How to order a 134 calorie Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks
Like a rich white girl, I have an affinity towards the Starbucks Coffee Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Which is funny because I’m a nerdy brown dude. But what can I say, it’s that good and it’s my second favorite food promo of the fall (to Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl, of course).
The problem with the PSL is that it contains as many calories than my normal lunch at Subway (sandwich plus chips).
Before I began tracking, I used to suck down a grande PSL without thinking twice. But now that I’m wiser in my ways, I’ve edumacated myself on how to order a waistline-friendly version that’s less than a third of the calories.
There are 3 main variables in play that will impact calories when constructing a Pumpkin Spice (or any kind) of Starbucks latte. They are:
1) Milk. Whole milk has fat. Skim milk does not. Fat has calories. Swap whole milk for skim. Easy peasy. I’ve been drinking all my espresso drinks with nonfat milk for so long, I don’t notice the difference anymore.
2) Whip. Whipped cream has a lot of sugar and fat. Yes, it’s delicious, but Starbucks lattes are high enough quality that they are perfectly good without it. Just go without it a couple of times and you’ll get used to it quickly.
3) Syrup or sauce. This is the one that most people miss. A tall nonfat PSL with no whip is still 200 calories, which is more than I’m willing to spend on coffee. But this comes with 3 pumps of “pumpkin sauce,” worth 33 calories each, which is a little unnecessary because it’s so damn sweet. Now, I just order 1 pump.
Pro-tip: get the app and construct your low-cal option for one order.
After that, it’s easier to just repeat your previous order than ordering the default version. This will save you some willpower because we humans naturally take the path of least resistance. No more getting fat off PSLs! Enjoy!
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