When to eat the whipped cream.

[Banana Brain]

Whenever I get a Frappicino at Starbucks, I always seem to find that by time I get to the end of my drink either
a) the whipped cream has mysteriously dissapeared or
b) the whipped cream thats left is impossible to suck up through a straw. Probably because they use whipped LIGHT cream, reddi whip.
Whats was worse was once in the winter and I get a mocha, and as soon as the lid goes on for thirty seconds as I make my way over the the "add ins" table (I only actually went there to suck off the whipped cream, to insure I wouldn't fall victem to the frappicino syndrome) it had melted into nothing from the heat.
I have since either eaten off the whipped cream first before anything (it melts after only after a few minutes even with the fraps) or ceased to get it at all. But most people I see with them are drinking them whith the whipped cream still on top, but still sucking from the bottom. When I say from the bottom I mean the straw is only collecting them the part of the drink at the very bottom first, so their whipped cream should be melted by time they get to it. I've always wanted to ask this: does anyone else expirience the whipped cream phenomenon? Where it melts into nothing? And do you eat the whipped cream off first or try and suck it up at the bottom or let it melt into becoming part of your drink?

 

[corazon]

I eat the whipped cream first too. I also get my frap with extra ice so it's super thick. Mmm. I think I'll get one today. Double choc chip.

 

[Banana Brain]

You like it thick? I like it when it melts into sort of a milky thing. The only starbucks Fraps I really like honestly are the Green Tea ones and the Strawberries and Cream. I've had the Java Chip (I've thats the one you're referring to) one twice, and I think the choc. chips are blended way to small. I've had REALLY good chocolate chip fraps from other espresso bars that have thick chunky chocolate chips and a more creamy base (I like it creamy). Starbucks adds to much ice IMO and I always get stuck with huge ice chuncks that I have to break down. Twice they've added to much ice to the blender and had to give me a bigger size/more than I ordered. The best I've ever had would be at the coffee bar in Nordstroms: The Chai Ice Storm and that green Mint Chocolate Chip thing with huge chocolate chunks. They have a trillion good ones. You should try them.

 

[Toots]

I love the strawberry and cream frap at Starbux. The first thing I do is stir the whip cream up into the drink until it disappears = YUM. There is a Starbux 20 floors below me right now, do you know how dangerous that is?

 

[FryBoy]

Starbucks's Frappucccino drinks ain't too good for you. I've been trying to get my sister to stop drinking them -- they're literally killing her, preventing her from losing weight so she can exercise, and driving up her blood pressure and cholesterol, but she continues to pretend that they're "just coffee."

Check out the nutritional info from Starbucks's own site:

http://tinyurl.com/7xasd

 

[BigDog]

Starbucks's Frappucccino drinks ain't too good for you.

Dude, nothing that tastes good is good for you. Moderation is key.

Not sure if y'all have Caribou Coffee in your neck of the woods, but that's my preference to Starbucks. They don't put whipped cream on their Frappuccino style drinks (called Coolers) which I like. I let the whipped cream melt on the hot drinks, though.

Maybe it's the country boy in me, but Starbucks is too city-ish. Every Caribou Coffee I've been to makes you feel like you are in a lodge in the woods. A nice fire is usually burning in every store, and comfy seating is available to relax and read a good book while drinking your beverage.

 

[FryBoy]

I prefer Peet's to Starbucks. But I drink coffee -- black thank you -- not milkshakes masquerading as coffee.

You're right, though --- the key is moderation. There's nothing wrong with a treat -- I love an In-'N-Out Burgers double double with a chocolate shake on occasion -- but you need to be aware of what you're doing when you do it.

Things like Starbucks's "coffee drinks" make moderation tough, particularly if, like my sister, you delude yourself about what you're putting in your body.

Obesity and diabetes are no joke. There was a long article in the L.A. Times this weekend about obesity in our country -- stats show that since 1960, American men and women have increased in average weight by 30 pounds! That ain't the result of moderation.

 

[Banana Brain]

Hehe, yes I know they're terrible for you, but I'll wait until I need to worry about that until I start thinking about it, because if you overthink about whats in there it spoils the joy. Until then I'll just be young and enjoy my blissfull beverages. Plus, I wouldn't be able to get a sugar-high without those calories. And I live for sugar highs.

 

[VeraBlue]

and yet, once again...

I had visions of licking whipped cream off human flesh...

I have a theory. I believe that the people you see enjoying the beverage while the whipped cream sits stoicly on top are people so heartless and cruel that the whipped cream is literally petrified, believing if it doesn't move, it won't be noticed.

When I was younger, I adored whipped cream on hot chocolate, with a touch of cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. I am a person who can truly appreciate instant gratification and rarely gave the cream a chance to melt...all save the very last blops of it. That, being it was almost wasted anyway, I'd stir into the chocolate.

I'm all grown up now, and have a hard time rationalizing whipped cream on anything....except of course, my toes.....

 

[Banana Brain]

Dude, nothing that tastes good is good for you. Moderation is key.

Not sure if y'all have Caribou Coffee in your neck of the woods, but that's my preference to Starbucks. They don't put whipped cream on their Frappuccino style drinks (called Coolers) which I like. I let the whipped cream melt on the hot drinks, though.

