FAQ Archive

  • August 2008:
    "Healthy choices from fast-food menus?"
  • October 2008:
    What does the Daily Value represent on my yogurt’s nutrition label?
  • September 2008:
    "Isn’t diet and exercise the best way to promote heart health?"
  • August 2008:
    "Healthy choices from fast-food menus?"
  • July 2008:
    Body detoxification
  • June 2008:
    Is it possible to eat well without breaking the bank?
  • May 2008:
    "Downed" cows
  • April 2008:
    “Are there healthier espresso options?”
  • March 2008:
    “Deceptively Delicious”
  • February 2008:
    What does "nutrient-rich" mean?
  • January 2008:
    Raw milk vs. pasteurized milk
  • December 2007:
    The dairy industry’s involvement in eating “local”
  • November 2007:
    E. coli and dairy foods
  • October 2007:
    School lunches vs. packed lunches
  • September 2007:
    Fat-free half-and-half
  • August 2007:
    Milk’s impact on teeth
  • July 2007:
    Dealing with lactose intolerance
  • June 2007:
    The relationship between calcium and heart disease
  • May 2007:
    Mothers’ influences on daughter’s eating habits
  • April 2007:
    “Extreme eating” at restaurants
  • March 2007:
    The validity of industry-sponsored dairy studies
  • February 2007:
    What is cloned milk and is it safe?
  • January 2007:
    Cholesterol guidelines for children
  • December 2006:
    Home-cooked healthy meal suggestions
  • November 2006
    E. coli and dairy foods
  • October 2006:
    Hormones and children’s health
  • September 2006:
    Back to school and healthy eating
  • August 2006:
    Healthy eating and summer fun
  • July 2006:
    Dietary guidelines and beverage choices
  • April 2006:
    Women’s health and eating plans
  • March 2006:
    Birthday party treats and healthy eating
  • February 2006:
    Heart healthy food plans
  • January 2006:
    Kidney stones and calcium

    • Frequently Asked Questions

    By Althea Zanecosky, MS, RD, LDN
    Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association





    April 2008


    Q: Fancy coffee shop offerings like lattes and mochas can be high in fat and calories.  Are there healthier espresso options?

    A: There’s good news for coffee shop devotees! Following the restaurant trend of meeting customers’ desires for healthier grab-and-go options, Starbucks recently introduced new “Skinny” versions of favorite items.  Made with fat-free milk and sugar-free syrup, a “Skinny” Starbucks Caffè Latte or Caffè Mocha will help coffee lovers satisfy their sweet cravings while reducing calories and fat.

    Made with espresso coffee, a 12-ounce (tall) Caffè Latte or Caffè Mocha ordered with sugar-free syrup, steamed fat-free milk, and signature foam contains just 90 calories. Replacing a daily tall Starbucks Vanilla Latte with Starbucks Skinny Vanilla Latte saves 700 calories and 35 grams of fat per week. Swapping a daily tall Caffè Mocha (made with reduced-fat milk and no whip) for a Skinny Mocha saves 550 calories and 30 grams of fat each week.

    Lattes and Mochas — skinny and regular — provide a delicious, sweet coffee taste while supplying the natural goodness of milk.  All 12-ounce espresso drinks naturally contain 9 grams of protein and 30 percent of recommended daily calcium. With two out of three Americans failing to meet their daily calcium intake as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, ordering a “Skinny” Caffè Latte or Caffè Mocha helps save about 100 calories while getting one of the recommended three servings of dairy daily.

    Here are some other ways to make your milk-based espresso drinks healthier:

    • Skip the whip. If you typically ask for whipped cream on your beverage, request extra foam instead. It tastes just as good and saves anywhere from 60 to 110 calories and 6 to 11 grams of fat. 
    • Satisfy a sweet tooth. Feel free to ask your barista to add a sugar substitute like Splenda or Equal® to your favorite beverage.
    • Lighten up. Make your next Frappuccino blended beverage a Frappuccino Light blended coffee or crème and save up to 250 calories and 4 grams of fat.

    More coffee nutrition information:

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    If so, please submit your question to dairyspot.com. We will try our best to answer your question in an upcoming “Ask the Dietitian” column. We cannot guarantee that all questions will be answered.