“In need of a sweet little treat.”
“Me on my way to get a sweet treat.”
“I deserve a sweet treat.”
‘Sweet little treat’ culture has taken the internet, and West, by storm. There are countless TikToks, Instagram posts and other mentions of the need for sweet treats, which are usually a small dessert or a fun drink. Students sip on drinks from Pump It Up while walking in the hallway or have a drink from Java House sitting on their desks during class.
Underneath the frosting and foam, however, there are some possible problems with a seemingly innocent treat. The high continuous costs build up over time; just one coffee a week can cost about $288 annually. The ABC estimates that the average worker spends about $14.40 a week and $1,100 a year on coffee.
The caffeine intake can also be dangerous. Drinking too much caffeine can stunt brain development, affect sleep patterns and cause bones to lose calcium over time. Caffeine can also cause heart issues.
Not only are the health issues risks, but so is addiction. When teens or children take out caffeine from their everyday diet, they can experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include fatigue, sleepiness, headaches, trouble concentrating, irritability and nausea. This can create a dependency on caffeine in teens, which can lead to worse side effects.
But sweet treats aren’t just cute little lattes, as they can come in forms such as cake pops, brownies and other desserts. Some of these desserts aren’t as innocent as they seem.
As sweet treat culture has boomed, so have certain stores and their products. Crumbl, founded in 2017, is an extremely trendy cookie business when it comes to sweet treat culture. But what is not so sweet about these cookies is their nutritional value. One Crumbl cookie has at least 700 calories, which is as many calories needed for one meal in a day.
People have made videos online saying, “Let’s normalize getting a sweet treat.” And while it’s ok to have a simple cookie or a latte, eating nearly a whole meal in one cookie is not the best choice. Too much of anything can be bad for you, so make sure to keep these things in moderation.
A Crumbl cookie serving size is 1/4 of a cookie, which is only 175 calories. Many coffee shops offer decaf lattes or other low-caffeinated drinks as well.
At the end of the day, sweet treat culture is a way for people to find joy in their everyday lives. As long as we stay mindful of our consumption and keep things in moderation, then the side effects will not harm you.