Lousy w/o my Latte...

Hi all,

Does anyone have any better alternatives to my almost daily latte?? I know it's not conducive to my ever-going weight loss attempt. I do order a non-fat (skim), sugar-free caramel latte, but I assume this is still not very healthy. Tea may be the answer, but sometimes it just doesn't hit the spot!

Also, I don't understand the big diet soda debate... I do understand that there is evidence that diet sodas may cause increased hunger feelings, but I'm not sure why else it is important to quit drinking it.

I have a one-a-day 4 or 5 shot soy latte (unsweetened soy w/no sugar or sugar substitute added) and I am almost positive this is not the reason I am 15 lbs overweight. :) I am also positive that if I gave it up I would not be any fun to be with at all (and it's debatable now. :D ).

Skim milk is a good source of calcium. The no sugar syrup is probably not the healthiest thing in the world - maybe try weaning yourself off that. But I doubt that it is having a big effect on your weight loss efforts.

Well, a 16oz. (grande) non-fat latte has about 130 calories. Only four of those calories are from the espresso shots, and the rest is from the skim milk. Sugar-free syrups are generally considered calorie-free, but even if you figure 1 calorie per shot of syrup, you're still only talking about 3 calories there. So, it's the milk in the latte that's bringing in the extra calories.

If you're concerned about artificial sweeteners, you could switch to a plain non-fat latte. Or, you could drop the milk and sweeteners altogether and drink straight espresso, an Americano (espresso + water), or just brewed coffee.

When I wanted to get rid of the extra calories in my non-fat latte, I switched my drink of choice to the Americano (with a single pump of sugar-free hazelnut syrup) and about a tablespoon of half-and-half on occasion. The half-and-half is ~20 calories per tablespoon. Creamy goodness for my coffee, but way fewer calories than in all of the skim milk used to make a latte.

I have to ask....having never had an Americano (but plenty of espresso), what's the difference in taste between an Americano and plain ol' black coffee?

Black coffee gal here. I'm so boring ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by minn

..but I assume this is still not very healthy.

---

May I ask - why? Is it the sugar-free syrup that worries you? Or does the 130 calorie price tag make that much of an impact in your daily total?

As maillotpois pointed out, the skim is a good source of calcium, and the caffeine may have beneficial effects as well (though I'm not sure one latte a day is enough to make them kick in).

A daily latte habit, as long as your not adding lots of sugar in the form of syrup, etc., may do some damage to your wallet, but I think the rest of you is safe :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Becky

I have to ask....having never had an Americano (but plenty of espresso), what's the difference in taste between an Americano and plain ol' black coffee?

Black coffee gal here. I'm so boring ;)

---

My reason is this:
I tend to like dark roasted, bold flavor in my coffee. Brewed coffees can be so variable in taste profiles (different beans, different roasts, different blends, etc.) that I go with the Americano as my regular drink mostly because espresso is *a little* more predictable in flavor.

Although, if I happen across a Clover machine with Tanzania Blackburn Estate on offer, I dive right in and get a cup. That's some plain black coffee yumminess right there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dex

My reason is this:
I tend to like dark roasted, bold flavor in my coffee. Brewed coffees can be so variable in taste profiles (different beans, different roasts, different blends, etc.) that I go with the Americano as my regular drink mostly because espresso is *a little* more predictable in flavor.

Although, if I happen across a Clover machine with Tanzania Blackburn Estate on offer, I dive right in and get a cup. That's some plain black coffee yumminess right there.

---

Makes sense to me! Thanks for the explanation :)

An Americano is a shot of espresso with about a cup of really hot water coming out of the coffee machine. I love coffee, and I find Americanos awful. Instead I usually make myself (at home) a "long" espresso, which the French and Québécois regularly drink and call "allongé." It's basically the same quantity of ground coffee as the one used for one shot of espresso, but with more water pushed through it. In other words, the machine is "on" for longer.

Some barristas know about them, but in the USA I've often had to say NOOOOOO! when they were going to add boiling water to it, effectively destroying the coffee's delicate aromas.

I drink coffee without milk or any other "contaminant" :D and love it that way. It takes much better quality coffee though, because you're really tasting the thing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by minn

Hi all,

Does anyone have any better alternatives to my almost daily latte?? I know it's not conducive to my ever-going weight loss attempt. I do order a non-fat (skim), sugar-free caramel latte, but I assume this is still not very healthy. Tea may be the answer, but sometimes it just doesn't hit the spot!

Also, I don't understand the big diet soda debate... I do understand that there is evidence that diet sodas may cause increased hunger feelings, but I'm not sure why else it is important to quit drinking it.

---

Soda leaches minerals from your bones: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ost...N=risk-factors

Sugar-free caramel probably just means there are other weird chemicals in there.

You don't mention what size latte you get, but maybe you could get a smaller one. Personally, my experience with low fat diets is that I am hungry and cranky all the time, I end up eating a lot of unnatural, processed "foods", and ultimately it's just not good for me. So when I order my decaf mocha, I get fatty milk and whip =) It satisfies the craving in a way that skim milk never could.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bounceswoosh

Soda leaches minerals from your bones: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ost...N=risk-factors

Sugar-free caramel probably just means there are other weird chemicals in there.

