Even those that don't like the change from summer to cooler weather often times look forward to the one thing that is sure to happen. Everyone knows that when fall hits, people reach for the pumpkin spice lattes.

Usually available to all pumpkin spice lovers the day after Labor Day, Starbucks says that their pumpkin spice latte is, by far, their most popular seasonal beverage. Your beloved pumpkin spice latte just may "hit the spot", but do you really know what happens to your body that hour after you drink one grande pumpkin spiced latte? You just may be surprised.

A latte of that size usually contains around 12 teaspoons of sugar. Research shows that when that sugar hits the blood steam, your pancreas starts working to secrete insulin to break down that sugar so your cells can either use it for fuel or store it away. But this could be a problem, because if your cells are already full of glucose, it's rejected. This means that the extra sugar is then stored in your body as fat.

When your insulin levels increase, this triggers your liver to go into action. Within 30 minutes, the liver feels the need to take care of all of the extra sugar in your body, breaking it down and storing the sugar as a fat.

As the fat in your body begins to be absorbed, the fat in your blood begins to increase. This might not be a problem if you are a "one and done" type of pumpkin spice latte drinker, but over time, the more you consume, blood vessels could become clogged.

As your blood pressure and pulse begin to increase, the high levels of sugar and caffeine begin to mess with your stomach, possibly leading to gastrointestinal discomfort. The sugar and caffeine can also affect your mood and energy levels.

Even though one pumpkin spice latte of that size, when made with 2 percent milk and topped with whipped cream, contains about 380 calories, 14 grams of fat and close to 50 grams of sugar, there is one thing positive. It probably contains close to 14 grams of protein that can help your muscles and leave you feeling satisfied.

One thing that experts all agree on, is that the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte usually isn't a year-round treat. So, having them in moderation shouldn't be a big problem.

Source: Yahoo Health

 

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