Starbucks Highlights Health With Calorie Counts

Starbucks customers may have noticed some additional digits on the menu over the past two weeks.

Starting Tuesday, June 25, the prominent coffee chain began displaying calorie counts for its beverages and snacks at all United States locations, including Ardmore, according to a report by the Huffington Post.

Though the chain already displayed its nutritional information on its website and iPhone app as well as in brochures, recent deliberation by the Food and Drug Administration sparked the additional posting. The FDA is working out the details of a regulation that requires all chains with over 20 locations print calorie counts on the menu.

Other chain eateries, like Panera and McDonalds, have already made the shift.

In its announcement, Starbucks spotlighted its past health incentives, noting the addition of sugar-free syrup in 1997 and the standard of 2 percent milk for core beverages in North America in 2007.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, a 2008 Stanford study deemed that posting nutritional information encourages customers to opt for healthier options.

For instance, customers may favor the light version of a 16 oz. Java Chip Frappuccino, which weighs in at 200 calories, over the Java Chip Frappuccino with whole milk, which contains 340 calories.