Teenage Drinks; Caloric Killers and Sugar Overdoses

In the world of Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and other American drink & snack companies, caloric gorging is a massively common trend among teenagers and all ages alike. “Just one coffee” has turned into a phrase with consequences that are more like “Just one cup of sugars and fats”! These teenage girls in yoga pants drinking their daily coffee most often are drinking a fourth of a day’s recommended calories. Along with soft drinks, energy drinks, and vitamin waters the American teen is swallowing spoonfuls of sugar with each sip.

According to the Starbucks Website, their regular Blonde Roast contains (per serving: 16 floz) 5 calories, 1g of protein, and no fats or sugars. While the trending and popular Caramel Brulée Latte has 440 calories, almost a fourth of your daily recommended calorie intake. Along with 13 grams of fat and 52 grams of sugar, it’s a delicious diabetes inducing beverage. Starbucks biggest calorie holder surprisingly isn’t a coffee at all, it’s their White Hot Chocolate containing a whopping 480 calories.

But coffee isn’t the only caloric predators here. Soft drinks enjoyed by many Americans, not only teenagers, can have high amounts of sugar. A 12 fl. oz. can of Coca-Cola has 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar. A regular 12 fl. oz. can of Orange Fanta has 160 calories and 44 grams of sugar, but on the bright side it contains no caffeine. All these soft drinks contain over 30 grams of sodium, and we can guarantee these drinks aren’t good for us (but that doesn’t mean that I’m not sipping a coke right now… and I don’t plan on stopping).

When it comes to our fatty, salty, sugary, and overall unhealthy beverages, we tend to just not get enough. Our foods and drinks mean a lot to us, and I think we can all agree we need to be healthier, but that’s way easier said than done.