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Wednesday's Health Report: Pumpkin spice latte alternatives can help cut calories
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BATON ROUGE — With cooler temperatures comes pumpkin spice latte season. Experts say consumers should be aware that the seasonal favorite packs a lot of empty calories.
"A lot of times when we are drinking our calories, we really don't think about it. It may not give you the same fullness that you would if you had the same amount of calories in some sort of, you know, solid meal." Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony said.
Experts say there are some simple swaps that can help cut calories and satisfy pumpkin spice latte cravings. Whole milk can be substituted with skim or almond milk. Consumers can also opt for less syrup, go sugar-free or avoid add-ons like whipped cream.
It is also important to keep portion size in mind. Ordering a smaller size can reduce a lot of calories. Making pumpkin spice lattes at home also saves money.
"Anytime that you can do a dupe at home, I always think that that's a better option because you can control the portion size, you can control how much of those ingredients you're putting in. And so, it's going to overall be a better option than going to the restaurant and ordering it that way,” Czerwony said.
Experts say moderation is key when it comes to enjoying pumpkin spice lattes. Another diet alternative is real pumpkin which is full of vitamins and antioxidants.
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