Iced coffee warning from cancer charity
Cancer charity warns iced coffees from high-street retailers contain more than one quarter of daily calories
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Monday, 27, Jul 2009 03:19
A cancer charity has warned some high-street coffee shops are selling iced coffee drinks containing a quarter of a woman's recommended daily calories.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) found one drink which contained 561 calories, over a quarter of the 2,000 calorie intake recommended in a day for women.
The WCRF is warning regularly consuming high calorie drinks like these could increase cancer risk, as maintaining a healthy weight is the second most important preventative cancer measure, after not smoking.
Dr Rachel Thompson, science programme manager for WCRF, said: "The fact that there is an iced coffee on the market with over a quarter of a woman's daily calorie allowance is alarming. This is the amount of calories you might expect to have in an evening meal, not in a drink.
"Having these type of drinks as an occasional treat is unlikely to do you any harm. But if you are having them regularly then they will increase the chances of you becoming overweight, which in turn increases your risk of developing cancer, as well as other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes."
Researchers found a Starbucks Venti Dark Berry Mocha Frappuccino blended coffee with whipped cream is 561 calories, however, you can get a Tall Iced Coffee for just three calories, with the Venti option containing only five calories.
At Caffé Nero, a Double Chocolate Frappe and a Mocha Frappe Latte with semi skimmed milk contains 483 calories, and at Costa Coffee the Massimo Coffee Frescato contains 332 calories. A Massimo Iced Mint Latte with full fat milk (advertised for summer) contains 306 calories.
In a statement from Costa Coffee, a spokeswoman said: "Costa takes the nutritional balance of all its food and drink very seriously.
"We are currently working closely with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to develop a set of standards that meet future nutritional guidelines.
"Our research demonstrates that our customers are aware of healthy eating messages, and we have responded by reducing the salt and fat content of our products and removed artificial colours. We have also removed hydrogenated vegetable oils/fats or trans fats from our products."