There's nothing like popping into a cosy coffee shop for a delicious latte or hot chocolate to warm up on a chilly winter day. The likes of Starbucks, Costa and Caffe Nero have some fabulous warming drinks on sale this year, from Gingerbread Lattes to Irish Velvet Coffees and Salted Caramel Hot Chocolates. We could literally dive into one right now. But while these festive drinks sound scrummy, you might want to check the nutritional information on some of them, as calorie, sugar and fat contents can be much higher than you'd think.
Dental hygienist and founder of London Hygienist, Anna Middleton told HELLO!: "The main cause of tooth decay is poor food and beverage choices - particularly those with high levels of sugar. When these festive drinks are consumed, bacteria in the mouth thrives and grows off of the sugar consumed. The bacteria then cling to the teeth, creating a chemical reaction that then eats away at the enamel. When this layer erodes, teeth become susceptible to damage and decay."
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She added: "Over the festive period try to manage your intake of sugary drinks where possible, opting for healthier options, and brushing twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste. Try to keep all sugars and acids to mealtimes and aim to have no more than three to four sugar/acid attacks per day."
Take a look at the nutritional content of these well-known Christmas high street drinks...
Starbucks:
- Toffee Nut Latte (Venti) - 413 calories, 15.6g fat, 47.4g sugar
- Toffee Nut Frappuccino (Venti) - 434 calories, 14.5g fat, 70.5g sugar
- Gingerbread Latte (Venti) – 412 calories, 15.1g fat, 48.5g sugar
- Eggnog Latte (Venti) – 451 calories, 15.8g fat. 56.3g sugar
- Signature Caramel Hot Chocolate (Venti) – 695 calories, 27.2g fat, 89.1g sugar
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Costa:
- Gingerbread & Cream Latte (Medio) - 326 calories, 21g fat, 19.6g sugar
- Irish Velvet & Cream Coffee Frostino (Medio) - 379 calories, 18.7g fat, 36.8g sugar
- White Hot Chocolate, (Medio) - 331 calories, 13.6g fat, 34.3g sugar
- Luxury Hot Caramel - 159 calories, 2.9g fat, 24.9g sugar
- Hazelnut & Praline Cream Latte (Medio) - 388 calories, 21.5g fat, 32,5g sugar
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Caffé Nero:
- Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (regular) - 401 calories, 21.5g fat, 38.8g sugar
- Ginger Latte (regular) - 86 calories, 0.4g fat, 14.9g sugar
- Caramelised Almond Latte (regular) - 115 calories, 2.5g fat, 17.3g sugar
- Hazelnut Hot Chocolate, (regular) - 399 calories, 21.5g fat, 38.2g sugar
- Caramelatte - 420 calories, 23g fat, 39.9g sugar