You don't mention what size latte you get, but maybe you could get a smaller one. Personally, my experience with low fat diets is that I am hungry and cranky all the time, I end up eating a lot of unnatural, processed "foods", and ultimately it's just not good for me. So when I order my decaf mocha, I get fatty milk and whip =) It satisfies the craving in a way that skim milk never could.

---

I was just about to add that the carbonation contributes to osteoporotic bones.

I basically gave up on buying drinks and making my own coffee in my office - I bought the cute 4-cup model and a grinder. I buy the same beans (Einstein Bros. Vanilla Hazelnut) every time to minimize the variation, thus a consistent pot of coffee.

As an aside - before I started bike commuting regularly most of the winter I'd buy a latte or a cortado a couple of times a week on my way to work since I'd walk right past the coffee shop on my way. (And besides it was cold so I deserved it, right? ;) ) Biking every day I got into the habit of eating very regularly and was usually starving by lunch. The very few times I've not biked, and bought myself a latte on the way like I used to... I have no appetite, and come lunch I'm hardly hungry. There are a LOT more calories in these things than I thought... I now regard them sort of like ice cream, nice treats but not a good everyday habit. Fullfat versions, that is.

Skim milk is good for you (unless you are lactose intolerant). Try sprinkling a bit of cinnamon or cocoa powder on your latte instead of using the caramel syrup flavoring stuff.
Do you know exactly what is in that caramel stuff? You might want to try to find out.
Sometimes "sugar free" labeling simply means no cane sugar and it could have all kinds of other sweeteners instead. If indeed it is a 'diet' flavoring, then that fake sugar is not really good for you either. :rolleyes:
A dusting of cocoa or cinnamon is yummy in latte. :)

A few years ago, I gave up my daily double latte with muffin (easily 1000 calories before work!), and promptly lost 20 lbs (over three months). I haven't missed it a bit. I do drink tea, but I don't need it like I needed the latte. Alot of other things were going on in my life at the time, and my latte was my crutch. When I faced those other things, I just didn't need or want the latte anymore. That's just my experience. Good luck!

Oh, and as for diet sodas, they have absolutely no value whatsoever. Drink water instead.

I've got the addiction of having a sugar free hazelnut lattae with skim milk daily.. it seems to control my hunger and is filling to me. I figure the skim milk helps with my daily calcium intake,, I've thought of trying the lattae with soy milk sometime too. Our local McDonalds has a coffee cafe menu now and I was surprised how flavorful the S/F vanilla lattae was...

I never warmed up to Latte and the like. This may be due to the 5, okay, 6, okay actually 8 teaspoons of sugar and a cup of whole milk that I dump into my morning 32 ounce container of very strong Taster's Choice "Gourmet" instant coffee.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pardes

very strong Taster's Choice "Gourmet" instant coffee.

---

Well it would have to be, wouldn't it ;)

Yum. I drink 2 cups of coffee before my 4 minute commute every moring. I use soy creamer, and I love it!

I would second that there is not really that much of a problem with getting a few calories from milk or soy milk! Calcium is so important!

I'll "third" the idea of a latte being a good source of calcium / vit d. I rarely drink milk alone, and when I do, it's usually b/c I'm having something rich and chocolately! So a Non Fat Latte is a good thing for me. The caffeine, well that's just icing! The bigger worry for me is the cost of buying them daily. I've cut it back to 2-3x week for only that reason.

Good Call on the soda being totally nutrional-less. Thanks for that reminder.

I'm sipping on a 12oz. skim latte with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top right now!! It's delightful.

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by minn

I'm sipping on a 12oz. skim latte with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled on top right now!! It's delightful.

---

Yay! For variety, don't forget to try a dusting of cocoa sometimes. :p

My favorite coffee house has a note posted on their menu board that reads: "give me coffee, and no one gets hurt".

For me, chewing peoples' a**es and heads off would be more problematic than the calories in the coffee creation:o.

I'm not a syrup flavor kinda coffee gal, but I agree on the skim milk thing being ok. If I don't get my fav "whatever", all I do is lust after it... so might as well have at least a little of it and be happy. Sometimes I will try to do just half of whatever it is. That way you get "the fix", but without all the calories.

Fwiw...

Coffee Cheers to you:).

Miranda

I actually like cafe au lait..which to my understanding, has lots more milk than a latte.

I rarely have lattes or cafe au laits and if I do, I keep it to 1 large regular. I seem to get diaherra...if more.

I do like strong, deep coffee with..only milk. I have not had sugar in coffees nor teas for past few decades. (but of course, I do have desserts).

Syrups for coffees just turn me off.

Good thing I don't want sugar in coffee or tea...I seem to imbibe 2-3 cups of coffee daily...at places where I've worked, it's been free for past few years.

At home it's, just tea and milk. It's cheaper. On top of coffee at work (or from Starbuck's), will have 2 c. of tea at home.

No I don't like any pop, diet or whatever. Seem to drink a Sprite or Mountain Dew...uh..maybe 2-3 times annually. Instead it's natural fruit juices. (not juice cocktail..)