highlight that coffee beverages from restaurants and coffee shops may have a high caloric content due to the addition of cream, milk, sugar, and other ingredients. Sweetened coffees are suggested to contribute over 40% of the daily added sugar intake, which, if consumed frequently, may contribute to excess calorie intake.
While a standard brewed coffee without additional ingredients has almost no calories, the reviewed seasonal drinks can be considered high in their caloric content.
Most of the reviewed coffee beverages contain more than 400 kcal per 20 fl oz serving (large coffee cup), with the highest caloric content of 490 kcal per serving found in the Krispy Kreme pumpkin spice latte. However, some coffee shops may offer even larger coffee serving sizes; thus, the caloric content may be even higher depending on the choice of serving size.
Similar caloric content per serving can be noted in Biggby coffee (487 kcal), Starbucks coffee (470 kcal), Dunkin’ Donuts coffee (440 kcal), and Tim Hortons coffee (410 kcal).
Even coffee beverages with lower caloric content, such as Scooter’s or Mcdonald’s pumpkin spice latte, provide a much higher caloric content of 380–394 kcal per serving than regular coffee.
Around 85% of daily calories should come from a healthy and nutrient-dense diet, which includes whole grains, lean protein sources, healthy fat sources, and various vegetables and fruits. Only 15% of the daily calories may be attributed to discretionary foods and beverages that contain added sugar or saturated fats.
For most Americans, this equates to only 200–350 kcal per day for additional less nutritionally beneficial foods and beverages.
With the recommendations in mind, most of the reviewed seasonal coffee beverages exceed the recommended caloric content, which may make it challenging to stay within the daily limits of added sugar or saturated fatty acids, among many other parameters. This could result in excess daily calorie intake and weight gain.
Caffeine content
Caffeine is a naturally occurring central nervous system stimulant recognized as the most utilized psychoactive stimulant worldwide.
While caffeine may help support mental alertness and wakefulness in fatigue or drowsiness, this compound may also have mild to severe adverse effects.
Depending on individual sensitivity to caffeine as well as the overall caffeine intake and timing of the day, some of the mild adverse effects may include anxiety, restlessness, fidgeting, insomnia, facial flushing, increased urination, irritability, and gastrointestinal irritation.
More severe adverse effects of caffeine may include symptoms such as disorientation, hallucinations, psychosis, seizures, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats), and even ischemia (reduced blood flow to certain organs) in some cases.
According to the FDA, 400 mg of caffeine intake is a safe limit for healthy adults. This constitutes around 2–3 cups of coffee (12 fl oz). However, the FDA emphasizes that there is a wide variation of sensitivity to caffeine. Thus, each individual should monitor their intake and any potential adverse effects. Moreover, sensitive groups, such as those taking any medications, pregnant, or breastfeeding, should consult with their healthcare provider about their caffeine intake.
Not all reviewed brands provide their caffeine content in a standard serving of pumpkin spice lattes. However, it is important to note that some brands, such as Dunkin’ Donuts, highlight that their large size of coffee may contain around 431 mg of caffeine, which would already exceed the daily recommended caffeine intake limits.
Other brands that disclose their caffeine content, such as Starbucks or Biggby Coffee, provide around 100–150 mg of caffeine per 20 fl oz serving of coffee, which can be considered moderate and within safe daily limits.
Total sugar and added sugar content
American dietary guidelines highlight that calories from added sugars should be limited to help achieve a healthy dietary pattern. Current dietary guidelines suggest limiting added sugar to 10% of calories daily. In a 2,000 kcal diet, the recommended limit for added sugar may be around 50 grams or 12 teaspoons.
Meanwhile, most Americans exceed the recommended dietary added sugar limit, with a daily caloric intake of around 13%. Moreover, 24% of those added sugar calories are attributed to sugar-sweetened beverages.
A recent systematic review with meta-analysis suggests that sugar-sweetened beverage consumption increases the risk of obesity, cardiometabolic disease, and even the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
While not all of the reviewed brands of selected pumpkin spice lattes disclosed information about added sugar content, even when looking at the amounts of total sugar per serving, it can be concluded that these seasonal coffee beverages are packed with sugar.
Comparing the brands with the provided added sugar, Dunkin’ Donuts has a very high added sugar content of around 12 teaspoons (47 g) per serving. Meanwhile, McDonald’s pumpkin spice latte contains around 9 teaspoons (35 g) of added sugar.
