10 Healthy Starbucks Orders To Try Today
Healthy Starbucks orders to try? Yes please! If you love Starbucks but are trying to make better nutrition choices, give these 10 healthy Starbucks orders a try.
Hey friends!
My name is Chantal – I’m a mom of two and a certified personal trainer & nutrition coach. I’m also a huge iced coffee fan.
Welcome to my site!
I have spent the last several years learning what it means to be healthy again after struggling with postpartum weight loss.
Trust me when I say that it can be such a tough game to get healthy again after you go through a tough season.
The good news is that there’s always hope! You really can get healthy again – no matter what that looks like for you.
By now you probably know that being healthy is the result of a million tiny decisions over time.
Walk a few extra steps. Eat a few more veggies. Say no to that extra cocktail every now and then. Lift heavy things when you can.
Related: Tropical Island Green Smoothie Recipe
And of course, sometimes it means saying no to all of the extra sugar and calories in your beloved Starbucks drink.
Luckily, you can still enjoy a good Starbucks run and get healthy at the same time.
I’m personally an advocate for indulging occasionally so that you don’t go insane and won’t constantly feel deprived. A sweet treat goes a long way for morale and happiness.
(Trust me here, it’s psychology.)
However, that only works if you have the self-control or habits that result in the occasional indulgence!
Most of us have to compromise by still enjoying the ritual – but just switching it up a little.
If you’re currently going to Starbucks every single day, I would argue that you need to invest in a home espresso machine.
It will save you time and money. It will also cut down on all of those grams of sugar going into your body every day.
Here’s the one I have and I’m telling you it has saved me so much time and money.
Is there really a such thing as a healthy Starbucks order?
I am the hippie health nut in my circle of friends and family, so the devil’s advocate in me says to avoid Starbucks altogether.
But the coffee-lover in me is a diehard Starby’s fan (they are literally the only ones who get peppermint right).
So is it really possible to get a healthy Starbucks drink? If so, what would you consider healthy Starbucks drinks to get next time?
You probably already know that most popular Starbucks drinks have a ridiculous amount of sugar in them. That’s pretty obvious, right?
I’m personally a full-fat fan, but if you’re concerned about fats, they definitely have quite a bit of that, too.
Related Reading: Beginner List Of Good Fats To Eat
BUT. Did you know that a lot of Starbucks drinks are also full of unnecessary seed oils?
Sorry to burst your bubble, but vegetable oils and other seed oils are not always good for you.
Sorry to burst that bubble again, but OAT MILK and other milk alternatives contain seed oils and other synthetic ingredients.
(If you are new to the anti-seed oil world, I highly suggest learning about them. Personally, I believe the hype and will stick to olive & coconut oils.)
Milk alternatives and chocolate milks also contain carrageenan (a carcinogenic ingredient) to thicken them up.
Don’t even get me started on all of the other random & unnecessary ingredients.
So the point is – it’s getting really dang hard to make “healthy” choices when ingredients start to get so complicated.
The best we can do is make healthier choices. These will add up over time and we will all feel better.
Here are a few ideas:
- Make your coffee at home
- Drink your coffee black
- Drink plain herbal tea
- Just drink hot water and pretend it’s coffee
- Quit drinking coffee
- Stop going to Starbucks so dang much
- Boycott Starbucks altogether
No? Ha, I didn’t think so.
Even I am not ready and willing to do that. So instead, let’s get to those healthy Starbucks orders we were talking about.
10 Healthy Starbucks Orders To Try Today
1. Any Latte
If you’re currently a mocha person or you get caramel-everything, you need to just go ahead and try lattes.
Try a plain or even flavored latte for instantly less sugar and fat. (The Skinny Vanilla Latte is quite popular.)
You don’t need the drink with all of the frills to get a little caffeine in ya, I promise.
If you’re concerned about fat, you can always request skim milk. (Just say “Skinny” and they will give you skim.) I highly recommend a hazelnut or peppermint latte, especially in winter months.
2. Americano
If you’re feeling spicy and you truly want to know one of the best healthy Starbucks orders, it’s time to venture into the world of Americanos.
I ordered one thinking I was cool when I was in middle school, and I was not prepared.
An Americano is straight up caffeine with no sugar or milk. It is literally just shots of espresso + added water. (If you don’t like black coffee, this ain’t for you.)
