How to Not Drink Your Calories at Starbucks

Starbucks was an integral part of my college experience.

By Abby

Whether it was grabbing a latte before my 8 am class at the building next door, or catching up with a friend I hadn’t seen in awhile due to crazy schedules, I have so many memories that include Starbucks and college, it’s hard to count.

Over my four years, I started to become more aware of what I was drinking and just how many calories and grams of fat I was ingesting (one venti white chocolate mocha can cost you 580 calories…not to mention almost 5 bucks).

I eventually became used to ordering drinks with skim milk and sugar-free syrups. I downsized from Ventis to Grandes, and — gasp! — even Talls. Recently, I have also become very fond of their tea selection.

And much to everyone’s surprise, there are actually ways to order low fat/low cal drinks at Starbucks…you just have to know what to ask for.

Fortunately, a great health and dieting blog called, Back in Skinny Jeans, gives us “7 ways to cut down calories and fat in Starbucks drinks” :

1. “Eliminate pumps of syrup. I know you love adding some fruity or candy flavored syrup to your latte but every pump of flavored syrup is 20 calories and 5g of sugar. In the Tall sizes, Baristas put 2 pumps of syrup which will pack on 40 calories and 10 g of sugar. In the Venti, you’ll get 4 pumps for a total of 160 calories and 20g of sugar.”

2. “There are sugar-free syrup options with 0 calories, but those syrups have artificial sweeteners in them.”

3. “One packet of Sugar in the Raw is 20 calories. But, if you have to add some sugar you’re better off with Sugar in the Raw versus the white sugar because during refining the sugar cane juice flavor filled with nutrients is removed.”

4. “Nix the whipped creme topping. You can save from 60-110 calories and 6-11g of fat depending on the size and type of the drink. Baristas put more whipped creme on the cold drinks versus the hot drinks.”

5. “Switching from whole milk to non-fat milk will save you anywhere from 60-120 calories and 5-14g of fat depending on the size of the drink.”

6. “To make a Carmel Macchiato less caloric, order it with non-fat milk and without the vanilla syrup . If you order a tall Carmel Macchiato with whole milk, you will ingest 200 calories. If you eliminate the 2 pumps of vanilla syrup (40 calories) and change to non-fat milk (60 calories), your new drink will be 100 calories and you still keep the luscious Carmel sauce.”

7. “Starbucks offers 3 drinks that have 0 calories free of artificial sweeteners: Tall Hot Brewed Coffee, Tall Brewed Tazo Tea, and Tall Shaken Cold Tazo Iced Passion Tea (Unsweetened).”

Take these tips and keep them in mind.

For the really hardcore girls, you can also check out the list that Starbucks provides of “20 Delicious Beverages under 200 calories.” I’m sure you will have plenty of time to think about and perfect your perfect low cal/low fat order while waiting in the long line out the door…