By Serena Lopez

Having made its rounds onto your Instagram-feed with its picturesque rainbow colours, grabbing your daily dose of caffeine now comes in a guilt-free, nutrient-packed wellness latte.

Wellness lattes have taken over the Toronto cafe industry. These six to eight dollar drinks feature a variety of beets and turmeric powders blended with your favourite alternative milk choice, promising health benefits in one steamed hot beverage.

The health benefits can range from fighting inflammation, to improving your metabolism depending on the ingredients used. The beverages are marketed as being a better health elixir than a regular latte since the consumer can replace espresso with an alternative caffeine source, such as matcha.

Rena Mendelson, a professor at Ryerson University’s School of Nutrition, said that “in the quest for health, people often are very susceptible to believing claims that are made.” 

“They add that ingredient to the product and suggest that is a benefit because of the ingredient, not so much the fact that it’s called a wellness latte,” said Mendelson.

While the ingredients incorporated in a wellness latte certainly offer some health benefits on their own, Mendelson said that it shouldn’t be considered a replacement for a proper diet and exercise.

“Typically they are adding ingredients that are the latest trending ingredients like turmeric, ginger, coconut, and are sometimes using these ingredients based off a small study done on animals,” said Mendelson.

Mendelson explained that many studies conducted on the health benefits of ingredients, like turmeric powder, have inconclusive results and the serving sizes are rarely reflective of what the average person would need to incorporate in their diet in order to reap the benefits.

With so many food trends circulating the media ecosystem, it can be hard to tell what’s truth or faux about wellness, especially when it comes to what’s right for your health and body.

But what if choosing these healthier food options came at a cost to the environment?

Almond milk — a popular ingredient infused in wellness lattes — has recently been put under scrutiny by environmentalists. According to a study by The Guardian, American beekeepers reported a loss of about 50 billion bees in a few months during winter 2018-19. Beekeepers and environmentalists believe that the loss could be attributed to the mass industrial production of the milk alternative, as many bees are used on almond farms to pollinate the almond trees, which is not a “biodiverse landscape” in which bees would be able to prosper.

“We already eat most of what the Earth can make and we waste energy and food in order to keep our ‘economies’ running,” said Roberta Fulthrope, Physical and Environmental Studies professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough. “Hence, we are seeing the extinction of a large proportion of other species though habitat loss.” 

The spike in demand for alternative milk options is a major factor in the agriculture industry’s struggle to maintain momentum. According to The Guardian, the average American consumes more than two pounds of almonds each year with US almond sales growing over four times more than other alternative milk choices.

The 1.1 gallons — or approximately four litres — of water that it takes to produce almonds, according to a report by Mother Jones,  puts a strain on beekeepers and bee ecosystems requiring them to farm almond orchards earlier than the normal harvesting season for bees.

Although the production of this specific plant-based milk may be questionable to some, consumers should not completely deter from wellness beverages. According to registered dietitian Andy De Santis, the potential environmental impacts should not stop you from trying foods that may be beneficial to you.

“There are pros and cons to every decision. If that’s the case for almond milk, then have soy milk,” said De Santis.

He adds that wellness lattes could be used as a fun way for people to get excited about their health.

“Realistically, having some spices and some honey in a beverage is going to have a modest impact on your health,” said De Santis.

De Santis explained that wellness lattes make for a potential avenue for people to get healthy foods into their diet that they might not have otherwise included.

One of the many places in Toronto you can find wellness lattes is Impact Kitchen, a cafe that adopts sustainable food practices as part of its brand and also offers its own selection of wellness lattes.

Photo courtesy impactkitchen via Instagram

“We source from various Toronto suppliers whenever possible,” said Impact Kitchen’s menu developer Tisha Riman, in an email statement.

Impact Kitchen sources its food products from local companies such as Bee Keeper’s Naturals, a company that provides sustainable bee products and prioritizes the education of sustainable beekeeping for the welfare of bees and the environment, and Mylko, a Toronto-based alternative milk company.

“Impact has made a more conscious effort to make sustainable choices and we’re always trying to find ways to improve our environmental impact and be more sustainable,” added Riman.

Whether you’re seeking out a new addition to your routine or want to try out the latest beverage trend, there are many selections of wellness lattes out there to sip on — but maybe opt in for a soy or oat milk instead.