WOMEN could be consuming more than a quarter of their daily calories with just one iced coffee, an expert has warned.
One drink can contain as many calories as an evening meal, putting people at increased risk of obesity and therefore cancer, according to Dr Rachel Thompson, science programme manager for the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
She analysed the ca
lories at three leading high street chains and discovered most iced coffee drinks contained more than 200 calories, with some containing around 450.
A Starbucks large, venti-sized dark berry mocha frappuccino blended coffee with whipped cream had the highest number of calories – at 561.
The recommended calorie intake is 2,000 a day for women, and 2,500 for men.
In comparison, a large iced coffee, which is chilled black coffee over ice, contained only five calories.
Elsewhere, at Caffe Nero, a double chocolate frappe and a mocha frappe latte containing sugar and semi-skimmed milk contains 483 calories, the research showed. The skimmed milk option only cut this marginally to 452 calories.
At Costa Coffee the massimo coffee frescato, which has vanilla-based sugar syrup, has 332 calories. The primo version (the smallest version Costa offers) is 199 calories.
Dr Thompson said: "The fact that there is an iced coffee on the market with over a quarter of a woman's daily calorie allowance is alarming. This is the amount of calories you might expect to have in an evening meal.
"Having these type of drinks as an occasional treat is unlikely to do you any harm but if you are having them regularly then they will increase the chances of you becoming overweight which, in turn, increases your risk of developing cancer as well as other diseases such as heart disease.
"With even some small options containing 300 calories, people should check the nutritional content of these drinks, particularly if they are having them regularly."
She said it was worth shopping around for versions that were low in calories, and it was best to go for unsweetened options, without cream and sugary syrups, made with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.
Fife-based nutritionist Carina Norris agreed it was a concern.
"Some people, when they have a drink, don't really count it. However, it can have as many calories as a meal.
"Yes you are going to be getting some liquid nutrition from the milk but it can be very high in fat and sugar. Drinks are not as filling as a meal and slip down very easily.
"They feel like a snack and you will often have something else with it, such as a muffin, so you are almost having double a meal."
She said often the drinks containing syrups and cream were marketed towards women, but added that men could also be tempted.
"You do see men with hot chocolates and cream and a flake. They are probably even more likely to say "it's just a drink, it doesn't count".
A spokeswoman for Starbucks said it had more than 87,000 beverage variations, including some with as few as four calories.
"As the nation's favourite coffee shop brand for the second consecutive year, we believe that our customers want quality and choice, " she added.
A spokeswoman for Costa said:
"Costa seeks to provide customers with a choice of products across its drink and sandwich range meeting all key health trends, allowing them to choose healthy options if they so wish."
