Starbucks Announces They Will Be Selling Fortified Coffee with Vitamins, Turmeric and Double Caffeine
While only one in 10 adult Americans get enough vegetables each day, 64% of us are sure to drink a cup of coffee every morning. Starbucks is making the most of our coffee obsession—and consumer interest in "functional" fortified foods and drinks—with new special formulations of their medium-roast coffee, supplemented with B vitamins, turmeric or twice the caffeine.
Starbucks' Essential Vitamins blend has five different B vitamins added to help convert your food into energy that your body can then use to power you through the day. (It's important to note B vitamins don't actually give you more energy themselves). The Golden Turmeric Blend has turmeric, ginger and cinnamon added, while the 2x Caffeine blend is just that.
While Jessica Ball, M.S., R.D., digital assistant nutrition editor at EatingWell, says turning coffee into a functional food with these supplements isn't inherently bad, she isn't quite sure about the actual health benefits of getting extra B vitamins from your coffee, or if we all really need to be more caffeinated in our daily lives.
"Doubling the caffeine makes me apprehensive because Starbucks coffee is really caffeinated as is," Ball says. "Also, B vitamins are water-soluble—meaning that, once your body gets as much as it needs, you will just excrete the rest. Most Americans get plenty of B vitamins, especially if they eat meat, whole grains and dairy." On the other hand, ginger and turmeric have been shown to have health benefits, both individually and together, though whether you need them in your coffee is another question.
The Essential Vitamins and Golden Turmeric blends are available in roast, ground and K-Cup pods, while the 2x Caffeine blend is available in K-Cup pods. These new products will be available in grocery stores next month.