Maybe it's the country boy in me, but Starbucks is too city-ish. Every Caribou Coffee I've been to makes you feel like you are in a lodge in the woods. A nice fire is usually burning in every store, and comfy seating is available to relax and read a good book while drinking your beverage.

I've been to a Caribou coffee only once, and I got a sandwhich and my friend got a peanut-butter cooler, which I sipped quit a bit of. It was really good, I'd forgotten about that one. It was really really good, more like a shake then a frappicino though. I'd forgotten about that one. And did you know that a milkshake was originally meant to mean cream blended with ice and sugar/flavor wheares a "frap" is a milkshake made with ice cream? So we're actually been getting it BACKWORDS now when we talk about them!

 

[Banana Brain]

I had visions of licking whipped cream off human flesh...

I have a theory. I believe that the people you see enjoying the beverage while the whipped cream sits stoicly on top are people so heartless and cruel that the whipped cream is literally petrified, believing if it doesn't move, it won't be noticed.

When I was younger, I adored whipped cream on hot chocolate, with a touch of cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top. I am a person who can truly appreciate instant gratification and rarely gave the cream a chance to melt...all save the very last blops of it. That, being it was almost wasted anyway, I'd stir into the chocolate.

I'm all grown up now, and have a hard time rationalizing whipped cream on anything....except of course, my toes.....

You're never to old for whipped cream! I don't really see a point in giving much the whip a chance to melt either, it never really seems to make my drink any creamier.

 

[VeraBlue]

not too old for whipped cream...

You're never to old for whipped cream! I don't really see a point in giving much the whip a chance to melt either, it never really seems to make my drink any creamier.

I just think my butt has had enough whipped cream...haha

 

[Constance]

Vera, I'm a hot chocolate fan, too. I don't like coffee, no matter how much they dress it up.
Call me crazy, but I like Cool Whip better than whipped Cream. Even the lite style Cool Whip is good. I haven't tried the sugar-free stuff yet, but I suppose I will next time I buy it, as I'm not supposed to be eating sugar now.

 

[kyles]

I love the coffee based frappacinos. I haven't had a cream based one, as I get the feeling there would be no going back! You can get a coffee one for under 200 calories for a grande, so if you balance everything else out, you can get away with it!

Obesity is a huge problem, but you can't purely lay it at the door of big companies like Starbucks. We are responsible for our own health and well being. There are plenty of healthy alternatives out there, but we as obese people (I was morbidly obese, but now I'm just plain obese, and soon will be just overweight!), and my obesity was down to laziness. Poor eating habits and complete inactivity. And fear - which is another story.

Starbucks isn't making anyone fat, we are the ones making ourselves fat.

Off the soapbox now, it's safe to come out!

 

[suzyQ3]

"We are responsible for our own health and well being."

Exactly, which is why I found fryboy's informative post a helpful reminder. Sometimes it's easy to conveniently forget what we're ingesting -- and, btw, spending a good chunk of money while doing so. As fryboy said, once in a while is fine, but too many of us have made these "milkshakes" and other high-fat/high-caloric coffee drinks a daily part of our diet.

 

[bethzaring]

well, this thread has been very enlightening for me, was in a Starbucks once, but have never purchased anything from one. I knew nothing of the fat etc content of the beverages.
I like to ask people who visit these places often; how much money have you put by for your retirement? Seems to me that would be a better place to put your money. I guess I am not much into instant gratification, but I do want to have fun in my later years, so I am willing to sacrifice now to play later.

 

[marmalady]

Hehe, yes I know they're terrible for you, but I'll wait until I need to worry about that until I start thinking about it, because if you overthink about whats in there it spoils the joy. Until then I'll just be young and enjoy my blissfull beverages. Plus, I wouldn't be able to get a sugar-high without those calories. And I live for sugar highs.

Those 'sugar highs' can lead you straight to diabetes, and the fat content in the drinks can clog up your arteries. Your body is so much more than what you see in the mirror, or how your jeans are fitting.

 

[Banana Brain]

Those 'sugar highs' can lead you straight to diabetes, and the fat content in the drinks can clog up your arteries. Your body is so much more than what you see in the mirror, or how your jeans are fitting.

Yikes. Diebetes. My dad is borderline deibetic. And both of my parents have dangerously high blood pressure and cholestorol, though you wouldn't guess it from looking at my mom. I guess I should start eating healthier for the long. But I do try... sometimes. This thread could be good for me.

 

[mudbug]

Well, at least visiting Starbucks is one sin I don't commit. I just don't like the taste of any of their products.

BigDog, around here the local Caribou is the hangout of choice for my non-driving daughter and her friends. I think their drinks are as ridiculous as Starbucks, but with better decor, I'll agree.

 

[marmalady]

Yikes. Diebetes. My dad is borderline deibetic. And both of my parents have dangerously high blood pressure and cholestorol, though you wouldn't guess it from looking at my mom. I guess I should start eating healthier for the long. But I do try... sometimes. This thread could be good for me.

If you have a family history of diabetes or heart disease - and it appears that you have both - then you certainly should be a little less cavalier with what you're eating.