Nancy Matos

Reader question: “When counting calories, many of us tend to overlook what's in our drinks. This is a big mistake when you consider that some fancy coffees and alcoholic beverages have more than 500 calories.”

Could you explain “fancy coffee”?

My comments: China may be known for its tea, but “fancy coffees” have been making an appearance in the Middle Kingdom in recent years, gaining popularity for their various flavors and decadent appearance.

Often made with espresso, “fancy coffees” cost more then the average cup of drip coffee. They can contain lots of calories due to rich ingredients like whipped cream, cocoa and caramel. Sometimes drinking a “fancy coffee” is like having dessert in a cup.

“Fancy coffees” have been popularized by coffee chains like Starbucks. First started in Seattle, USA, Starbucks now has over 7,000 company-operated stores in the US and close to 2,000 around the world, including more than 350 stores in China. One of its “fancy coffee” drinks popular with Asian customers is the “Green Tea Frappuccino”, a cold drink made with “blended coffee crème and ground green tea leaves”.

Starbucks isn’t the only place that offers “fancy coffee”. Chinese coffee chains like “UBC Coffee” and “Sculpting in Time” serve more than just the traditional cup of coffee: people can buy coffee beverages like Café Mochas, consisting of coffee, milk and chocolate syrup, crowned with whipped cream and cocoa sprinkles. Other “fancy coffees” come with all sorts of sugary syrups like vanilla, hazelnut and mint and can be drizzled with honey or dusted with cinnamon. With ingredients like that, it’s no wonder people should watch their waistlines when drinking them.

本文仅代表作者本人观点，与本网立场无关。欢迎大家讨论学术问题，尊重他人，禁止人身攻击和发布一切违反国家现行法律法规的内容。

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Nancy Matos is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Nancy is a graduate of the Broadcast Journalism and Media program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Her journalism career in broadcast and print has taken her around the world from New York to Portugal and now Beijing. Nancy is happy to make the move to China and join the China Daily team.