Pumpkin Spice Latte Nutrition: Sugar, Fat & Carbs - Oh My!
Pumpkins in a pumpkin patch.
Pumpkin spice season is finally here! If you’re like me, or one of the millions of pumpkin spice lovers, you just can’t get enough.
As a nutrition coach, I can’t help but peek at the nutrition facts. And let’s just say… the beloved pumpkin spice latte is more of a sugar-and-fat bomb than a delicious fall pick-me-up. (*cue dramatic crying*)
But don’t worry! You can have your cake… I mean, latte… and drink it too. It just works best as an occasional treat (maybe once a week if you can resist the daily temptation - I get it, it’s tough!).
Breaking it Down
I pulled nutrition info from six top coffee chains to compare their iced pumpkin spice lattes. For consistency, I looked at medium-sized iced PSLs made standard (no customizations or add-ins).
Nutrition breakdown of medium-sized iced pumpkin spice lattes across major chains.
On average, these drinks are pretty similar, but there are some standouts:
🧋🎃 - Starbucks has the highest calories (370), with most of those coming from sugar and fat.
🧋🎃 - Caribou Coffee clocks in with a whopping 61g of sugar.
🧋🎃 - Peet’s comes in the lightest, with the lowest totals for calories, fat, carbs, and sugar.
Visual Reality Check
The average nutrition of a standard 16-oz pumpkin spice latte is shown beside a cheeseburger, donuts, chips, and butter for comparison.
On average, a medium iced pumpkin spice latte contains:
Calories: Same as a McDonald’s cheeseburger.
Carbs: Roughly 3 snack-sized packets of chips.
Sugar: 3 frosted donuts (double the daily sugar recommendation).
Fat: Almost a tablespoon of butter.
What’s the takeaway?
Pretty shocking, right? But here’s the good news: you don’t have to ditch pumpkin spice season altogether. Instead, try these easy swaps to lighten things up:
🍂 – Order a small instead of medium or large.
🍂 – Swap whole milk for almond, low-fat, or nonfat milk.
🍂 – Ask for fewer pumps of syrup.
🍂 – Skip the whipped cream.
🍂 – Try a cold brew with pumpkin cold foam (lighter on calories, still high in sugar, but less than the latte).
🍂 – Order a regular iced coffee with pumpkin spice instead of a latte. If you like milk, choose low-fat or nonfat options.
🍂 – Make a DIY version at home, so you control the sweetness and fat.
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.