Compared to the added sugar limits of a standard daily caloric intake, one coffee drink almost reaches the daily limits, making it challenging to remain within the recommendations given the remaining daily meals and drinks that may also contain added sugar.
The total sugar per serving is even higher in all brands, varying from 35 g to 73 g, depending on the specific brand. Scooter’s coffee (73 g) and Biggby coffee (73 g) have the highest total sugar content.
Considering the ingredients in these coffee beverages and examples of Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s pumpkin spice lattes with disclosed added sugar content, it can be assumed that more than 50% of the total sugar can be attributed to added sugar.
Sodium content
While sodium is considered an essential nutrient and small amounts are needed for various physiological functions, American dietary guidelines emphasize that sodium levels should be limited to 2,300 mg per day in a healthy and balanced dietary pattern for adults.
Some scientific literature emphasizes a strong association between excess sodium intake and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Dietary guidelines also emphasize that the current sodium intake across the U.S. population is high, reaching up to 5,000 mg per day. While sodium is found in foods from almost all food categories across the supply chain, it is unsurprising that some can also be found in the reviewed seasonal coffee beverages.
In terms of the reviewed pumpkin spice lattes, most of the brands include around 300 mg of sodium per 20 fl oz serving, with the lowest sodium content found in Biggby coffee (100 mg per serving) and the highest in McDonald’s coffee reaching 340 mg/per serving.
The amount of sodium in the reviewed pumpkin spice lattes can be considered moderate compared to the daily sodium limit recommendations. However, given that most regular drinks, such as coffee or tea, contain little to no sodium, sodium intake from these seasonal beverages is relatively high. If such coffees are consumed frequently throughout the day along with regular dietary patterns, there is a good chance of exceeding the daily recommended sodium limits.
Fat content
American dietary guidelines suggest that only 23% of individuals in the U.S. consume saturated fats, which are limited to less than 10% of calories. Within a standard 2,000 kcal diet, this amounts to less than 20 g of saturated fats per day. Moreover, the recommendations highlight the importance of limiting trans fats to as low as possible without compromising the nutritional adequacy of the diet.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests that trans fat raises LDL cholesterol in the blood. Elevated cholesterol levels in the blood are associated with the risk of developing heart disease, generally leading to increased mortality rates in the U.S. population.
Regarding saturated fats, some scientific literature suggests that reducing dietary saturated fat intake may reduce cardiovascular disease events. Moreover, observational studies identify that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat sources is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
While regular coffee or tea beverages without additional ingredients are not considered a source of saturated or trans fats, additional ingredients such as heavy cream, whipped cream, and emulsifiers (compounds that help to stabilize mixtures that do not mix easily) can increase the saturated and trans fat content.
This is the case with most of the reviewed seasonal pumpkin spice lattes. Additional ingredients increase the saturated fat content in all of the reviewed beverages.
The amount of saturated fat per serving in most coffee beverages varies between 8 and 11 g, with the highest saturated fat content found in Tim Horton’s coffee (11 g) and Starbucks coffee (10 g).
However, some of the reviewed coffee beverages, such as Dunkin’ Donuts, contain less saturated fats, with 3.5 g per serving.
Some of the brands also contain trans fat, including pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks (0.5 g), Krispy Kreme (0.5 g), and Tim Hortons (0.3 g).
Most of the reviewed coffee beverages contain about 50% of the recommended daily saturated fat intake, making it difficult to stay within limits if consumed daily, especially considering other foods that may also contribute to saturated fat intake.
Also, with the recommendation of lowering the trans fat to as much as possible in the diet, even small amounts of trans fats in the drinks may not be viewed as favorable.
Protein content
Protein is a macronutrient needed daily for essential body functions. It provides the essential amino acids, considered the building blocks for various body tissues.
American dietary guidelines emphasize the importance of meeting the daily protein intake recommendations. In a healthy and balanced diet, protein should come from nutrient-dense foods such as lean meats, seafood, legumes, and other plant-based sources.
General protein intake recommendations suggest that protein should account for around 30–35% of daily calories, with some potential variations in certain groups of people, especially those highly physically active. A standard 2,000 kcal diet may constitute around 46 g of protein per day.
The reviewed seasonal coffee beverages contain relatively high amounts of protein, considering that most regular black coffee beverages without additional ingredients have almost no protein. Meanwhile, all pumpkin spice lattes contain around 13–18 g of protein per 20 fl oz serving.
Meanwhile, Tim Hortons and McDonald’s coffee seem to have the lowest protein content of the reviewed coffees, with 13–14 g per serving.
