Thursday, April 23, 2009

What's that Green Stuff in your Starbuck's cup?

Now, I'm all about green things...green grass, green frogs, beautiful green eyes, "green" things for the environment...you get the idea! But, when I saw green instead of brown in a friend's Starbuck's cup...I was intrigued, to say the least! Just a few months ago, if I saw a sight like that, I would've thought "Yuck!"
However, a couple of months ago, I started on the "7-Day Sugar Free Diet," to help me kick my craving for sugar and coffee (when I drank coffee every morning, it was mostly cream and sugar with a little coffee). For a week, I did without processed sugar and actually survived! And, my craving for coffee ended! The diet is all about eating healthy sugars and carbs through eating lots of healthy greens, using Spirulina, Chlorella, etc. So, I was very interested to find something green at Starbucks instead of brown!
So, when I inquired about my friends' drink, she (with a very peppy voice, she said "It's an Iced Green Tea Latte, with non-fat milk, no sugar and extra Matcha!) Wow, that was a mouthful, so I had to ask her to slow down, so I could write it down. Hey! I'm a rules girl, so I wanted to make sure I got it all "right!" :o) And...Matcha!?!? I'd never heard of that! Okay, you Californians...you've probably been drinking Matcha for years, even had it in your baby bottles, LOL! Well, after reasearching, I found out, that Matcha has been used in Asian countries for a long time and has many health benefits, including lots of antioxidents...more than coffee...
So, I decided to try it..."let's see if I get this right," I said to the girl behind the counter at Starbucks..."I want a Green Tea Latte, with non-fat milk, no sugar and extra matcha!" I felt like I was talking in a foreign language and she actually understood me!
Well, I loved the drink and I still do. I have had it with syrup...yuck! I've also tried it with whole milk...that's okay, but I still prefer it with non-fat milk. Now, I've learned a new phrase to go with that mouthful..."double-stirred," (so you don't end up with all the matcha at the bottom).
Now I ask for an "Iced Green Tea Latte, non-fat milk, no syrup, extra Matcha, and double-stirred" ...and they actually understand me! :o) I do have to add a note, that the Tazo matcha blend they use, does have cane sugar in it, but to me that's the lesser of two evils (between processed sugar and natural sugar).
For now, the "Iced Green Tea Latte, w/non-fat milk, no syrup and extra Matcha, double-stirred" is my favorite drink! It's a good thing they don't advertise that on the menu or it would take up the whole sign! Maybe they should just call it "Green Stuff (but that wouldn't be anywhere near as fun to say!) :o)

2 comments:

  1. Hmm...maybe Starbucks does have something I might like. :) (Not a coffee drinker here).

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  2. I don't think I could give up my coffee. I have given up my sugars & startches. Does it taste like tea?

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