By AOL Health

Diagram via Geekologie.com

Before you make your next Starbucks order a “Trenta” — the new mega drink size unveiled by the cafe chain — you might want to ask your waistline how it feels about it.

An analysis by Loyola University Health System in Chicago claims the giant drink, which can pack as many as 230 calories a pop, could lead everyday consumers to gain more than 20 pounds a year.

“People need to realize that when they do choose these larger sizes, it’s going to lead to excess calories,” Dr. Jessica Bartfield, an internal medicine and weight-loss specialist at Loyola’s Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, told AOL Health.

The problem is compounded when people make their big drinks tastier. The worst offenders? Generous dollops of cream or whole milk and multiple packets of artificial sweeteners or sugar.

“There is the potential to add up to one or two cups of these additives, and that can lead to the weight gain,” said Bartfield.

Super-size drinks at food and beverage chains have come under fire for their role in the U.S. obesity epidemic.

“They’re often a significant source of calories but not of nutrition,” Bartfield said. “All they’re giving you are empty calories.” Read more…