SouthFlorida.com | Teen Link South Florida

With Starbucks opening as many as eight new stores a day, it's no wonder teens have easy access to the 320-calorie tall caramel Frappuccino with whip.

But not all specialty drinks are created equal; thus, teens are seeking healthy alternatives at smoothie hotspots like Jamba Juice and Smoothie King.

High-calorie specialty drinks like Starbucks' Frappuccinos are not the problem: it's the ratio of calories to fat content that makes these frozen blended drinks so fattening.

With 108 fat calories, that tall 12-ounce caramel Frappuccino doesn't look so sweet.

Some teens are aware of the potential health issues associated with iced-coffee overload.

"They're OK as a treat once in a while," Flanagan High senior Danielle Berkow said.

But according to Starbucks barista Bonnie Jaffe, not all teens are getting the message, and it's not just their bodies that take the toll — it's their savings, too.

Many high school students buy Starbucks beverages "all throughout the day, but mostly after school hours," Jaffe said.

She agrees that teens spend too much money on coffee beverages each week: "I wouldn't drink that many if I didn't work [at Starbucks]," she said.

Despite the cost, many teens have come to crave a caffeine boost, especially in the morning hours.

Megan Beckham, a South Plantation High senior, said, "A lot of people rely on [coffee drinks] in the morning ... [sometimes] almost every day."

She doesn't think specialty drinks are especially good for teens, but "they're [not] bad either."

Then again, her favorite specialty drink is an Angel Food Smoothie from Smoothie King, which has 300 calories — but only 4 fat calories, according to dietfacts.com.

Caffeinated beverages help make up for lost sleep, but don't go overboard with coffee. Too much of anything is bad for you, especially caffeine.

And remember, despite Starbucks' attempts to lower calorie content by creating a "light" caramel Frap, there is no comparison to Berkow's favorite: a Jamba Juice Matcha Green Tea Blast complete with more than half of your daily calcium needs and an added boost of that oh-so-necessary caffeine — in moderation, of course.