If you are trying to lose weight, calorie counting can be a key and vital part of the process. But calorie counting can get in the way of your favorite treats, or even your morning Starbucks.
That is why we found the best low calorie Starbucks drinks you can still indulge in when counting calories.
What Are The Options For Drinks When Going To Starbucks?
Starbucks has multiple drink options, so many it can be overwhelming to pick if you don’t know what you are getting before you get there.
Some options of what you can order include:
- Hot Coffees
- Cold Coffees
- Hot Teas
- Iced Teas
- Cold Drinks
- Blended Beverages
To make sure you do not feel rushed when ordering once you get there, you can always look into the options before you go.
That way, you can check the nutritional value and the calorie count for what you are going to get much easier than you would have while standing in line.
If you are looking for Starbucks’s nutritional information, check out their menu.
All you have to do is select what you want, then scroll down to the “Full Nutrition and Ingredients List” and that will give you full nutrition information for your drink.
How I Struggled When Eating A Low Calorie 1400 Per Day Diet And Tended To Avoid Starbucks
When I first started calorie counting on my weight loss journey, my goal was to stick to 1400 calories per day, and let me tell you, it was difficult in the beginning!
I avoided all my usual hangouts, and Starbucks was one of the most difficult to let go of. But my usual go-to drink contained so many calories that it was hard to fit meals into my budget.
So I stopped going.
Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and needed my morning ritual back, so I looked at the Starbucks menu to determine my options.
I was happily surprised to find that I could maintain my calorie budget and get a morning pick-me-up from my favorite coffee staple.
I could even mix it up with multiple great options!
The following are just seven of the low-calorie options you can drink at Starbucks:
Top 7 Choices For Low Calorie Starbucks Drinks – Under 100 Calories
*The following Nutrition Information is based on Grande drinks
1. Black Coffee – 0 Calories
A staple to many, drip coffee is a great morning go-to when you are looking for a robust, flavorful caffeine fix.
Most people don’t realize that black coffee doesn’t have any calories.
When you add creamer and sugar, you add calories to your drink.
Black coffee can be hot or iced depending on your preference, making it great for cold winter mornings or hot summer days.
If you can’t handle just drinking it black, you could always add milk to it instead of creamer and low-calorie sugar.
Just make sure you consider those calories when it comes to your budget.
2.Hot Teas – 0 Calories
Tea is also a great low-calorie option at Starbucks.
Two teas spring to mind when talking about delicious flavor and having zero calories.
These are the Mint Majesty and Emperor's Clouds & Mist. Both of these choices are hot teas, though their similarities end there.
Mint Majesty – 0 Calories
Mint Majesty is a hot herbal tea that blends the tastes of mint and lemon verbena.
This tea will make you feel refreshed and recharged, making it a perfect choice to start your day.
Because it is an herbal tea, you will also get antioxidants and other immune system boosting benefits.
Emperor’s Clouds & Mist – 0 Calories
This tea is a great hot green tea choice to start your early morning off right.
Cultivated at a high elevation of 3,500 feet it is a very high quality blend that will make you want to keep coming back for more!
3.Caffe Americano – 15 Calories
Number three, coming in at only 15 calories, is the Caffe Americano.
This is a great drink for espresso fans.
Similar to black coffee, feel free to add milk and low calorie sugar, but make sure to count those calories on top of the 15 when budgeting.
4.Iced Passion Tango Tea – 45 Calories
Highly colorful and equally delicious, the Iced Passion Tango Tea is a great low calorie choice.
This tea is a mixture of hibiscus, lemongrass, and apple and is highly refreshing for any time of day.
5.Cold Brews – 35 to 70 Calories
Starbucks also offers some great cold brew options that are low in calories.
Three great cold brew options include the Cold Brew with Cold Foam, the Honey Almond Milk Cold Brew, and teh Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream.
Cold Brew with Cold Foam – 35 Calories
This drink is made with foam that is frothed cold instead of hot.
They also use non-fat milk instead of cream, leaving you with a lower calorie count, but an equally tasty drink.
Honey Almond Milk Cold Brew – 50 Calories
This delicious cold brew is flavored with honey, the best natural sweetener, and topped off with almond milk.
Great for those with a sweet tooth, but still calorie conscious at only 50 calories.
Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream – 70 Calories
Another great option for those who can’t resist a cold brew, the Nitro Cold Brew with Sweet Cream is a great choice.
Topped with vanilla sweet cream, this drink is infused with nitrogen making it a very smooth drink.
6.Iced Black Tea Lemonade – 90 Calories
If you are a fan of Arnold Palmers, this is the drink for you.
Made with premium black tea and delicious lemonade, this drink is both satisfying and sweet!
7.Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refresher – 90 Calories
Last, but not least, coming in at number 7, is the Kiwi Starfruit Starbucks Refresher.
Like the name suggests, this fruity drink contains kiwi and starfruit and is great for giving you an energy boost no matter what time of day it is.
There are even real kiwi fruits mixed in!
Other Low Calorie Options – 150 Calories or Less
While the above list gives you great options that are all under 100 calories, there are still some other choices to consider while keeping it below 150 calories!
These choices include:
- Violet Drink – 110 Calories
- Iced Blonde Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Latte – 120 Calories
- Iced Skinny Mocha – 120 Calories
- Cappuccino – 140 Calories
- Iced Flat White – 150 Calories
Other Tips to Keep Calories Low
Not on quite as a restrictive calorie budget but still wanting to keep your favorite drink lower in calories?
There are options for that too!
Some tips for keeping your drinks lower in calories include:
1.Milk Options
Knowing what type of milk you are getting in your drink can be all the difference when it comes to keeping your calorie intake down.
The milk options at Starbucks include (Calorie counts per ounce):
- Almond Milk – 7.5 calories
- Nonfat Milk – 12 calories
- 2% Milk – 17 calories
- Soy Milk – 16.25 calories
- Coconut Milk – 14.75 calories
- Oat Milk – 15 calories
- Whole Milk – 18 calories
2.Get Less Pumps
Not ready to give up your delicious flavor pumps?
You don’t have to!
Standard number of pumps for a flavored Grande coffee is four pumps, but most people can’t tell much of a difference by taking this down to three, or even two.
Each pump is 20 calories, so getting two pumps instead of four saves you 40 calories, and will still taste great!
3.Go Sugar Free
There are also great sugar free options you can choose to get in your normal drink.
These options are sugar-free vanilla or cinnamon dulce.
Both choices have zero calories so you can get these in your drink guilt-free!
4.No Whipped Cream
I get it, whipped cream is amazing, and you might not want to go without it, but you have to ask yourself, is it worth the additional 80-120 calories?
Going without means you can get the drink you want, making it healthier and more calorie friendly.
5.Order the Skinny Version
When you order the skinny versions of a Starbucks drink, you reduce the fat, calories, and sugar contained in the regular version.
This is accomplished by using non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup and removing the whipped cream. This can make a HUGE difference.
For example, a Frappuccino at Starbucks is 240 calories, but the skinny version would only be 100.
Starbucks High-Calorie Drinks You Absolutely Need to Avoid
The highest calorie drinks at Starbucks to stay far away from include:
>500 calorie Starbucks Drinks
- Mocha Frappuccino – 500 calories
- Iced Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino – 500 calories
- Matcha Creme Frappuccino – 520 calories
- Double Chocolaty Frappuccino Blended Creme – 520 calories
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate – 550 calories
- White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino – 550 calories
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha – 560 calories
- Java Chip Frappuccino – 580 calories
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino – 590 calories
- White Hot Chocolate – 590 calories
Source: TheStreet