Tis The Season… For Sugar-Loaded Everything.
Do you notice how the aroma in the air seems to change almost instantaneously just as soon as Halloween is over? It’s the holiday season, brought to life with the scents of pumpkin, cinnamon and of course, sugary sweetness. And to match the holiday themed music played in nearly every establishment until the end of the year, all of the local coffee shops bring out their holiday ammo as well and aim it right for their drinks and snacks. Who knew that apple cinnamon and candy cane flavors could make their way into so many different things, right?
Cinnamon & Spice, But Everything Else Is Not Always Nice
So many people say that it’s okay to indulge in the holiday goodness, at least a little. But the word “little” has no real unit of measure and is solely based on the individual. And when everything around you is so addictingly sweet, sticking to a little sweetness may be tougher than what some people think. So what is a little? Well, for sugar, the American Heart Association (AHA) advises that the daily maximum of added sugar is 37.5 grams (9 teaspoons) for men and 25 grams (6 teaspoons) for women. Seems like with those numbers, there is quite a bit of wiggle room, right? Well, in most cases there’s not. Consider the average holiday cafe coffee or snack has 50 grams of sugar. That’s double the recommended amount for women in one item alone. Wow! When you have something to measure up against, things become quite a bit clearer.
When it comes to opting for take-out anything, you could be running into more risks than just a sugar overdose. There are ingredients and origins to consider as well as anything thing else regarding your personal health concerns and objectives. And the sad side is that things aren’t always what they seem. One of the most common problems being brought to light is that simple ingredients aren’t really simple at all. We’ll use a popular example. The coconut milk Starbucks debuted, in order to appeal to their growing non-dairy crowd, wasn’t really coconut milk at all. Traditionally, coconut milk consists of simply coconut milk and water, but their version consists of more than 15 ingredients, most of which have nothing to do with coconuts at all. There are many reasons companies choose to do things like this, but as patrons we want to know exactly what it is that we are putting in our bodies.
When There’s A Will There’s A Way, And The Way Is DIY
You don’t have to abstain from the holiday flavors just because you can’t find a healthier way to enjoy them. The best way to know what you’re consuming is to do it yourself, or at least be the biggest part of the creation process. It’s certainly more of an enjoyable thing to do compared to waiting in those long lines at the cafe with cold weather nipping at your heels. There are plenty of recipes out there, and an example can be found on the link we shared earlier this month And you can spice things up by adding your own variations or inventing your own unique drinks. You’ll be surprised at what you can come up with once you allow your creativity to take charge. And since you will now have control of what exactly goes into your drink, you can be sure to keep the sugar level in the healthy range, if you even want to use it at all. Steeping a tea bag with anise, clove and cinnamon into your coffee can give you the essence of the holidays without adding any extra sugar or calories.
Survive The Sugar Madness In The Office
Who says you can’t enjoy holiday flavors while at work? Skip both the lines and the rush by creating your own holiday themed coffee drinks in the office. And if this is something that’s never been done before, you can always make the suggestion. There are countless coffee toppings and accents available that are both simple and affordable. And you can also kick it up a notch by selecting fair trade, local and organic options. That’s why it’s nice to have a service you work with where you know where your products are coming from and can give you the options available so you can switch things up for the holidays. After all, it’s the time of year where the most common treats in the break room are homemade or bakery delivered cookies and other confections. With all that sugar, being able to control what goes into your coffee is very empowering.
We are what we eat and drink, so remember to be good to your body.