The array of pumpkin spice-whatever products that normally deluge consumers in the fall is now arriving in the summer.
Starbucks says its lattes—credited with starting the boom more than a decade ago—are available starting Tuesday. If that seems way too soon, it’s because Aug. 28 is the earliest launch date ever, reports Business Insider.
The drinks typically return in September, but Starbucks is now in an arms race of sorts. Dunkin’ Donuts, 7-Eleven, Cracker Barrel, and Wawa brought back their versions as of Monday, notes USA Today. Expect McDonald’s to follow suit any day now.
Aficionados like to tout the health benefits, and indeed Bustle ticks off some of the benefits linked to ingredients such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. The problem, writes Cynthia Rass at Health.com, is that most of the drinks you’ll buy at the big chains are loaded with sugar and processed ingredients, too.
“I haven’t been able to find any versions that I would recommend from a nutritional standpoint as a daily habit,” she writes. “So my advice: Choose the PSL (that’s pumpkin spice latte, for the uninitiated) you like best … and enjoy it as an occasional treat.” For diehards, her link includes a healthier, make-it-yourself recipe
