The 9 Healthiest Coffee Drinks and Smoothies

By: SparkPeople Guest Blogger, – Joy Bauer, RD, for Woman's Day
3/21/2013 6:00 AM : 69 comments : 186,921 Views

See More: fast food, coffee, drinks, Diet Friendly Dining, woman's day,

That coffee concoction or smoothie you’re holding doesn’t feel heavy—but it’s sure weighed down with calories. Coffee drinks and smoothies are some of the worst drinks for your waistline, but fortunately, you don’t have to give them up entirely. Just choose lighter options, like those below. You can also shave calories by substituting heavier ingredients (switch to nonfat milk and hold the syrup and whipped cream) to keep a splurge-worthy sip from derailing your diet.

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Did any of these surprise you? What is your favorite coffee drink or smoothie that fits into your healthy lifestyle?

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Comments

JGMARIE80

69

Drinking black coffee right now. Lots of ice. - 4/30/2013 12:02:06 AM
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LORIBETHXOXO

68

I'm addicted to soy lattes. They are so comforting for me! But I did not know about the Caffe Misto... I just checked out the Starbucks website and saw that it's equal parts brewed coffee and milk (soy in my case). I am going to have to try that one. :) It's 70 less calories, 1.5g less fat, 10g less carbs, and 7g less sugar than my normal soy latte. - 4/28/2013 7:41:43 AM
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1GROVES2

67

I can`t see that any of these coffees are healthy....some have fewer calories, but that does not make them "HEALTHY"
I drink plain black coffee, made at home - 4/25/2013 10:15:40 AM
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PATTISWIMMER

66

coffee with almond milk.... unsweetened.....15 calories or less - 4/25/2013 9:14:27 AM
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BANNERMAN

65

Plain coffee for me. - 4/20/2013 10:45:50 PM
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AUNTB63

64

My go to is black coffee. I do on occasion have a "Skinny Latte". My favorite smoothie is homemade: orange juice, ginger ale and frozen pineapple....the best! - 4/14/2013 11:40:50 AM
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AUSSIEJAN2

63

I don't drink any of these because I can't stand such sweet drinks.If I can buy a skim latte without any sweetener that would be all I could stand :) No surprises though. - 3/25/2013 8:33:07 PM
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4EVERNESS

62

ooh..my favorite non coffee, homemade smoothie kinda thing...1/3 lite vanilla yogurt, 1/3 cranberry juice, 1/3 orange juice.... - 3/24/2013 6:42:59 PM
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REDBIRDFLY

61

cOFFEE mATE fRENCH vANILLA sUGAR fREE...15 CALS A TBL. YESSIREBOB!! - 3/23/2013 3:02:58 PM
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DIANNEMT

60

Makes me very glad that I just get a small black coffee at McDonald's! Virtually no calories at all! And I think both Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts coffee is the "burned" flavor-- to each her own! - 3/23/2013 1:06:02 PM
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WINNIE-POOH

59

I can't afford these, so the only time I get one it is. A freebie.
However, I put flavored coffee creamer in my coffee. - 3/22/2013 1:14:04 PM
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IRISHGIRL3

58

I drink Dunks Iced Coffee Skim Milk. This is really interesting though! - 3/22/2013 11:39:42 AM
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MAGIK0731

57

Interesting! - 3/22/2013 11:16:51 AM
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1GROVES2

56

I drink coffee plain black...no sugar or sweetener of any kind...This really is not coffee ratings, it only is giving cal. content and fat/sugar content...waste of time to even click on this so called article. - 3/22/2013 10:39:50 AM
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HOPEFULHIPPO

55

I too am a little surprised that a coffee article doesn't actually rate COFFEE. LOL

I do drink a lot of my calories. What's sad is I've given up so much of it to not lose much of anything :i( I think that's why I'm having such a hard hard time giving up the last of it: coffee with my vanilla creamer. (or creamer with a little coffee?)

