What is the lowest calorie drink at Starbucks?

When you’re watching your weight or just trying to make healthier choices, the calories in your favorite coffee drinks can add up quickly. Luckily, Starbucks offers many low calorie options to satisfy your caffeine craving without overdoing it on calories. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the lowest calorie drink you can order at Starbucks and provide some tips for further reducing the calories in your go-to Starbucks beverage.

The Lowest Calorie Hot Coffee Drinks

If you just want regular hot coffee, Starbucks offers fresh brewed coffee in the blonde, medium, and dark roasts. An 8-ounce short size of any of their brewed coffee options contains just 5 calories. Opting for black coffee is the easiest way to keep your Starbucks run low in calories.

You can also order an Americano, which is hot water added to espresso shots. A short 8-ounce Americano made with 2 shots of espresso contains just 10 calories. Adding a splash of milk or sugar will increase the calorie count slightly.

The Lowest Calorie Iced Coffee Drinks

During the summer months, an iced coffee can really hit the spot. Starbucks offers several refreshing iced coffee options with minimal calories including:

• Iced Coffee: 5 calories for a grande (16 oz)
• Iced Americano: 10 calories for a grande (16 oz)
• Cold Brew Iced Coffee: 10 calories for a grande (16 oz)

These unsweetened iced coffee drinks contain very minimal calories on their own. You can add milk or a sugar-free syrup without accumulating too many additional calories. Stay away from the sweetened bottled and canned options which can contain over 200 calories for a single serving.

Low Calorie Espresso Drinks

If you prefer an espresso-based drink over regular drip coffee, Starbucks has several low calorie options in that category as well. A solo espresso shot contains just 5 calories. Order it as a single, doppio, or even triple shot over ice or mixed with hot water for an Americano for a low calorie pick-me-up.

A Caffè Misto, which combines brewed coffee and espresso, is another good option at just 40 calories for a tall size. Ask them to leave room for milk and add just a splash to keep the calorie count low.

Skinny Versions of Your Faves

Starbucks offers lower calorie “skinny” versions of some of their most popular drinks. Order your go-to Starbucks beverage made with sugar-free syrups and non-fat milk to cut down on calories while still enjoying the same tasty flavor.

Some skinny drink options include:

• Skinny Vanilla Latte: 100 calories for a tall
• Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte: 120 calories for a tall
• Skinny Caramel Macchiato: 100 calories for a tall
• Skinny Caffè Mocha: 140 calories for a tall

While not as low in calories as black coffee, these skinny versions slash a significant number of calories compared to the full-fat, sugary versions.

Low Calorie Frappuccinos

Frappuccinos are basically milkshakes disguised as coffee drinks. The traditional recipes are loaded with sugar and topped with whipped cream, quickly adding up to 400-600 calories.

Luckily, the Starbucks menu offers a “Light” version of their classic Frappuccinos. Order yours made with nonfat milk and sugar-free syrups to keep the calorie count reasonable. A tall Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino Light contains just 90 calories. Other Light Frappuccino flavors include caramel, mocha, and cinnamon dolce.

The Coffee Base Frappuccino is also a lower calorie option at 100 calories for a tall. It consists of a coffee-flavored Crème base instead of a milk base for a lighter, less sweet flavor.

Tips for Ordering

Here are some tips to keep in mind when ordering a low calorie Starbucks drink:

• Opt for small sizes like tall or short rather than venti or trenta
• Choose sugar-free syrups instead of regular
• Ask for sugar-free whipped cream instead of regular
• Request your drink made with non-fat or low-fat milk
• Ask for light ice to get more drink for your calories
• Stay away from toppings like caramel drizzle or mocha sauce

With these simple customizations, you can enjoy your favorite Starbucks drink guilt-free while sticking to your healthy lifestyle.

Lower Calorie Food Options

While this article has focused on drinks, Starbucks also offers several low calorie food options. Some of the lowest calorie menu items at Starbucks include:

• Egg white bites (various flavors) 70-80 calories each
• Petite vanilla scone – 130 calories
• Protein Bistro Box – 270 calories
• Fruit cups – about 60 calories each
• Snack bars (Kind, RX, Hippeas) 190-220 calories each

Pair one of these lower calorie snacks with your low calorie Starbucks beverage for a balanced, portion-controlled mini meal.

The Bottom Line

Starbucks offers a wide array of deliciously caffeinated drinks with minimal calories so you don’t have to feel guilty about your coffee run. Black coffee and tea, unsweetened iced coffee, skinny lattes, and Light Frappuccinos are all great low calorie options.

Pay attention to size, sugar and heavy cream additions, and high calorie toppings to keep your drink as low calorie as possible. With the right customizations and choices off their lower calorie food menu, you can definitely find options to satisfy your Starbucks craving without sabotaging your health goals.

So next time you swing through your local Starbucks drive-thru, try ordering one of these lowest calorie drinks or experiment with customizations to create your own.