Becky..Put the Pumpkin Spice Latte down!

It may be basic season, but that Pumpkin Spice frap may be leading you to pack on the pounds.

“A grande pumpkin spice latte with 2 percent milk and whipped cream is 380 calories, according to Starbucks' website. This includes 14 grams of fat, 52 gram of carbs and 50 grams of sugar.”

Most pumpkin spice lattes are super high in sugar and processed ingredients. A Grande Caramel Frappiccihno made with whole milk and topped with whipped cream has 66 grams of sugar. Imagine drinking 16 tablespoons of sugar!

Especially keeping in mind that the AHA recommends that men eat no more than 37.5 grams of sugar daily and women eat no more than 25 grams of sugar daily. For a sweet-treat alternative, order the Iced Caramel Macchiato with only one or two pumps of syrup.

Easy Swaps Drink Swaps

• Try putting less sweetener in your coffee or tea in the morning.

• Just say no to that extra extra frap ladies. Try using an unsweetened almond milk in substitute.

• Starbucks automatically adds four pumps of syrup to your flavored latte. But that doesn't mean that you need to keep it at four — you can actually customize your drink by asking the barista to use only one or two pumps instead.

• Avoid using sugar alternatives. Artificial sweeteners can be anywhere from 200 to 13,000 times sweeter than real sugar. This can fool your brain into thinking that you’re actually eating sugar. In the long run, these substitutes can trigger sugar cravings, making it harder for you to stick to your eating plan.

If you want to enjoy your fav cozy time drink at home with less of the guilt, try this recipe!

2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon each ground nutmeg

Pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

½ cup hot brewed coffee

1 tablespoon almond butter

1. In a saucepan over low heat, combine ingredients (minus coffee and almond butter). Stir until warm and fragrant, about 3 minutes.

2. Transfer to a blender and add coffee and almond butter. Blend until well mixed and frothy. YUM!