For many of us, grabbing that obligatory cup of coffee on our way to work or after running errands, serves as a much needed pick me up or a special treat that brightens up the day!

Summer time signals it’s time to trade in your regular hot cup of Joe for a cooler beverage. Beware though, words like frozen, blended and whip are all sure signs that the beverage you are about to enjoy is high in calories and fat. It’s important to think carefully about how many extra calories you are drinking each day!

The following suggestions will help keep your coffee experience a healthy one:

1. When in doubt order an Americano. This satisfying coffee is made of a few shots of espresso and hot water and will give you that extra jolt to get your day started. If brewed coffee is more your thing, then a grande brewed coffee is only 5 calories.

2. Always opt for a cappuccino over a latte. Cappucino’s are made with far less milk (largely foam) and are therefore far less fattening. Oh and don’t be fooled, that latte made with 2% and sweetened with flavored syrup quickly adds up to around 250 calories. By comparison, a cappuccino made with non-fat milk is only 80 calories.

3. Hold the whip. Yes, I know this is kind of a no brainer but it’s surprising how many calories you can save when you do. Whip adds anywhere from 50 to 100 calories and 5 to 11g of fat!

4. By far the worst choice at any coffee house would have to be the frozen, frap coffee drinks that more closely resemble milkshakes than anything else, only with more calories! A Starbucks Grande Java Chip Frappuccino with whip  is 440 calories and contains 7g of fat, so you might want to consider going light or avoiding these high sugar, high calorie treats all together. Can you imagine how much extra weight you could accumulate over the course of a year if you were to have say three frozen coffee drinks per week?!

5. We are all quick to add a little flavor to our favorite coffee drinks but if we knew exactly what makes up the flavored syrups we might think twice. According to Men’s Health Magazine, flavored syrups are made almost entirely with high-fructose corn syrup. I encourage you to read my recent blog post on HFCS  to better understand the affect high quantities of fructose can have on the body. A single pump of your favorite syrup can add 20 calories and a whopping 5 grams of sugar. Instead, opt for the sugar-free variety that comes in many different flavors and zero calories.