Starbucks has a grand repertoire of beverages, catering to all types of tastes and preferences. One of the most popular is their Cotton Candy Frappuccino, an Instagram worthy and somewhat controversial potion. The world has wondered the same question since the drink has been released: does the Cotton Candy Frap contain coffee in it?
According to the Starbucks website, the Cotton Candy Frappuccino is an “iced blended beverage of delightful cotton candy flavor, milk and ice with a swirl of whipped cream.” The ingredients do not list any coffee, making one believe that no coffee is present. Further exploration of the drink shows that there is caffeine present, which would usually be found in coffee. This presents a confusion of what type of caffeine is found in the drink.
Coffee experts agree that it is difficult to discern what type of caffeine could be present in the Cotton Candy Frappucino. One expert suggests that “it’s plausible that the Frap contains either brewed coffee, or coffee extract, though that’s not particularly clear.” Since the ingredients are not disclosed on the Starbucks website, many consumers have been left in the dark about the beverage’s contents.
However, coffee shops that carry the Cotton Candy Frappuccino verify whether coffee is present. These stores, such as Roasters Coffee in California, report that coffee is in fact, not present in the Cotton Candy Frap. TimeOut London also confirms this on their website, reassuring their readers that no coffee is found in this beverage.
The mysteries and misconceptions surrounding the drink have only added to its charm and popularity and resulted in many companies creating copies of the beverage. Starbucks kept up with the hype and added the Cotton Candy Frap to its official Frappuccino lineup.
One thing is clear: the flavor and colors of this beverage is what attracts the most attention. With it Instagrammable qualities and pink and purple colors, it is easy to forget what is underneath that delightful floral whipped cream topping.
Brewed Coffee Alternative
For those seeking a caffeinated-pick-me-up without consuming brewed coffee, the Cotton Candy Frappuccino is a great choice. Although brewed coffee is not found in the Cotton Candy Frap, the beverage contains caffeinated ingredients derived from other sources.
One source of caffeine in the Cotton Candy Frap is Yerba Mate, a beverage naturally caffeinated. This herbal tea is traditionally brewed up in Latin American countries and is now a popular energy and hydration drink found across the world. Starbucks is amongst those investing in Mate’s rise in popularity, using the product in their energy drinks.
Furthermore, Starbucks elaborates in a blog post that caffeine is found in some of their concentrated beverage bases. While the source of the caffeine is not disclosed, the blog post states that the specific beverage bases that contain caffeine are used in some of its coffees, Frappuccinos, and other beverages.
Most nutritionists encourage the use of alternative sources of caffeine as excessive use of caffeine of any type could potentially be detrimental for one’s overall well-being. Caffeine can become more addictive when used more frequently and leads to sleeping and anxiety problems.
Thus, it is important to note that even though the Cotton Candy Frappuccino does not contain conventional brewed coffee, it still contains caffeine found in alternative sources.
Calorie Rich Beverage
One thing that many forget to realize is that the Cotton Candy Frappuccino is quite calorie rich. Like most other Frappuccinos, this beverage is made up of sugar, syrup, and ice. With that combination, the beverage comes out to be approximately 420 calories.
Nutritionists often teach their clients that counting calories is important, not only because of the calories’ associate to weight gain, but according to physical therapist Tricia Scribbins, PT, DPT, “calories represent a source of energy that fuels our bodies throughout the day.” It is best that these calories come from healthy sources such as protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
It is for this reason that nutritionists recommend avoiding the Cotton Candy Frappuccino if possible. As delicious as it may be, health should come before the pleasure gained from the beverage.
Using a variety of sources to learn about the Cotton Candy Frappuccino and its makeup reveals that no conventional coffee is present in the drink. However, it still contains caffeine present, whether it be coffee extract or Yerba Mate, and it is calorie rich. Thus, it is important to consider the coffee and calorie content in this beverage when making the decision to consume it.
Creating A Copycat Version
The popularity of this Starbucks trend has encouraged many companies to take a stab at creating a copycat version. Companies including Dunkin Donuts and Culver’s both offer a Pink Cotton Candy Coolatta, a drink that seems to mimic Starbuck’s Cotton Candy Frap.
The Pink Cotton Candy Coolatta from Dunkin Donuts contains a blend of ice, water, sugar and blue raspberry flavor, creating a similar flavor and color palette. Yet it does not contain coffee or caffeine.
Culver’s version on the other hand, utilizes real ice cream and has blue raspberry frozen beverage and marshmallow potion. While the description of the beverage suggests a carbon-copy of Starbucks’ Cotton Candy Frap, there is still no confirmation as to whether caffeine is present in the Culver’s Cotton Candy shake.
Thus, those seeking a caffeine-free version of the popular Frappuccino could opt for either of these two creations. However, for those seeking something more resembling Starbucks’ concoction, the only solution is to try and recreate the drink at home and leave the caffeine out.
Finding An Alternative To Coffee
For those seeking a coffee-like pick-me-up option, the Cotton Candy Frappuccino is not the best way to get it. Instead, experts suggest looking for tea-based beverages for an uplifting option. Examples of tea-based beverages include oolong tea, chai tea, and yerba mate, which are found in both coffee and tea shops.
Tea contains a drug called Theine which is the equivalent stimulant to coffee’s caffeine. While these two drugs might offer similar stimulative benefits, theine is slightly less intense when comparing the two.
Yerba Mate has made a rise in popularity recently and can be found in various health food and supplements stores. This herbal drink is naturally caffeinated and thus serves as a great replacement to standard brewed coffee.
In addition to its stimulative benefits, the drink has many other health benefits such as improving physical endurance, aiding with digestion, and boosting immunity. All of this can be found with less of the addiction tendency that coffee has.
Examining Effects Of Caffeine On The Body
According to Mayo Clinic, 400mg of caffeine per day is generally accepted as safe. On top of this, many resources discuss the potential benefits of caffeine. It has been found to potentially increase mental alertness, reduce fatigue, and improve focus.
It is important to note the effects of caffeine-withdrawal, which can include irritability, headaches, and insomnia. As a result, many nutritionists suggest consuming small amounts of caffeine each day and weaning off of it in order to avoid caffeine addiction.
A point of caution: many nutritionists recommend avoiding caffeine while nursing, pregnant, and while using any other drugs or alcohol. Caffeine can also be dehydrating, so it is important to also rehydrate when consuming any caffeinated beverages.
Comparing Starbucks To Other Coffee Shops
It is interesting to note that although Starbucks does not have a monopoly on their Cotton Candy Frappuccino (Culver’s and Dunkin Donuts both have similar drinks), the Starbucks version is still the most popular. This is likely due to the Starbucks name being well known, as well as being at the forefront of this movement, having released the drink ahead of any other.
Venturing out of the Starbucks world and into other coffee shop realms also reveals that coffee chains have also begun to experiment in their own way. Caribou Coffee, found mostly in the Midwest, has released a blueberry coffee smoothie. This smoothie contains coffee, milk, and blueberry puree and has no caffeine, making it an excellent replacement to the Cotton Candy Frappuccino.
Peet’s has also released two smoothies made with real fruit. The first one, the Strawberry Mango pairs real strawberry and mango with one shot of espresso. The Watermelon Pineapple combines watermelon and pineapple with one-shot of espresso. Both of these smoothies are tasteful and energizing.
Overall, it is evident that Starbucks is not the only coffee shop experimenting with flavorful drinks. Other coffee shops have gotten in on the game, creating unique and diverse drinks for their customers.
