7 Healthy Starbucks Drinks To Order—and 8 To Skip

Every year, new drink trends emerge at Starbucks. From the pumpkin spice latte to the oleato line infused with olive oil, there’s always something buzzing. While there’s no shortage of creative and customizable beverages, finding truly healthy Starbucks drinks can be a challenge. Although there are some low-sugar, low-calorie Starbucks drinks, many popular drinks come loaded with enough sugar and calories to match a full meal.

To help you choose the healthiest Starbucks drinks, we’ve put together expert tips for ordering smarter, plus dietitian-approved recommendations for what to sip.

Tips for Ordering Healthy Starbucks Drinks

• Choose a Smaller Size: The size of your drink can significantly impact calories and sugar. If you’re craving something more indulgent, opt for a tall size to help keep calories, sugar, and fat in check.
• Select Skim Milk: Two percent milk is the standard for most drinks, but switching to skim milk can reduce calories, fat, and saturated fat. This small change can make a big difference, especially for larger sizes.
• Reduce Added Sugar: Cut back on syrup pumps or choose sugar-free syrups when available. For a more natural option, consider skipping the syrups altogether and using a stevia sweetener, which is sugar-free and contains fewer chemicals than diet syrups.

Read on to learn the best healthy drinks to order at Starbucks, and for more, don’t miss 15 Healthiest Starbucks Foods, According to Dietitians.

The Healthiest Starbucks Drinks

• Cold Brew Coffee with Milk
• Iced Caffe Latte
• Caffè Misto
• Espresso Con Panna
• Cappuccino
• Chai Tea
• Iced Passion Tango Tea

Cold Drinks & Frappuccinos

Best: Cold Brew Coffee with Milk

This drink packs a caffeine punch, and a dash of 2% milk makes for a creamier texture. This drink has no added sugar and provides a little protein, making it a great option. If you want to reduce calories further, go with skim milk, and try stevia for a healthier zero-calorie sweetener.

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Best: Iced Caffe Latte

Although the Iced Caffe Latte has 15 grams of sugar, this is just the sugar that naturally occurs in milk. There is no added sugar in this drink, making it one of the “best” options on our list. Additionally, you’ll find 12 grams of protein, making a more filling option that could suffice for a decent snack. Swap the 2% milk for skim to cut some calories, fat, saturated fat, carb, and sugar.

Worst: Chocolate Java Mint Frappuccino Blended Beverage

This drink packs a whopping 87 grams of sugar, most of which is added sugar. Between the Frappuccino syrup, flavored white chocolate mint sauce, mocha sauce, and chocolate cookie mint sprinkles, there is no shortage of sugar in this drink. Although it does provide 2 grams of fiber, its only positive attribute, you are better off skipping this option.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Worst: Iced White Chocolate Mocha

Another calorie and sugar-ladened drink, this mocha provides a meal’s worth of calories. One positive attribute of this drink is its 16 grams of satiating protein, but you’re better off getting it without all the added sugar. Make this drink healthier by choosing skim milk, asking for fewer pumps of flavor, and skipping the whipped cream.

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Worst: Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino

If your drink has “cookie” in its name, you may want to look elsewhere for a healthier drink. Another drink that does provide some fiber, the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino is lower in protein than other options and packs way more sugar than most should have in an entire day. Not to mention, this drink contributes a significant amount of saturated fat, a nutrient the American Heart Association recommends you limit.

Worst: Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refresher

Don’t let the low-calorie count on the Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refresher fool you. While only 220 calories, this cold beverage still packs 45 grams of sugar. With no fat or protein, this sugar bomb is sure to spike your blood sugar and leave you in an energy crash a few hours later. If you are craving a Refresher, try the Mango Dragonfruit variety that comes in at 28 grams of sugar. If you choose a smaller drink size, you can cut sugar content even more.

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Hot Coffee Drinks & Espresso Beverages

Best: Caffè Misto

Another drink with no added sugar and a boost of protein from 2% milk, this hot coffee beverage provides a lot of drink for few calories. The caffè misto is made with equal parts brewed coffee and 2% milk, making for a less caffeinated coffee drink than many others on this list. At just under 200 milligrams of caffeine per venti, this drink still packs an energizing punch without the sugar and calories of many other options.

Best: Espresso Con Panna

If you are looking for a punch of caffeine in a small drink, you will find it in the espresso con panna. Simply made with brewed espresso and whipped cream, this option provides only 40 calories with zero grams of sugar. At over 225 milligrams of caffeine, you’ll feel energized without the sugar crash a few hours later.

Best: Cappuccino

You can’t go wrong with a simple cappuccino. Made with a combination of espresso and milk, this drink is known for its thick layer of foam on top. Although higher in calories than other “best” options on this list, you can drop that count by swapping 2% milk for skim. Also, consider adding a dash of cinnamon on top for a zero-calorie way to add flavor.

Worst: White Chocolate Mocha

A common theme you’ll see amongst the worst drinks on this list, like the White Chocolate Mocha, is the high sugar content. When sugar is overconsumed, it increases your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), certain cancers, and other chronic diseases. Reducing the amount of flavoring in your coffee drink is one of the best ways to cut sugar in your drink. Some flavors, like vanilla, also come in sugar-free versions that you may consider.

Worst: Caffè Mocha

Another high fat, sugary drink, this mocha leaves much to be desired when it comes to health. While 5 grams of fiber and 18 grams of protein make this Caffè Mocha better than many other “worst” options on our list, you can’t overlook the 45 grams of sugar. This is more than what’s in a single can of soda! Reduce the pumps of mocha and skip the whipped cream topping to turn this option into a healthier one.

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Starbucks Teas

Best: Chai Tea

For a flavor-packed drink that provides zero calories, this chai tea is a great option. Made with black tea along with a variety of spices, this tea is known for its distinctive flavor. Add a splash of milk if you prefer a little creaminess, but avoid the latte version of this drink that is loaded with added sugar.

Best: Iced Passion Tango Tea

For a cold tea drink, the Iced Passion Tango Tea has flavors of apple, lemongrass, and hibiscus. Not only it is a beautiful color, but you’ll get plenty of flavor for no calories. This is also one of the caffeine-free, healthy Starbucks drink offerings, making it perfect for a fun drink any time of day, or for those who generally limit their caffeine consumption.

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Worst: Caramel Apple Spice

While the Caramel Apple Spice may not have as many calories as other “worst” selections on this list, it has the most sugar. At just under 90 grams of sugar, this steamed apple juice drink is topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce, and it provides almost no protein. The combination of high added sugar content and little protein and fat could leave you with a sugar high and crash soon after.

Worst: Iced Chai Tea Latte

Although the plain chai tea made our list of the best healthy Starbucks drinks, the hot and cold latte versions of this drink are loaded with sugar. Asking for fewer pumps of chai flavoring will cut sugar significantly, and you can use skim milk to bring down the fat and saturated fat content.