It’s actually quite good iced (now that I’m an adult), but only order this if you’re looking for the caffeine. It’s for those of you who are looking to avoid sugar, fat, and happiness in general.
If you’re looking for low-calories, this is IT. There are no more than about 10 calories in this drink.
3. Any Plain Tea
Did you forget that Starbucks has tea?
If you’re going to Starbucks with friends and you don’t want to be the weirdo who doesn’t order anything, but you’re serious about your health goes, why not go for tea?
You can still get a little bit of caffeine from black teas, green tea and Matcha. However, almost all plain teas have less than 10 calories per serving.
This might actually be the healthiest drink you can get at any coffee shop.
So you can still enjoy something hot and tasty without all of the extra sugar, fats, and calories! You can also opt for iced tea (I hear iced green tea is delish.)
4. Skinny Chai Tea Latte
If you love a little spice, this one is for you. This one is a great low-calorie Starbucks drink for anyone.
To keep things sweet but even more low-calorie, you can ask for Stevia (and switch up the milk if you don’t like nonfat milk). This drink will cost you just under 100 calories.
Want the full effect but less calories? Order your regular Chai Tea Latte but get a Tall.
5. “Pink Drink” or strawberry Refresher
If you’re not feeling coffee or tea, try this drink! The Strawberry and Berry Hibiscus Refresher are super popular coffee alternatives. (I personally love cold drinks, even in winter.)
P.S. Keto lovers like to get these with coconut milk for the fat and added creaminess.
The Refreshers actually come in several different flavors (iced) and run about 110-140 calories. But be careful – these babies can be full of so much sugar – unless you make special requests or order the smallest size.
Related Reading: 15 Healthier Food Choices To Make When Grocery Shopping
6. Starbucks Cold Brew Coffee
Similar to an Americano, a cold brew is going to be super-low calories because it’s literally just coffee.
Cold brew is all the rage right now, so why not give it a try? It has absolutely no fat and sugars – so it’s perfect for those of you who are serious about healthy Starbucks orders.
Total calories = about 5 depending on size. Seriously, that’s almost zero calories. Win-win.
7. Cold Brew With Sweet Cream
Not into straight up coffee? Say yes to cold foam and try the Nitro Cold Brew with cream.
You can also choose to request a splash of any milk: whole milk, skim milk, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk…you get the idea.
Either way, you’re looking at a calorie count of about 100 for some cold brew + something creamy to cut it.
If you’re serious about low-calorie and low sugar, opt for coconut or skim-milk. (Or just get a smaller size).
8. Any Light Frappuccino
Who doesn’t love a good frap? I know I do! This is a great option if you are staying true to coffee and watching that sugar intake.
All you need to do to get this healthier Starbucks drink is say, “LIGHT.” Again, this magic word automatically gets you skim-milk and sugar-free sweeteners.
You can still get your mocha, caramel, vanilla, or java chip flavor – just with fewer calories.
Related Reading: 10 Ways to Eliminate Hidden Sugars from Your Diet
9. Flat White or Blonde Flat White
A flat white is typically made with more coffee and less milk. (Compared to lattes and mochas.) The result is fewer calories.
If you’re a big latte fan but haven’t dabbled in the world of flat whites, now is the time. You’ll love the extra coffee-to-milk ratio!
This is a super-simple way to get that caffeine fix for less calories.
10. Non-Fat Cappuccino
Because more fat yields more calories, getting a non fat cappuccino simply means less calories.
While it may not be as creamy and satiating, you can still order your favorite drink! If you’re a cappuccino fan on a diet, give the non-fat cappuccino a try!
When in doubt about healthy Starbucks orders
You don’t have to order one of these exact drinks to have a good time. (And be healthier.)
When in doubt, here are a few simple tweaks to make for lower sugar, lower calorie drink orders:
- Request a low-fat (and lower calorie) milk
- Tell them to take it easy on the flavoring / syrup = less sugar and less calories
- Choose a small drink / order “Tall”
- Forgo the whipped cream or caramel
- Order a “skinny” or “light” drink – Starbucks will immediately know to make it skim-milk with sugar-free syrup
That’s it! I hope this post gave you some fresh ideas for future healthy Starbucks orders. Now you have a healthy option for just about any favorite drink order!
If you’re serious about getting your nutrition together, check out my online Nutrition for Weight Loss course! It’s chock-full of nutrition info that will help you navigate the emotional and mental side of things.
Best of luck,
Chantal
