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(thanks for http://www.thirstyblogger.com/ for this picture)
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? Hello spring!
Its time for delicious cold drinks to relieve us from your heat. At first, I got on this track by wondering what the “cream” consists of in my Dunkin Donuts coffee with cream. Instead, I decided I would do cold beverages in honor of spring. So here we go!
Seattle’s Best Chocolate Javakula Ingredients: Unkown
But luckily I used to work there! So its got cold brewed coffee, milk, ice, mocha (ingredients unkown here), and some white powdery milk based stuff that we used to put into it. That’s enough to make me suspicious.
Dunkin Donuts Coffee Coolata (they don’t have a chocolate flavored one up for nutrition facts)
Ingredients: Frozen Coffee Coolatta Base [Water, Coffee Coolatta Concentrate (Water, Sugar, Coffee Extract, Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavor)], Light Cream [Milk, Cream, Disodium Phosphate (Stabilizer), Sodium Citrate (Stabilizer)].
Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Ingredients: Unsure. “Coffee with rich mocha-flavored sauce blended with milk and ice. Topped with sweetened whipped cream.”
McDonald’s Frappe Mocha Ingredients: Mocha Coffee Frappe Base, Ice, Whipped Cream, Chocolate Drizzle
Mocha Coffee Frappe Base:
Water, cream, sugar, milk, high fructose corn syrup, coffee extract, natural (botanical source) and artificial flavors, cocoa (processed with alkali), mono- and
diglycerides, guar gum, potassium phosphate, disodium phosphate, carrageenan, carob bean gum, colored with (red 40, yellow 5, blue 1).
Chocolate Drizzle:
Corn syrup, dextrose, water, sugar, glycerin, hydrogenated coconut oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), food starch-modified, nonfat milk, natural (plant source) and
artificial flavor, salt, gellan gum, disodium phosphate, potassium sorbate (preservative), soy lecithin, artificial flavor (vanillin).
Whipped Cream:
Cream, nonfat milk, water, corn syrup, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, mono-and diglycerides, carrageenan, polysorbate 80, beta carotene (color), natural (dairy and
vegetable source) and artificial flavor, mixed tocopherols (vitamin E) to protect flavor. Whipping Propellant (nitrous oxide).
Um, all I can say at some of these nutrition facts is “Yuck!” I have to say, I really appreciate how easy it was to find ALL the ingredients and nutrition facts on the McDonald’s website. At least they are very open about what is going into your food, even if its not always pretty. I can tell you also that Seattle’s Best’s whipped cream is made out of heavy whipping cream and vanilla syrup (again, ingredients unkown there). Probably the same for Starbucks (since they are the same company) I honestly don’t think that any of these win points for being anywhere close to natural so this is more of a nutrition battle. Its not a surprise that you should stick with Starbucks or Seattle’s Best since they are coffee shops and not donut or burger joints! I would also assume their ingredients are closest to natural (minus the ingredients in the chocolate syrup of course).
Oh, and its so easy to customize your drinks at those two places too. They don’t look at you like you have 2 heads when you ask for “skinny, half caf” like they do at McDonald’s. Also, Starbucks has a new mocha syrup out (for cold drinks only) that is Stevia based! I’m so proud of them. LoL! But seriously, you can cut down on the calories by asking for nonfat milk, no whipped cream etc. Its a bit harder at DD (they always run off when I order my drink before I’m done telling them what I want!) and McDonald’s (where they have no clue that people actually want a treat AND be healthy at the same time).
Brew coffee the night before and put in refrigerator to cool. In the morning, take unsweetened cocoa powder, mix with a little water, add sweetener (stevia, agave, or sugar) and melt in the microwave for a few seconds until you have your “syrup” (you can do this the night before also and cool in the fridge). Add cold coffee, ice, syrup, and milk/cream/whatever you choose to blender. Blend, serve, and enjoy! Nutrition Facts: much less than anything you see. Ingredients: Coffee, cocoa powder, milky substance (milk/cream/soy/whatever), sweetener, ice. Yum!
HOLY MOLY Mcdonalds!!! that is a LONG list, how do they fit all those ingredients in one cup? haha