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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/marketplace-coffee-chain-drinks-1.6244149
Which coffee chain drink has as much sugar as 2 cups of ice cream? | CBC News
You probably wouldn’t eat a chocolate bar on your way to work, but depending on your morning beverage of choice, you could be getting a similar amount of sugar in your favourite drinks from Starbucks, Tim Hortons and McCafe.
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Which coffee chain drink has as much sugar as 2 cups of ice cream?
Marketplace compares sugar in Starbucks, McCafe and Tim Hortons beverages
You probably wouldn't eat a chocolate bar on your way to work, but depending on your morning beverage of choice, you could be getting a similar amount of sugar in your favourite coffee shop drink.
To learn more about how much of the sweet stuff Canadians are sipping on, Marketplace reviewed online nutrition information for some popular drinks available at coffee shop chains across the country and found some contain a surprising amount of sugar.
"I think people are addicted to sweet, and it's leading to a health-care crisis," said hepatologist and gastroenterologist Dr. Supriya Joshi, who believes most people have no idea how much sugar is really in their daily dose of caffeine.
While many Canadians may know sugar is associated with weight gain and obesity, Joshi points out sugar is also related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is the storage of extra fat in the liver. Excess sugar in our diet is gradually turned into fat cells, which are stored in the liver, among other places. Over time, fat cells can replace liver cells, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Double-double doesn't add up
Consider the Canadian classic, a Tim Hortons double-double.
While its name implies two teaspoons of sugar and two teaspoons of cream, Joshi says a medium double-double coffee from Tim Hortons is actually more like a quadruple-quadruple.
It actually has four teaspoons of sugar in it and another teaspoon of sugar from the cream.
Dietitian Stefania Palmeri says for calories and sugar, that's similar to a 50 g Caramilk bar.
A Cadbury's Caramilk bar has 240 calories and 26 grams of sugar, while a medium double-double has 200 calories and 21 grams of sugar.
"When you put it in perspective, in that sense of you're having a chocolate bar on your drive in to work every morning, then that might shift perspective," she said.
Light options not always lighter on sugar
But recognizing how much sugar is in a beverage isn't always an easy task.
Consider Tim Hortons' Iced Capp Light for example.
The chain has called the drink a "balanced menu item" to help you make "sensible, wholesome choices." But a closer look reveals that while the Iced Capp Light, made with milk instead of cream, has 40 per cent fewer calories than the regular version, the sugar remains the same. Both the Iced Capp and the Iced Capp Light have 39 grams of sugar in their medium sizes — almost 10 teaspoons.
"People associate light with fewer calories, hopefully less sugar, not actually knowing that that's relatively unchanged," said Palmeri.
With respect to how its Iced Capp Light is marketed, Tim Hortons told us that yes, "an Iced Capp and an Iced Capp Light contain the same amount of sugar, however, an Iced Capp is made with cream while an Iced Capp Light is made with milk."
Tim Hortons has removed the page listing "balanced menu options" from its website since Marketplace reached out to the company.
The company says it uses dairy and sugar dispensers to ensure guests get a consistent cup every time at any Tim Hortons restaurant they visit, with the goal being that their double-double will "taste the same in a small, medium, large or extra large cup."
McCafe's Vanilla Chai Iced Frappe: seriously sweet
Another summertime favourite available in the warmer months is McCafe's Vanilla Chai Iced Frappe.
At 19 teaspoons — or 79 grams — of sugar, McCafe's Vanilla Chai Iced Frappe was the sweetest offering Marketplace purchased.
What's tricky about this beverage, according to Palmeri, is that some of the flavours and ingredients such as vanilla and chai sound better for you than they are, in this case.
"People that I've spoken to consider those natural ingredients or natural flavours. And usually anything with a natural connotation is seen as positive, but not necessarily so," said Palmeri.
Some sweet suggestions to cut back on sugar
For people concerned about their sugar intake when it comes to these caffeinated drinks, Palmeri suggests you consider these super-sweet drinks like a dessert, and enjoy them occasionally rather than 2-3 times a day.
"If you're usually having dessert on a Friday and a Saturday night, then perhaps instead of a slice of cake or a brownie, you're actually substituting it in for this drink," said Palmeri.
Reducing your sugar intake by simply modifying what you drink can make a big difference when it comes to health, according to Joshi, who says she's seen it happen with her patients who are suffering from gastrointestinal issues or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
"The illness they may have come to me seeking assistance with has actually improved simply by modifying their drinks, and they didn't even need a pill to make them feel better."
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perspective : a particular way of viewing things that depends on one's experience and personality
dispenser: a machine or container that you can get something from
connotation : a feeling or idea that is suggested by a particular word although it need not be a part of the word's meaning, or something suggested by an object or situation
substitute : to use something or someone instead of another thing or person