Here's how much actual pumpkin is in that pumpkin spice latte

For some, the changing leaves are indicative of fall, while for others it's that alluring scent of the wildly popular pumpkin-spice latte (PSL) - a seasonal coffee drink that mysteriously gives you a burst of delicious pumpkin pie flavor without the hassle of baking or dish-washing.

Surprisingly, those iconic spices that go into a home-made pumpkin pie constitute less than 11% of what gives your fall beverage its incredible flavor. And an even smaller amount of actual pumpkin is in there.

So how does the PSL manage to taste like pumpkin pie when it has so little of makes pumpkin pie so awesome? For the answer, we must turn to science.

We first learned about the amazing science behind the popular drink from food scientist Kantha Shelke on the Institute of Food Technologists.

Here are the facts:

NOW WATCH: This 3-minute animation will change the way you see the universe