Your favorite caramel latte or pumpkin spice coffee might be more of a dessert than a drink. According to French biochemist and glucose researcher Jessie Inchauspé, popularly known as the Glucose Goddess, many flavoured coffees contain shockingly high sugar levels that can spike blood glucose just like a dessert would.
In a recent video shared on Instagram, Inchauspé revealed that many café-style drinks like pumpkin spice latte, hazelnut mocha, or caramel macchiato can have up to 50 grams of sugar per serving — the same as consuming 12 sugar cubes in a single cup. She noted, “A pumpkin spice latte isn’t just coffee with milk and spice. It’s dessert in a cup.”
Her glucose graph analysis showed a sharp blood sugar spike within two hours of consuming a flavoured coffee, compared to a steadier glucose line after drinking a plain latte with whole milk. These spikes, she explains, are common with sweetened drinks that use flavoured syrups, where each pump contains 5–10 grams of sugar. Most popular café drinks include at least three or four pumps, making them deceptively sweet.
Jessie emphasizes that these high-sugar beverages can cause rapid glucose fluctuations, leading to fatigue, cravings, and long-term health issues if consumed frequently. However, she also shared practical ways to reduce the glucose spike while still enjoying your favourite coffee.
Her top tip? Don’t drink it on an empty stomach. Instead, have your sweetened coffee after a meal or pair it with healthy fats or fiber-rich snacks such as a handful of almonds or vegetables. She calls this approach “putting clothes on your sugar,” meaning you buffer the effects of sugar with nutritious food.
Inchauspé also recommends making your own flavoured coffee at home, where you can control the amount of sugar or opt for natural alternatives like cinnamon or cocoa powder for flavour. By managing the balance of ingredients, you can still enjoy your coffee ritual without compromising your metabolic health.
As coffee culture continues to grow globally, Jessie’s insights remind us that not all caffeine fixes are equal. Sometimes, that morning latte might just be a dessert in disguise — delicious, yes, but best enjoyed with balance and awareness.