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10 drinks from popular coffee shops that have more sugar than a can of Coke

Check out the 10 most sugar-loaded drinks you should avoid below

Chloe Pantazi
Wednesday 17 February 2016 16:47 GMT
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The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is to contain real pumpkin for the first time from this autumn
The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is to contain real pumpkin for the first time from this autumn (Starbucks)

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Many beverages from high-street coffee chains contain dangerous amounts of sugar, according to new research by the UK campaign group Action on Sugar.

One of Starbucks' Hot Mulled Fruit drinks, for example, is crammed with 99 grams of sugar per serving, equivalent to 25 teaspoons of sugar. The Action on Sugar report says that's more than three times the maximum intake of 7 teaspoons per day.

The campaign body cites some alarming statistics: One in five of the UK population makes a stop at a coffee shop everyday, and the nation collectively consumes an estimated 1.7 billion cups of coffee each year (which might explain why many of us have trouble sleeping).

If they were sold at the supermarket, over 128 of the 131 drinks (98 per cent!) included in the report would be issued with a red label to indicate their dangerous sugar levels.

Check out the 10 most sugar-loaded drinks you should avoid below, with the quantity of sugar visualised by the equivalent number of cans of Coke. A 12-oz can has 39 grams of sugar.


Starbucks Chai Tea Latte (Venti) = 1.4 cans of Coke

A chai tea latte contains 13 teaspoons or 52 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 1.4 cans of Coke.


A chai tea latte contains 13 teaspoons of sugar

 A chai tea latte contains 13 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Costa Mocha (Massimo) = 1.4 cans of Coke

Costa's mocha has 13 teaspoons or 52.6 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 1.4 cans of Coke.


Costa's mocha has 13 teaspoons of sugar

 Costa's mocha has 13 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Costa Hot Chocolate (Massimo) = 1.5 cans of Coke

A hot chocolate from Costa contains 14 teaspoons or 54 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 1.5 cans of Coke.


A hot chocolate from Costa contains 14 teaspoons of sugar

 A hot chocolate from Costa contains 14 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

KFC Hot Chocolate with cream = 1.5 cans of Coke

KFC's hot chocolate comes in at 14 teaspoons or 54.3 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 1.5 cans of Coke.


KFC's hot chocolate comes in at 14 teaspoons of sugar

 KFC's hot chocolate comes in at 14 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Costa Coffee Mocha Latte (Massimo) = 1.5 cans of Coke

This mocha latte contains 14 teaspoons or 57.5 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 1.5 cans of Coke.


This mocha latte contains 14 teaspoons of sugar

 This mocha latte contains 14 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate (Venti) = 1.8 cans of Coke

This hot chocolate contains 15 teaspoons or 60 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 1.8 cans of Coke.


This hot chocolate contains 15 teaspoons of sugar

 This hot chocolate contains 15 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha with whipped cream (Venti) = 2 cans of Coke

There are 18 teaspoons or 73.8 grams of sugar in this mocha drink. That's equivalent to 2 cans of Coke.


There are 18 teaspoons or 73.8 grams of sugar in this mocha drink.

 There are 18 teaspoons or 73.8 grams of sugar in this mocha drink.
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Costa Chai Latte (Massimo) = 2.2 cans of Coke

This latte is laced with 20 teaspoons or 79.7 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 2.2 cans of Coke.


This latte is laced with 20 teaspoons of sugar

 This latte is laced with 20 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Starbucks Hot Mulled Fruit - Apple with Chai, Dried Apple, and Cinnamon (Venti) = 2.4 cans of Coke

There are 22 teaspoons or 88 grams of sugar in this fruity Starbucks drink. That's equivalent to 2.4 cans of Coke.


There are 22 teaspoons of sugar in this drink.

 There are 22 teaspoons of sugar in this drink.
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

Starbucks Hot Mulled Fruit - Grape with Chai, Orange, and Cinnamon (Venti) = 2.7 cans of Coke

This tour-de-force contains 25 teaspoons or 99 grams of sugar. That's equivalent to 2.7 cans of Coke


This tour-de-force contains 25 teaspoons of sugar

 This tour-de-force contains 25 teaspoons of sugar
 (Tobik/M. Unal Ozmen/Shutterstock)

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Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.

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