Posted September 23, 2008 by The Gimcracker in Miscellaniac

How Bad Is A Frappuccino®?

I was recently horrified to find out that someone I know drinks a Frappuccino every day. I don’t think there is a worse thing you could drink. It’s one of the best-tasting drinks around, but consequently it’s one of the least healthy.

I was a barista for 4 years and I made plenty of Frappucino-like drinks (we called them Ice Storms). I used to split one with my coworker every couple of days, but stopped doing so when I discovered just how unhealthy they really are.

Why are Frappuccinos so bad for you? They cover all the bases of unhealthiness: they contain lots of sugar, fat, carbs, and caffeine. Let’s dive right into some comparisons:

McDonald’s Quarter Pounder (with cheese):

510 calories
26 fat
12 saturated fat
40 carb
9 sugar

Burger King Whopper (with mayo):

670 calories
39 fat
11 saturated fat
51 carb
11 sugar

Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino (with whip):

500 calories
16 fat
10 saturated fat
80 carb
68 sugar

Look at those carbs and sugar! Keep in mind we are comparing two very unhealthy fast food burgers to a DRINK. I guess it would be fine to drink Frappuccinos if you didn’t eat breakfast or lunch and then ate a really healthy dinner filled with vegetables and lean meat. Or if you ran 4 miles a day to offset the calorie intake. But let’s be honest here, people who drink Frappuccinos are the same people who eat bags of popcorn as an afternoon snack at their desks, so I don’t see them skipping 2 meals a day (which is also unhealthy – it lowers your metabolism).

How can something you drink be as unhealthy as a delicious McDonald’s hamburger that you eat? I’m willing to bet that if they put nutrition information right on the menus at Starbucks, a lot of people would get a drink with half the calories that would still taste really good. For instance, you could get a Lite Caramel Frappuccino – with only 180 calories (instead of a whopping 500) and 1.5 grams of fat (instead of 16). I imagine they don’t add the whip, they use a different mix base, and use skim milk. Still, you get a large Frappuccino with like 75% less guilt.

What’s the worst drink at Starbucks?

Java Chip Frappuccino (with whip):

600 calories (200 calories from fat!)
23 fat
14 saturated fat
96 carbs
77 sugar

600 calories. BOOM. I would much rather eat a Whopper. Plus I’d get more nutrition from a Whopper than a Frappuccino.

What’s the worst drink ANYWHERE?

Baskin Robbin’s Large Heath Bar Shake (32 oz)

2,310 calories
108 fat
64 saturated fat
266 sugar

If you have a Large Heath Bar Shake habit, shoot yourself right now.

The Gimcracker

Hi, I'm a person who blogs on the Internet and does not have a Facebook or Twitter account. It's like I accepted all new technology up to and including blogging, but then I rejected anything that came along after that. I am Social Media Amish.