Beware: The Unicorn Frappuccino and Its Sugary Descendants

A couple weeks ago, social media went crazy about this newly released drink at Starbucks, the Unicorn Frappuccino. My, how far the Frappuccino has come…

This new, delightful “drink” was pink and blue, changed colors and flavors. It was only around for a weekend, but people stormed to Starbucks to order this new liquid form of cotton candy. Apparently, it drove Starbucks employees mad with locations running out of supplies in record time.

Did I have one? No! Did I do research on it? Of course, I did!

What’s the fuss about?

Sugar. After spending 10 seconds on Google, I found that the Unicorn Frappuccino boasted an impressive sugar score. One medium-size (grande) drink contained 59 grams of sugar!!! Here are the sugar facts from Starbucks.com:

• Tall – 39 grams of sugar
• Grande – 59 grams of sugar
• Venti – 76 grams of sugar

The word ‘sugar’ even appears 7 times in the ingredient list alone:

Ice, Milk, Crème Frappuccino Syrup [Water, Sugar, Salt, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid], Whipped Cream [Cream (Cream, Mono And Diglycerides, Carageenan), Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)], Mango Syrup [Sugar, Water, Mango Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavor, Passion Fruit Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Turmeric, Gum Arabic], Blue Drizzle [White Chocolate Mocha Sauce (Sugar, Condensed Skim Milk, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Sorbate, Monoglycerides), Classic Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid), Sour Blue Powder (Citric Acid, Color [Spirulina, Water, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid])], Pink Powder [Dextrose, Fruit And Vegetable Color (Apple, Cherry, Radish, Sweet Potato)], Sour Blue Powder [Citric Acid, Color (Spirulina, Water, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid)].

Since the Unicorn was released, other flavor spinoffs have emerged: the Dragon, the Mermaid, and the Narwhal. These fantasy drinks are enticing to order because they are off-menu and are probably required to be part of some “Secret Sugar Society”. Although the flavors and colors may be similar, the nutritional value is to be desired.

Why does this matter?

The Unicorn and its sugary brethren slap recommendations right in the face.

Even the American Heart Association recommends against ordering such a sweet treat:

Adults males should have no more than 36g/day of added sugar

Adult females and children should have no more than 24g/day of added sugar

Drinking one unicorn ‘tall’ (39g) puts you over the limit if you are an adult male. This issue goes beyond the argument that you should probably avoid any and all added sugars as much as possible.

However, this is nothing new. Sugar was been around for ages and is even going to be featured for a special time of day.

The Future Will Include Frappuccino Happy Hour

Maybe this should be renamed: “Sugar Sales Hour.” How do you prefer your sugar? Pink? Blue? Green? With Vanilla Spice?

Again, for a “Limited Time Only” Starbucks will be selling these sugary concoctions at discounted prices during “Happy Hour.” Boasting a new lineup of flavors: S’mores (grande = 67g sugar), Midnight Mint (grande = 52g sugar), and Caffe Vanilla (grande = 69g sugar).

I thought happy hour was reserved other sugary goodies (beer, wine, and cocktails)?

What Can We Do?

Sugar is abundant, around us everywhere, and comes in many forms. Its tastes great, and as many studies attest, sugar is more addictive than drugs of abuse (heroin, cocaine).

So if you must order the frappuccino and try it, at least go with these simple, behavioral solutions:

• Order the smallest size – give your pancreas a break (the organ that secretes insulin to get rid of sugar in your blood)
• Share it with 3 friends – this will limit your added sugar altogether (equal gulps please)
• Ration the Unicorn, save the rest for later – it is a frozen drink, so order one from the closest Starbucks to your house, drink 1/3, put it in the freezer, and drink the remaining over the next two days.
• Limit other sugar additives for that day – you chose your preferred sugar for the day, so no sugar in the coffee, dessert, or beer/wine with dinner for a couple days.

Maybe the rules for ordering these drinks should change: if you are going drink a Unicorn, then you are required to use all the sugar (burn it off with exercise) before it gets stored as fat. No matter if you drink a Unicorn or eat a couple bagels, being inactive right after is probably not the best move.

Am I anti-Starbucks? No. Starbucks has created a fantastic culture around coffee, studying, and places to socialize. Am I anti-unicorn? No. Am I anti-Sugar? Yes. Sugar has put us, our friends and family members included, in a world of hurt. Sugar is toxic in large doses, especially when sucked down a straw in under 20 minutes. Studies abound describing the relationship between sugar and diabetes (one Starbucks employee even went as far as changing the name on someone’s cup to “Diabetes Here I Come”; I wrote about it here).

Let’s do simple things together.

Keep moving my friends.

-Nick