You Can Enjoy Starbucks Healthy Drinks That Fit Your Current Lifestyle Better

Living a healthy lifestyle might mean you have to give up certain things, but thankfully Starbucks isn’t one of them.

This coffee chain, a cultural icon in its own right, is a regular habit for many people who need their caffeine fix. By opting for certain drinks or making a few changes to your usual order, you can enjoy Starbucks healthy drinks that fit your current lifestyle better.

What Do Starbucks Drinks Consist Of?

Most of the drinks on the Starbucks menu are high in calories, added sugar, and saturated fat. Sometimes it may exceed your recommended portions for a single meal, especially when you’re watching your intake.

Syrups pack at least 20 calories and at least 5 grams of sugar per pump, which may not seem like much until you consider that a grande size frappuccino uses four pumps—and that’s not even counting the whipped cream yet! Sauces are even richer, with the caramel sauce listed at 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 21 grams of sugar for every two tablespoons.

Your favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte is listed as having 450 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 73 grams of sugar for a grande size. But even so-called low-calorie Starbucks drinks can be deceiving.

A grande Cascara Cold Brew might only have 80 calories, but its sugar level is at 17 grams. For reference, the American Heart Association recommends a daily sugar intake of 25 grams for women and 37 grams for men.

An Americano and a brewed coffee are among the healthiest Starbucks drinks, but if you’re not keen on taking your coffee black, you can still enjoy Starbucks even when you’re on a diet.

Starbucks baristas are perfectly willing to customize your drink for you. That said, queues can get rather long especially during peak hours, so to avoid giving the staff a hard time and holding up the line of customers in need of their coffee, it’s a great idea to plan your drinks ahead of time.

In order to achieve the healthiest Starbucks drinks, here are some simple changes you can make to your orders.

- Pass on the sugar
  For a low-carb Starbucks drink, skip the sugar altogether and just take your coffee black. It comprises most of the amount of carbohydrates in each order.
  
  For instance, out of the 24 grams of carbohydrates in the caramel sauce, 21 grams of that is sugar. The white mocha syrup’s 11 grams of carbohydrates are completely derived from sugar as well.
  
  If you’re ordering a frappe, hold off on the whipped cream and request for sugar-free syrups which will give you the same flavor you love but without the guilt.
  
  For simpler drinks, you can opt for Stevia if you really need some sweetness or pack on flavor instead with cinnamon or nutmeg, both of which are easily accessible at the bar.

- Swap out your milk
  An easy way to pack on the calories is through milk, especially when you order a drink heavily based on milk like a latte.
  
  A classic cafe latte is bursting with 190 calories. Even a matcha green tea latte, which may sound healthier because it’s tea, offers a whopping 240 calories in a grande size.
  
  If you can’t live without your lattes, you can still enjoy a low-calorie version by swapping out the milk. Ask your barista to put in almond milk instead, which can bring calories down significantly. For comparison’s sake, the same grande-sized cafe latte will now just be 100 calories.
  
  If you’re on a keto diet, you can also go for heavy cream, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates.

- Go a size down
  When it comes to healthy Starbucks drinks, size matters.
  
  A venti will cost you almost double the calories from a tall, especially on a frappuccino. A venti mocha frappuccino is 500 calories versus 270 calories for a tall-sized one, and a venti caramel macchiato is listed as having 310 calories while a tall one has only 180 calories.
  
  Naturally, bigger drinks require more pumps of syrup and servings sauces to make it taste the way it should, which means more saturated fats, added sugars, and carbohydrates.
  
  So if you want to save on your calories, order the tall-sized one. Sip it slowly and savor your Starbucks indulgence.
- Choose cold drinks
  An easy swap you can make for a healthier Starbucks order is to opt for the iced version. A hot drink will fill your cup to the brim, while a cold drink will save you some calories because some of the ingredients are replaced by ice.
  
  To compare, a grande latte has 190 calories, while an iced latte in grande only has 130 calories. Meanwhile, a grande vanilla latte is normally 250 calories, but the same serving size of its iced counterpart is just 190 calories.
- Eyes on the menu board
  In some parts of the world, Starbucks is required to display the calorie counts of their offerings on the menu. If your local Starbucks doesn’t have these menu boards, you can look up the nutritional information of your preferred drink online.
  
  A healthy diet is all about making informed choices on your food and drink intake. So when you’re in doubt, you can easily turn to these references to discern low-calorie Starbucks drinks.

Healthy Starbucks Drinks

While swaps such as sizing down or going for iced drinks are easy to make, it can get challenging when you start thinking about calories, carbs, and sugars, especially if you’re on a certain diet that requires you to keep close track of your intake.

To make it easier, here are five recommendations for the healthiest Starbucks drinks you can order:

Americano or Brewed Coffee
Your coffee fix in its purest forms, these drinks will get you all the health benefits of caffeine without the added calories from other ingredients. Both are listed for having very minimal calories and zero carbs.
Nitro Cold Brew
If you want to take your coffee as black as possible but find it too bitter, a nitro cold brew is your best bet. The process of making it brings out a natural sweetness, as well as a thicker texture that makes it more indulgent without actually adding sugar. It’s also easier on the stomach because it’s less acidic, and it’s high in caffeine.
Non-Fat Cappuccino
When you can’t live without a splash of milk in your coffee, go for the non-fat cappuccino. This classic espresso-based drink is topped with a foam of non-fat milk, resulting in a treat that is low in both calories (just 60 in a tall cup!) and fat.
Blonde Flat White
Craving for something creamy? The Blonde Flat White is a healthy Starbucks drink at just 100 calories for a grande. It combines the smooth taste of Starbucks’ blonde roast with non-fat milk and topped with a thin layer of foam.
Light Frappuccino
If you can’t resist a frappuccino, try the lighter versions instead. The tall sizes can go as low as 100 calories per cup with just coffee, non-fat milk, syrup, and lots of ice. It’s available in caramel, vanilla bean, and coffee variants. Just resist the urge to add whipped cream on top.

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