The higher protein content in seasonal coffees can contribute nearly 40% of the daily protein intake in a standard 2,000 kcal diet. However, their overall nutritional composition, including high saturated fat, sugar content, and additives, makes them less than ideal as a protein source.
By incorporating nutrient-dense sources of food that provide various micronutrients without additional additives, the same protein intake may be easily acquired throughout the daily meals.
Vitamins and minerals
Essential vitamins and minerals are crucial for many body functions daily. American dietary guidelines emphasize that people should aim to meet their nutritional requirements of vitamins and minerals through a healthy eating pattern that includes nutrient-dense foods.
While the micronutrient recommendations may vary depending on individual parameters such as age, sex, and health status, the recommendations for vitamin D usually reach 600 IU or around 15 mcg per day. Similarly, calcium recommendations may vary between 1,000 and 1,300 mg per day and potassium between 2,300 and 2,600 mg per day in adult females, with the higher recommendations set for males reaching up to 3,400 mg per day.
Since both plain and seasonal coffee beverages are not considered rich sources of vitamins and minerals, most of the pumpkin spice lattes reviewed do not specify their micronutrient content per serving.
However, even when comparing coffee beverages such as Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s Coffee, which provide information on the vitamin and mineral content per serving, it is fair to say that the amount of some of the micronutrients is low. For example, vitamin D in both coffees reaches 4–5 mcg per 20 fl oz, which is low compared to the daily dietary recommendations.
In terms of calcium and potassium, both coffees include around 450–608 mg of calcium per serving. Meanwhile, potassium varies from 730–889 mg per serving.
While calcium and potassium amounts may be considered moderate, it is worth noting that caffeine may inhibit the absorption of certain micronutrients. Moreover, given the additional ingredients, high sugar, and saturated fat content in such coffee, focusing on nutrient-dense foods that provide these micronutrients, such as dairy products, leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, may be more beneficial.
Ingredients evaluation
Many of these lattes contain high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, artificial colors, and preservatives. While these additives are regulated for safety, they may still pose health concerns, especially when consumed frequently or in large amounts.
Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup
The nutritional evaluation reveals a high total and added sugar content in all pumpkin spice lattes. When evaluating ingredients, most seasonal beverages include regular table sugar, brown sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup.
It is suggested that excess sugar intake may contribute to overweight and obesity. Excessive sugar intake may also promote an inflammatory process, leading to insulin resistance and low-grade chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is associated with conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, and joint diseases, as well as an increased risk of developing certain allergies.
Artificial flavors and colors
Three of the reviewed pumpkin spice lattes within the ingredients list include artificial flavors or colors. Both Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme lattes include artificial flavors. However, the specific flavors are not disclosed.
Moreover, Scooter’s coffee ingredients include an artificial color called Yellow 6, also known as Sunset Yellow.
While regulatory agencies monitor the inclusion and safety of artificial colors and flavors in food products, some research questions the long-term effects of regular intake of artificial flavors, colors, and other additives. For example, it is noted that Yellow 6 in animal models may alter gut microbiota, potentially increasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria, such as Prevotella 2 and Oribacterium.
Moreover, multiple authorities have assessed the potential toxicity of Sunset Yellow, including genotoxic (damage to the genetic material in body cells) and hepatotoxic (liver damage caused by exposure to toxic substances) effects observed in various animal models. In any case, it is important to note that the toxicity of any substance, including artificial colors, may highly depend on the dose and regularity of intake.
Preservatives and emulsifiers
Preservatives and emulsifiers have become essential in processing drinks and food products. While one may not anticipate it, seasonal coffee beverages are not an exception, as they often include them in the ingredients list.
All reviewed pumpkin spice lattes included certain preservatives, with almost half of the brands containing potassium sorbate, one of the most common preservatives.
While health authorities also regulate preservative use in food manufacturing, some studies suggest certain potential health risks. Many preservatives, especially the most common ones, including sorbates, have been associated with genotoxicity.
Emulsifiers, both in animal model studies and some human studies, are associated with a negative impact on gut microbiota. This could potentially lead to microbiota dysbiosis, which may stimulate chronic inflammation and the development of metabolic syndrome.
However, scientific research is limited, and the potential health implications of certain preservatives or emulsifiers may depend on the amount consumed regularly. It is important to remember that small intakes of these certain additives are considered safe for most people.
In conclusion, opting for regular coffee is a healthier choice compared to seasonal beverages like pumpkin spice lattes.
16 resources
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