Iced versions of normal coffee such as frappuccinos contain so many calories that they increase people's chances of becoming overweight, the second biggest cause of cancer after smoking, according to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
A survey of iced coffees sold by high street chains Starbucks, Caffe Nero and Costa Coffee identified the worst culprit as the venti dark berry mocha frappuccino at Starbucks, which contains 561 calories. Even without whipped cream it still has 457 calories.
Health experts advise that a woman should consume about 2,000 calories and a man 2,500 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight.
"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," said Dr Rachel Thompson, science programme manager at the WCRF.
Having such drinks as an occasional treat is fine, she said.
"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."
At Caffe Nero the double chocolate frappe and mocha frappe latte with semi-skimmed milk contains 483 calories, while the skimmed milk version has 452. At Costa Coffee, a massimo coffee frescato contains 332 calories, and a massimo iced mocha with full fat milk has 361.
A spokeswoman for Starbucks did not dispute the calorie counts produced by the WCRF but added that the company sold many low-calorie coffees.
根据世界癌症研究基金会(WCRF)的调查,像星冰乐( frappuccino,又称法布奇诺)之类的普通冰咖啡含有的热量非常之高,以至能增强饮者变得超重的机会,而且成为继吸烟之后得癌症的第二大原因。
对商业连锁店星巴克(Starbucks)、尼路咖啡(Caffe Nero)及咖世家咖啡(Costa Coffee)销售的各种冰咖啡所做的一项调查确定,最严重的罪魁祸首是星巴克20盎司最大杯(venti)的黑莓糖浆摩卡星冰乐(dark berry mocha frappuccino),其含有561卡路里的热量。即使不加搅打奶油也有457卡路里的热量。
健康专家建议,要保持健康的体重,女性每天应摄取约2000卡路里的热量,而男性则为2500卡路里的热量。
WCRF科学项目经理雷切尔·汤普森(Rachel Thompson)博士说:"事实上,市场上提供一种冰咖啡,其含有的热量居然超过女性每日容许摄入热量的四分之一,这个事实真令人担忧。这么多的卡路里一般是在晚饭时摄入的,而不是在一杯饮料中。"
她说,偶尔款待一下自己、喝一杯这种饮料并无大碍。
"但是,如果你经常喝这种饮料,那就会增加你变得超重的机会,这进而会增加你得癌症以及如心脏病、糖尿病之类的其他疾病的风险。"
在尼路咖啡店里,半脱脂牛奶的双重巧克力冰咖啡(double chocolate frappe)和摩卡冰咖啡拿铁(mocha frappe latte)含有483卡路里热量,而脱脂牛奶的则有452卡路里热量。在咖世家咖啡店里,一个最大杯冰咖啡(massimo coffee frescato)含有332卡路里热量,而最大杯全脂牛奶冰摩卡(massimo iced mocha)则含有361卡路里热量。
星巴克的一位发言人对WCRF提出的有关卡路里热量没有异议,但他补充道,星巴克也销售许多低热量咖啡。