Don't let Starbucks fool you. It's still summer, though it might not feel like it inside your local franchise. Starbucks released its full fall menu, including the iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte, on Thursday—the earliest date ever, Quartz reports. The Pumpkin Spice Latte is back for its 21st fall season, per Food & Wine. The fall menu also features the new Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai, a mix of oat milk, spices, and cold foam, which "perfectly captures the taste and feeling of fall," according to Starbucks beverage developer Rosalyn Batingan. Being a cold drink, it might appeal to those looking forward to fall but not yet willing to bid summer goodbye.

The lineup includes the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Made with real pumpkin, the beverage combines Starbucks Espresso and steamed milk with the combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices, the beverage is available hot, iced or blended.

The fall lineup is out earlier than in the past, CBS News reported, with the rollout of last year’s coming Aug. 24.

There are also two app-exclusive offerings this fall: the Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte and non-dairy Iced Honey Apple Almond Milk Flat White. Visitors with or without the app can also enjoy a new vanilla buttercream Raccoon Cake Pop dessert. Among the favorite food items returning this year is the Baked Apple Croissant, which Food & Wine notes "sold out rapidly last year." Other new items in store include cold cups in colors like "Autumn Sunset" and "Metallic Pumpkin Orange," per USA Today. There's also a limited edition Olive Green Starbucks x Stanley Vacuum Seal Quencher because surely someone out there doesn't have a Stanley cup yet. (Amid cratering sales, Starbucks recently dumped its CEO and snagged Chipotle's.)

The History of Pumpkin Spice

First, a history lesson: The Pumpkin Spice Latte (aka the PSL) was created by Starbucks in 2003 as a way to build on the success of their first seasonal beverage, the Peppermint Mocha. The drink — featuring a “pumpkin pie spice sauce” made with pumpkin puree and mixed in with espresso and steamed milk, then topped with whipped cream and pumpkin spices including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and ginger — offers a taste that’s reminiscent of a pumpkin pie that felt just right for fall.

Pumpkin Spice is More Than Just a Trend

Whether you love the drink and all of its warm, cozy fall associations, or roll your eyes at the trend, the coffee beverage has cemented its place in the cultural conversation. That’s thanks in part to social media, where selfies of PSL fans clutching their seasonal sips have become an autumnal mainstay. Starbucks even gave the PSL its very own Twitter handle in 2014 as a fun way to play into the hype.

In the wake of the PSL’s popularity came an explosion of pumpkin spice everything, from Oreos to body scrub. Few offshoots, however, have enjoyed the same level of enduring success.

There’s even science to back up the passion: A 2021 study conducted by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that the spices in a PSL are associated with feelings of nostalgia. However, it may not be nostalgia alone that has people ordering the drink seasonally.

Licensed therapist David Klow, founder of Skylight Counseling Center in Chicago and author of You Are Not Crazy: Letters From Your Therapist, previously told Yahoo Life that while humans are hardwired to seek out something that’s new, we also “long to create a sense of routine in our lives.” So, when something like the PSL combines these two things by coming around just once a year, it “merges these two drives within us” — and has us zooming through the Starbucks drive-through.

The Health of Pumpkin Spice

So, is this fall staple a good idea to add to your diet all season long? Registered dietitian Sheri Gaw tells Yahoo Life that the spices used to give PSL its iconic flavor have a number of benefits.

“According to a 2019 review, cloves and cinnamon are excellent sources of antioxidants and with frequent consumption they are linked to a lower risk of death from cancer, respiratory disease and ischemic heart disease,” Gaw says. Plus, she notes, research shows that ginger and nutmeg are also associated with benefits, including protection against cancer, diabetes, obesity and microbial infections.

Here’s the downside: Along with all those good-for-you spices comes a lot of sugar, saturated fat and calories, says Gaw. This may contribute to a blood-sugar spike or elevated cholesterol numbers for some people.

Sugar and Calories: Pumpkin Spice Facts

A 16-oz Pumpkin Spice Latte (a Grande from Starbucks) has 50 grams of sugar, 390 calories and 14 grams of fat, nine grams of which are saturated. While the beverage does come with 14 grams of protein, in general, that’s more than what most of us should consume in one sweet treat — especially when there’s no fiber to speak of in a PSL.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), women should have no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day, while men should limit their intake to 36 grams of added sugar per day. The AHA also recommends that fat should make up 25% to 35% of your daily calories, which is about 56 to 78 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet. Saturated fat should be limited to less than 7% of your daily calories, or around 13 grams per day.

It’s also important to note that, since it is an espresso-based drink, one Grande PSL clocks in at 150 mg of caffeine. This may be an issue for people who don’t tend to consume coffee during the rest of the year because they’re more likely to experience negative side effects from caffeine, such as disrupted sleep or elevated heart rate or blood pressure. More seasoned coffee drinkers should also bear in mind that, per the Food and Drug Administration, people should limit their caffeine consumption to 400 mg a day. More than two PSLs in a single day would tip you over that.

How to Enjoy Pumpkin Spice Responsibly

Dietitian Brittany Werner, director of coaching at Working Against Gravity, tells Yahoo Life that a PSL can fit into most nutrition plans as is, but given the low nutritional value, total calories and added sugar, “it’s clear that a PSL is genuinely a dessert.” That’s why she recommends we “treat PSLs as a special indulgence and not something that should be consumed frequently,” in order to stay on track with a healthy diet.

If you just can’t resist a PSL fix, consider asking your Starbucks barista for a substitution. “Choosing different types of milk, like skim, still offers protein and lessens the calories and fat. Then asking for half the amount of syrup, as a start, could be another way to ‘lighten’ up the drink but still provide the PSL you desire,” suggests dietitian Chris Mohr, fitness and nutrition adviser at Fortune Recommends Health.

Fall Flavor: A Final Thought

The Pumpkin Spice Latte's early return is a reminder that seasonal trends are a powerful force. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a reluctant participant, there's no denying the appeal of a drink that promises to bring a bit of autumn magic to your day. But remember to enjoy it in moderation, savoring its taste and keeping your overall health in mind.