Pumpkin Spice Latte season starts today. Here’s what nutritionists have to say about your favorite beverage.

Can you hear the sound of autumn in the air? Starbucks just announced that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is making a big return on Thursday, marking what many consider to be the unofficial start of fall. (For the record, the real one (autumn doesn’t begin until the equinox on September 22, the site of the full moon.)

However, if you plan to drink this drink regularly, you may want to read up on the health effects of your PSL. Here’s what you need to know about this unique coffee drink.

Why is the Pumpkin Spice Latte still a thing?

First, a history lesson: The Pumpkin Spice Latte (aka PSL) was created by Starbucks in 2003 as a way to build on the success of their first seasonal drink, Peppermint Mocha. This drink – featuring a pumpkin spice sauce made from pumpkin puree and mixed with espresso and steamed milk, then topped with whipped cream and pumpkin spice including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger – gives a flavor reminiscent of pumpkin pie. that sounded good for the fall.

Whether you love the drink and all its warm, delicious fall associations, or you’re looking into the trend, the coffee drink has cemented its place in the cultural conversation. It’s partly thanks to social media, where selfies of PSL fans clutching their spring sips have become a fall staple. Starbucks even gave PSL its own Twitter handle in 2014 as a fun way to play on the hype.

After the popularity of PSL came the explosion of pumpkin spice everythingfrom Oreos to body wash. However, only a few offshoots have enjoyed the same level of lasting success.

There is even science to support this desire: A 2021 study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the spices in PSL are associated with feelings of longing. However, it may not be the only confusion that has people ordering the seasonal drink.

Licensed counselor David Klow, founder of Skylight Counseling Center in Chicago and author of You’re Not Crazy: Letters From Your Doctorpreviously told Yahoo Life that while people are ready to seek out something new, we also “miss to establish a routine in our lives.” So, when something like the PSL combines these two things by coming once a year, it “combines these two drive-throughs in us” – and makes us approach the Starbucks drive-through .

But is Pumpkin Spice Latte good for you?

So, is this fall trend a good idea to incorporate into your diet all year long? Registered dietitian Sheri Gaw tells Yahoo Life that the spices used to give PSL its unique flavor have many benefits.

“According to a 2019 review, cloves and cinnamon are excellent sources of antioxidants and with regular consumption are associated with a lower risk of dying from cancer, respiratory disease and ischemic heart disease, Gaw says. In addition, he says, research shows that ginger and nutmeg are also associated with benefits, including protection against cancer, diabetes, obesity and viral diseases.

Here’s the downside: Along with those good-for-you spices come loads of sugar, fat and calories, says Gaw. This can contribute to increased blood sugar or high cholesterol levels in some people.

A 16-oz Pumpkin Spice Latte (Grande from Starbucks) has 50 grams of sugar, 390 calories and 14 grams of fat, nine of which are saturated. Although the drink comes with 14 grams of protein, in total, that’s more than most of us should be eating in a healthy meal — especially when there’s no fiber to speak of in a PSL.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), women should not have more than 25 grams of added sugar per day, while men should limit their intake to 36 grams of added sugar per day. The AHA also recommends that fat make up 25% to 35% of your daily calories, which is about 56 to 78 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet. Fat should be limited to less than 7% of your daily calories, or around 13 grams per day.

It’s also important to note that, since it’s an espresso-based drink, one Grande PSL packs 150 mg of caffeine. This may be a problem for people who don’t like to drink coffee all year round because they are more likely to experience side effects from caffeine, such as sleep disturbances or jitters. high heart rate or blood pressure. People who drink old coffee should remember that, according to the Food and Drug Administration, people should limit their caffeine consumption to 400 mg per day. More than two PSLs in one day can help you with that.

Dietitian Brittany Werner, director of training at Working Against Gravity, tells Yahoo Life that PSL can fit into many nutrition plans as is, but given its low nutritional value, of total calories and added sugar, “it’s clear that PSL is the real deal. .” That’s why he recommends that we “treat PSLs as a special treat, not something that should be eaten regularly,” so that we stay on the path to healthy eating.

If you can’t resist a PSL fix, consider asking your Starbucks barista for a replacement. “Choosing different types of milk, such as skim, still provides protein and reduces calories and fat. So asking for half the amount of syrup, for starters, can be another way to ‘sweeten’ the drink but still provide the PSL you desire,” suggests dietitian Chris Mohr, consultant of exercise and nutrition Fortune Recommends Health.