Starbucks recently added new spicy lemonade refreshers to its menu. The new flavors include spicy pineapple, strawberry and dragonfruit. The new spicy lemonade brings together the sweetness of their refreshers, the zest of lemonade and the heat of the spicy chili powder blend to create a deliciously refreshing sip. 

The main ingredients are water and sugar which are relatively common first ingredients. One of the biggest concerns with Starbucks drinks in general is the sugar content. Their refreshers have less sugar than some of their well-known syrupy coffees, but there’s still about 20 grams of sugar in each. Considering that the American Heart Association recommends no more than 36 grams of added sugar for adult men and 25 grams for women per day, it could lead to future problems for their young customers. Sugary beverages cause blood sugar levels to spike and quickly fall. That means they give a little burst of energy, but that comes with a crash that also may leave you feeling hungrier and less satisfied overall. There could also be long-term effects like increased risk of heart disease or tooth decay. 

Comparing a regular strawberry acai lemonade refresher and a spicy lemonade refresher, the spicy ones have 40-90 more calories depending on the size, 205 milligrams more sodium, 11 more grams of sugar, 1 gram more of protein and 5 milligrams more of caffeine. 

Overall, this drink may be the new upgrade of the regular refreshers to a person who likes spicy foods as it has a pleasant amount of heat and while customers are able to choose either a light or extra spicy chili powder blend.