"The Starbucks 15": Baristas Concerned About Nutrition at Coffee Chain
Submitted on Sat, 06/10/2006 - 12:17am
Summer Beverage Line Features Drinks With More Calories Than a Big Mac
New York, NY- The IWW Starbucks Workers Union urged its members today to exercise serious caution when consuming Starbucks products because of the increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses associated with diet and obesity. The union made the announcement after concluding that according to Starbucks' own nutritional data, the summer line of beverages continues the coffee giant's propensity for drinks high in calories, saturated fat, and sugar.
"The summer line is more of the same junk food from Starbucks," said Michael F. Jacobson, Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). "Regular consumers of Starbucks products could face Venti-sized health problems. If Starbucks cared about its customers' health, it would at least list on the menu board the calorie content of its offerings."
Several of Starbucks' popular beverages are loaded with calories, fat, and sugar. The popular Grande Latte weighs in at 260 calories with almost half the calories coming from fat. The big-selling Grande White Mocha packs in 510 calories and 24 grams of fat. The summer line continues the trend with the award for least-healthy drink going to the heavily advertised Venti Banana Coconut Frappuccino. The massive drink weighs in at 730 calories compared to 560 calories for a Big Mac from McDonald's.
"Starbucks wants it both ways. It markets itself to the health conscious consumer, yet many of Starbucks' drinks and other products are loaded with calories--sometimes huge numbers of calories," said Marion Nestle, Professor of Nutrition at New York University and celebrated author most recently of What to Eat.
Starbucks has come under fire from nutrition groups in the past. The Starbucks Venti Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino made CSPI's Top 10 list of foods you should never eat which called the drink, "the nutritional equivalent of a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pepperoni Pizza that you sip through a straw."
"A bunch of us were talking and figured out that we had gained around 15 pounds after beginning work at Starbucks," said Tomer Malchi, a Starbucks barista and union member. "We call it the 'Starbucks 15'." Mr. Malchi explained that Starbucks workers consume the chain's beverages and leftover pastries while on shift.
Dr. Jacobson of CSPI also expressed serious concern about the Starbucks sizing system. Starbucks keeps its smallest size, "short," a secret, presumably because it is cheaper.
The IWW Starbucks Workers Union (www.starbucksunion.org) is an organization of employees at the world's largest coffee chain united for a living wage, secure hours, and an independent voice on the job.