What's in your summer drinks?

Tag : corn syrup solids

Remember hot days and lemonade? Ah, the cool relief of the drippingwet glass as you held it to your face. The sweet, tangy burst toyour taste buds as you took your first sip. It was like liquidgold. An ice-tinkling glass of heaven that chased the summer heataway. Whether your memories are of lemonade on the back porch,peach ice cream in the neighborhood park or a frosty mug of rootbeer at the local drive-through, cool treats have always been apart of summer. They serve as heat-relievers, mood-boosters andmemory-makers. They can also serve as diet-killers. To help youprevent that, we've dissected drinks at some favored haunts,providing tips and insights so you can continue building yourmemories without boosting your middle. Note: Nutritional content isbased on estimates and can vary. Ingredient lists are basic andcannot be relied on by those with allergies. Percentages are basedon a 2,000-calorie diet.
STARBUCKS
Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino Bl ended Creme, Grande (16 ounces; $3.85)
What's in it: milk, ice, strawberries, whipped cream
Nutrition: 570 cal., 15 g fat (9 g sat.), 83 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (40 percent), protein (12 grams),vitamin C (45 percent), fiber (1 gram)
Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee, Grande (16 ounces, $3.65)
What's in it: coffee, milk, vanilla syrup, ice
Nutrition: 190 cal., 1 g fat (0 g sat.), 32 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (15 percent), protein (6 grams), fiber(3 grams)
ORANGE JULIUS
Triple Berry (16 ounces, $2.99)
What's in it: blackberry, raspberry and strawberry purees, flavorenhancer and smoothie booster (which contain milk and eggs),natural sweetener, ice
Nutrition: 310 cal., 7 g fat (6 g sat.), 49 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (8 percent), protein (2 grams), vitaminC (20 percent), fiber (4 grams)
Orange Julius (16 ounces, $2.99)
What's in it: orange juice, ice, flavor enhancer, natural sweetener
Nutrition: 130 cal., 0.5 g fat (0 g sat.), 30 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: vitamin C (80 percent), calcium (2 percent),protein (1 gram)
JAMBA JUICE
Peanut Butter Moo'd (16 ounces, $3.75)
What's in it: nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt, chocolate, soy milk,ice, bananas, all-natural peanut butter
Nutrition: 530 cal., 11 g fat (2 g sat.), 83 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (60 percent), protein (16 grams),potassium (17 percent), fiber (4 grams)
Strawberry Nirvana (16 ounces, $3.45)
What's in it: strawberries, bananas, apple-strawberry juice, ice,lower-calorie dairy base
Nutrition: 150 cal., 0 g fat, 27 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (20 percent), protein (6 grams), vitaminC (60 percent) potassium (9 percent), fiber (3 grams)
MCDONALD'S
Chocolate Triple Thick Shake (16 ounces, $2.29)
What's in it: reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup
Nutrition: 580 cal., 14 g fat (8 g sat.), 84 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (45 percent), protein (13 grams), iron(10 percent), fiber (1 gram)
Iced Coffee, Caramel (16 ounces, $1.79)
What's in it: premium roast coffee, light cream, caramel syrup, ice
Nutrition: 130 cal., 5 g fat (3.5 g sat.), 20 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (4 percent), protein (1 gram)
GOOD TIMES
Chocolate Shake (16 ounces, $2.49)
What's in it: shake mix (milk, sugar, corn syrup, grade A milksolids, whey, cream, etc.), chocolate syrup
Nutrition: 610 cal., 24 g fat (14 g sat.), 73 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (35 percent), protein (10 grams)
Glacier Soft Frozen Lemonade (16 ounces, $1.49)
What's in it: Lemon Glacier mix (high-fructose corn syrup, citricacid, orange-juice concentrate, etc.)
Nutrition: 200 cal., 0 g fat, 47 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: none
DAZBOG
Pomegranate Green Tea Chiller (16 ounces, $4.49)
What's in it: green-tea blended mix, pomegranate syrup, milk, ice,whipped cream
Nutrition: 523 cal., 19 g fat (16 g sat.), 50 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (23 percent), protein (4 grams), vitaminC (5 percent)
Pomegranate Mango Smoothie (16 ounces, $4.45)
What's in it: mango puree, pomegranate syrup, ice, whipped cream
Nutrition: 344 cal., 0 g fat, 73 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (12 percent), vitamin C (80 percent),vitamin A (80 percent), vitamin B6 (40 percent)
DAIRY QUEEN
Mocha MooLatte Frozen Blended Coffee (16 ounces, $3.89)
What's in it: Arctic Rush base (water, dextrose, citric acid, salt,cellulose gum), chocolate topping, cocoa fudge, Colombian coffeeconcentrate, vanilla soft-serve, whipped topping
Nutrition: 590 cal., 23 g fat (15 g sat.), 74 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: calcium (25 percent), protein (8 grams), vitaminC (2 percent)
Arctic Rush, Kiwi Strawberry (16 ounces, $1.79)
What's in it: Arctic Rush base, Kiwi Strawberry Arctic Rushflavoring (water, dextrose, citric acid, maltodextrin, modifiedfood starch, artificial flavors)
Nutrition: 240 cal., 0 g fat, 48 g sugar
Vitamins/minerals: none
Make it better
Here are a few ways to make your summer drink healthier:
Go skim (calorie counts for 16 ounces)
* Nonfat (skim) milk: 172 calories
* Low-fat (1 percent) milk: 204 calories
* Reduced-fat (2 percent) milk: 244 calories
* Whole milk: 292 calories
* Half-and-half: 630 calories
* Light table cream: 936 calories
Skip the whip
A quarter-cup dollop of whipped cream adds about 40 calories toyour drink.
Go bananas
Choosing any drink with fresh fruit rather than syrups for flavoradds fiber, antioxidants and nutrients, such as potassium andvitamin C, rather than just sugar.
Cut the fat
Choosing fruitier summer drinks with sherbets or sorbets ratherthan cream bases cuts the fat, which often cuts calories, too. Forinstance:
* A cup of vanilla ice cream has 290 calories with 7.9 grams of fat.
* A cup of orange sherbet has 214 calories with 1.5 grams of fat.
Give it a boost
Some smoothie shops, including Jamba Juice and Orange Julius, offernutritional boosters, such as immune-boosting vitamins anddiet-aiding fiber.
OMG! Summer treats that can kill a calorie count
* Dairy Queen's extra-large chocolate-chip cookie-dough Blizzard, 32 ounces - a whopping 2,060 calories (even the small is 720calories)
* Jamba Juice's Power-size Peanut Butter Moo'd - 1,170 calories
* McDonald's large chocolate Triple Thick shake - 1,160 calories
* Orange Julius Coconut Latte Swirl, 20 ounces - 960 calories
* Good Times' single-scoop Toffee Crunch waffle cone - 750 calories