Pumpkin spice season is officially here, bringing flavoured lattes, indulgent hot chocolates and increasingly elaborate matcha creations back to Britain’s high streets.
But behind the cosy names and autumnal flavours, some seasonal drinks contain considerably more calories and sugar than we might expect.
We analysed 30 autumn drinks from eight of the UK’s favourite high-street coffee brands, comparing the calories and total sugar in each standard serving.
Which autumn drink has the highest number of calories?
The analysis found that Costa Coffee’s Maple Hazel Hot Chocolate is the most calorific drink studied, containing 456 calories and 54g of sugar in a medium serving made with semi-skimmed milk.
That’s almost 100 calories more than the second-highest calorie drink, Pret’s Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate, at 360 calories per serving.
Black Sheep Coffee’s Pumpkin Spice Latte follows at 339 calories, while Starbucks’ Iced Apple Crumble Matcha Latte contains 328 calories. Costa Coffee’s Maple Hazel Latte completes the top five with 315 calories.
Which autumn drink contains the most sugar?
Costa Coffee’s Maple Hazel Hot Chocolate also tops the sugar ranking, with 54g of sugar per serving. That is equivalent to approximately 13.5 teaspoons, based on four grams per teaspoon.
For context, the NHS recommends that adults consume no more than 30 grams of free sugars a day. However, coffee shop nutritional information typically reports total sugar, which can include naturally occurring lactose from milk. This means the two measurements aren't directly comparable.
Coffee #1’s Caramel Pumpkin Hot Chocolate places second for sugar, containing 40.3 grams, followed by Pret’s Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate at 38 grams, and Black Sheep Coffee’s Pumpkin Spice Latte at 36.7 grams.
This means that several of the drinks analysed contain more than 30 grams of total sugar in one single serving, before accounting for anything else eaten or drunk throughout the day.
Are autumn matcha drinks healthier?
Matcha is often perceived as the 'lighter' coffee-shop choice, but its green colour doesn’t necessarily make the finished drink healthier.
Flavoured syrups, sweetened powders, milk, cream and seasonal toppings can all significantly increase the calorie and sugar content of a matcha drink.
Starbucks’ Iced Apple Crumble Matcha Latte contains 328 calories and 35.6 grams of sugar. That is 69 more calories and 4.2 grams more sugar than the brand’s iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte, which contains 259 calories and 31.4 grams of sugar. Both figures are based on grande servings.
Caffè Nero’s Banoffee Matcha Latte contains 246 calories and 28.3 grams of sugar, while Costa Coffee’s Maple Hazel Iced Matcha contains 206 calories and 26 grams of sugar.
The simple swaps that can save hundreds of calories
Seasonal drink fans don’t necessarily need to give up their coffee-shop favourites completely. Choosing a different drink, ordering a smaller size, or adjusting the toppings can substantially reduce the calorie and sugar content.
At Costa Coffee, swapping a medium Maple Hazel Hot Chocolate for a small Caramel Macchiato reduces the calorie content from 456 calories to 129 calories, a difference of 327 calories. The Caramel Macchiato also contains 13 grams of sugar, compared with 54 grams in the seasonal hot chocolate.
At Pret, its standard Pumpkin Spice Latte contains 183 calories, compared with 360 calories in its Toasted Marshmallow Hot Chocolate. This swap could reduce calories intake by 177 calories.
Seasonal drink fans could also consider:
Ordering a smaller size
Asking for fewer pumps of flavoured syrup
Skipping whipped cream, drizzle or extra toppings
Checking the nutritional value before ordering
Treating sweetened seasonal drinks as an occasional indulgence
“There’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying an autumn drink as an occasional treat, and it’s encouraging to see brands making nutritional information readily available so customers can make informed choices.
“However, it’s very easy to underestimate how many calories and how much sugar can be packed into one single serving. Once flavoured syrups, whipped cream, sauces, and sweet toppings are added, some seasonal drinks can become closer to a dessert than a standard cup of tea or coffee.
“It’s also important to distinguish the difference between total sugar and free sugar. Coffee-shop nutrition information generally displays total sugar, which can include the naturally occurring lactose found in milk. This means the figures can’t always be directly compared with the recommended daily limit for free sugars, although it remains a useful way to compare different drinks.
“If flavoured coffees are a regular purchase, relatively small adjustments can make a meaningful difference. Choosing a smaller size, asking for less syrup, or skipping the whipped cream and drizzle can help reduce the calorie and sugar intake without having to completely sacrifice seasonal drinks.”
Chemist4U collected publicly available nutritional information for 30 autumnal drinks sold by eight major UK coffee and food-to-go brands.
Drinks were ranked separately by calories and total sugar per standard serving. Where brands offered several size and milk options, the brand’s standard serving was used – to see the full break down, the full dataset is available upon request.
Nutritional values may vary depending on serving size, recipe changes, milk choice and customisation. Sugar values represent total sugar unless otherwise stated.
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