Good luck everyone & be nice to someone today! They probably need it. - 3/22/2013 10:01:58 AM
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BOGDABIRD

54

Black coffee is the best ! Sugar free since I was 10, half and half free since I was 18 and black ever since ! and still going strong @ 54 - 3/22/2013 10:00:58 AM
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MUGGLEZ

53

Try just coffee, black with sweetener or honey... much better than adding all that other crap to it. - 3/22/2013 9:56:05 AM
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RYKA78

52

I drink a cup of black coffee. If I'm feeling fancy pants I get flavored coffee.
I prefer to make green smoothies at home; plain coconut water, unsweetened frozen fruit, leafy greens, maybe some chia seeds and I'm good to go. - 3/22/2013 9:21:09 AM
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GLORIAMAJDI

51

I quit drinking coffee because I only liked it with a lot of cream. I don't need that cream so I don't drink the coffee. If I could get used to drinking it black, I might enjoy a cup or two a day. As far as the "skinny" drinks with the faux sweeteners, I never ingest faux sweeteners because they make me sick. - 3/22/2013 9:01:01 AM
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RD03875

50

Plain, black coffee, no cream, no sugar, no whipped stuff, MAYBE a sprinkle of cinnamon - 3/22/2013 8:46:41 AM
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CHICA_BORICUA

49

Not a fan of iced coffee because you can do that at home!.....Way to go Smoothie King. SP you haven't rate Robek's Smoothies, they are a little much better and healthier than Smoothie King. - 3/22/2013 7:39:54 AM
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DRAGONFLY02

48

I drink it black, nothing else. 0 calories, 0 sugar. - 3/22/2013 7:28:15 AM
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DRB13_1

47

I like the visual way these choices are presented, but I don't drink coffee concoctions. - 3/22/2013 7:14:19 AM
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CASEYSAUER

46

I try to never drink my meals! - 3/22/2013 5:40:00 AM
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DGFOWLER

45

I drink Hills. Brothers Sugar Free Chocolate Mocha Cappuccino. Only 50 calories per 8 oz cup. - 3/22/2013 5:25:09 AM
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123ELAINE456

44

I like my Coffee Black. Nothing in It. No Calories to Worry About. God Blessings To Everyone. Have a Wonderful Week. Take Care. - 3/22/2013 4:12:19 AM
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RUTHEY01

43

No coffee is healthy in my book. - 3/22/2013 3:09:24 AM
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FRAGMENTEDANGEL

42

I don't go out for coffee often. Just good old fashioned peculator coffee at home. My problem is the amount of sugar i use. I was at 4 tsps per cup. I've weaned myself down to 3 in the last month, and i'm aiming for 2 starting in April. Baby steps and i'll make it to reasonable levels. When i DO get coffee it's usually the starbucks pumpkin spice late, and thankfully that's seasonal. - 3/21/2013 11:04:21 PM
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FRAGMENTEDANGEL

41

I don't go out for coffee often. Just good old fashioned peculator coffee at home. My problem is the amount of sugar i use. I was at 4 tsps per cup. I've weaned myself down to 3 in the last month, and i'm aiming for 2 starting in April. Baby steps and i'll make it to reasonable levels. When i DO get coffee it's usually the starbucks pumpkin spice late, and thankfully that's seasonal. - 3/21/2013 10:41:01 PM
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JGMARIE80

40

I love McD's medium non- fat iced latte. - 3/21/2013 8:22:08 PM
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YANKEEGIRL6

39

I like coffee flavored coffee with a splash of creamer. - 3/21/2013 2:43:46 PM
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WILZEENYC

38

Just a splash of half & half in my coffee is all i ever want! I spark it :-) - 3/21/2013 1:27:17 PM
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J2740LOU

37

I always get non-fat and no sugar please in my coffee. - 3/21/2013 12:26:04 PM
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TISHNICITY

36

My favorite on the road drink is: Grande Skinny Latte. The Skinny Miso looks low in calories but 10 grams of sugar??? That sounds awful. And I don't go to McD's so that's out. My second favorite is coffee with a little 1% milk. Usually that works if there is no Starbuck's around. - 3/21/2013 11:02:23 AM
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NINJA_SMOO

