As promised in my post on drinking calories, here we have a guide to the shrine of corporate existence: Starbucks. This article will give guidance on what NOT to order from Starbucks, and what to order instead.
Let me start by saying categorically: I CANNOT. DRINK. BLACK. COFFEE.
If I could, I would recommend that, this would be a very short post. Drink black coffee. It’s 5 calories. The end. But no, not me. I will gag. I need my coffee to be creamy. I need my tea not to taste like I am drinking freshly mowed lawn. So when I wrote this, I had all of you in mind – we want our yummy coffee and tea drinks, but if we wanted them to have 200+ calories, we’d just as well order the ice lemon pound cake. Not to speak ill of the cake – I like having my pastry as a 20 treat. But I don’t like the idea of drinking pastry every day, which is exactly what will happen if you are not careful about Starbucks ordering!!!
Don’t Order: Matcha green tea latte
A matcha green tea latte sounds healthy, right? But it clocks in at 240 calories and 32 grams of sugar! See more here.
Do order: Hot Green tea latte or Unsweetened iced green tea
If you still want a bit of foam with your green tea, get a hot green tea latte. This is kind of off-menu but the barista should understand it. It’s only going to set you back about 50 calories and 3 grams of sugar.
The Iced Green Tea is also a good option because it’s zero calories, and it’s also blended with mint to make it less “grassy,” which is one of the primary turn-offs of green tea for may people.
You can also check out my recipe for DIY Matcha Green Tea lattes in my morning energy drink post.
Don’t order: Skinny syrupy lattes
I was once the queen of Venti Skinny Caramel Macchiatos. Even though on its face 160 caloiries may not seem that bad, it is still about 23 grams of sugar. And I was drinking two of these a day. Yiiiikes.
The problem with the syrups is that they usually are loaded with sugar. And even if you get the sugar-free brand, that is loaded with chemicals that make you crave even more sugar (we discussed this in my post on protein bars). It always comes as a cost. Plus, it tastes nasty (doesn’t it??)
Also, I used to order nonfat lattes all the time, until I learned that nonfat milk actually has a lot of sugar. A grande nonfat latte with no flavors has EIGHTEEN grams of sugar.
The sugar free syrups, at least to me, are the lesser of all evils. I opt for the sugar free vanilla if I really want some flavor. Another compromise is reducing the number of pumps of syrup from the usual 4-5 to 1-2. You still get some flavor but with only half the calories.
Do order: Almond milk or coconut milk lattes
Almond milk latte grande size has 100 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 5 grams of sugar. Coconut milk lattes have 110 calories, with 10 grams of sugar. These are better alternatives if you want a milky drink.
The best option: BYOC (Bring your own creamer)
I have said this a lot – bring your own creamer. If you are getting Starbucks and coming back to your house or the office, then you can have one of the creamers that I recommend in my drinking calories post. They come in both powdered and liquid form, so you can transport if you are on the go. I usually order a plain Americano with one Stevia packet and sweeten it with Vanilla Supercreamer. Just as good as a Vanilla latte, for only 10 percent of the calories!
Don’t order: Frappuccinos (as prepared normally)
When I was in college, the glass bottle Frappuccino’s has just become a thing. I remember thinking how could I possibly finish this thing in five seconds and not feel more awake. Oh yeah, because it’s liquid candy!! Even the “light” Frappuccino’s are packed with sugar. Every time I see someone carrying a Frappuccino with a mound of whipped cream, I shudder. But I DO get the Cherry Blossom Frapp when it’s in limited edition in DC. Because you can’t call yourself a true Washingtonian if you don’t. That is what the 80/20 approach is all about.
If you are really craving a Frappuccino, you can follow Starbucks’ advice and get a naked one:
Coffee Frappuccino Blended Beverage: Coffee meets milk and ice in a blender for a rumble-and-tumble togetherness to create one of our most-beloved original Frappuccino blended beverages. 160 calories in a Tall beverage.
There is a whole post by Starbucks on ways to shave off calories from your Frappuccino I recommend checking out:
https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/5-ways-to-shave-calories-off-your-starbucks-frappuccino
Do order: Iced shaken espresso with Almond milk
You still get the icy creamy feeling of a Frappuccino, but without all the calories. Be sure not to include the classic syrup, and sweeten with Stevia in the Raw instead.
You can still DIY Your Favorite Drinks!
For an awesome DIY low cal Frappuccino recipe, combine:
- 1 cup Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
- 1 tbsp monk fruit
- 1 tbsp stevia-sweetened 5 sparrows Frappe and Smoothie base
- 2 Tbsp Vanilla Super Creamer
- Ice
- Blend and have a 50 calorie no-sugar Frappuccino instead !
Don’t order: Salted Caramel Cream or Irish Cream Cold Brew
The specialty flavor Nitro Cold Brews clock in at 230 calories and have 23 grams of sugar!
Do order: Plan Nitro Cold Brew or Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream
A plain Nitro Cold brew only has 5 calories, and if you drink it fresh it is actually very foamy and creamy. If you want a little something-something, get the Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream, which is like a light version of the other Cream cold brews above. It has 70 calories and 5 grams of sugar.
Other Starbucks recommendations
For the Keto diet: Keto Starbucks drinks (the Keto Queens)