35

Just for the sake of context, I would have liked to see black coffee (0 calories, 0 carbs, 0 fat) and coffee with one sugar and one cream on there. It also would have been handy to see actual volumes in mL or oz on *all* of them so we could see at a glance that we're actually comparing apples to apples. Dunno about the rest of you, but I don't know off the top of my head how big a Starbucks 'grande' is, or a McDonalds 'medium'. - 3/21/2013 10:19:31 AM
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JIMDAB

34

Tracking one one night when traveling, was stunned to find out I had consumed 3,000 calories, mostly on gas station cappuccinos! - 3/21/2013 10:18:16 AM
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KCDEBI

33

I always get a non-fat, no-whip mocha, and I accept the empty calories of the real chocolate syrup :) Most of the calories in the drink, however, come from the skim milk, and those are calories I'm happy to consume. - 3/21/2013 10:16:17 AM
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LILLIPUTIANNA

32

Seriously? These drinks are rated for their "healthfulness" based on their calories? Heads up everyone, something can have a LOT of calories and be super healthy (avocados), or have very few calories (those crappy McDonalds drinks) and be frighteningly devoid of nutrition.

I would rather consume a few more calories and know that the drink I ordered had some nutritional value for my body. - 3/21/2013 9:19:46 AM
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SCASSIDY5

31

Where do Tim Horton's coffee drinks fall in this calorie line-up? - 3/21/2013 8:09:46 AM
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MISSMARY3

30

WOW! Some coffee drinks really have a lot of calories. Since I don't drink coffee, I didn't realize that. - 3/21/2013 8:02:58 AM
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KCLIME12

29

I make a mocha protein shake at home with cold left over coffee, chocolate protein powder, ice, a splash of nonfat milk, and a splenda. It's around 200 calories, but has 20g protein and only 2g fat. - 3/21/2013 7:42:19 AM
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FANCYQTR

28

I like skinny caramel machiatto, hot in winter or iced in summer, or iced chai latte. Mostly the caramel macchiato is when I'm cold and the iced chai when it is hot and I am out of water or really tired of it and it's too warm. I know they are too many calories for me and the chai is too many carbs, but sometimes I can't resist something. - 2/23/2013 12:17:34 PM
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JLCAMP09

27

I love iced coffee during the summer. Nothing is better on a hot day than an iced cold raspberry mocha. Its been a downfall for me. Gonna try to order the healthier option from now on. - 8/18/2012 11:33:45 AM
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SOHLT4ME

26

I enjoy coffee beverages for an occasional treat. (For coffee, I drink coffee, plain and simple.) But I'm lactose-intolerant, so I go for soy options at Starbucks -- McCafe and Dunkin Donuts don't offer them. I would really appreciate Spark People including the soy milk beverages in these kinds of comparisons. I'd like to know how my drinks stack up too! - 5/19/2012 12:00:34 PM
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ASTALANYA

25

Great stuff, if only I had a Smoothie King anywhere nearby. If that doesn't work, then look to the Hungry Girl recipe books for some great, easy smoothies that are low in calories. - 12/13/2011 9:14:34 AM
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NIKKI12G

24

I was actually just poking around the Starbucks website looking for a treat that fits in with my goals and I was surprised at what a difference using non-fat milk can make! My fav is the gingerbread latte, an 80z cup is only 100cal but still a little heavy on the carbs. Good for a once in a while treat though - 11/19/2011 11:57:54 AM
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HUNGRYCURVYGIRL

23

I make my own latte at home with nonfat with and instant coffee granules and equal. and or a flavored hazelnut sugar free sugar. - 11/18/2011 8:07:15 AM
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MASRITE

22

I love my nonfat, decaf misto with sugar free: vanilla, peppermint, caramel. And of course, I usually get a venti!! - 11/15/2011 9:52:52 PM
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KELLEY0831

21

Thanks for the blog. I'm trading my skinny cinnamon dolce latte in for a nonfat caffe miso. - 11/15/2011 8:14:09 AM
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DIMPLES807

20

Great blog and graph. Love it. - 11/15/2011 6:55:12 AM
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