The 10 best keto-friendly Starbucks drinks, according to dietitians
- If you're doing keto, opt for Starbucks drinks like an Americano, flat white, or nitro cold brew.
- You can also get keto-friendly, caffeine-free Starbucks drinks like sparkling water and green tea.
- Tips to keep your Starbucks drink keto-friendly: choose unsweetened beverages and avoid skinny drinks.
If you're on the keto diet, Starbucks may seem off-limits with its caramel frappuccinos that contain 38 grams (g) of carbs or its vanilla lattes that pack 15 g of carbs.
However, take a closer look and you'll find plenty of options that don't exceed your daily carbohydrate limit of 50 g per day, says Scott Keatley, RDN, a nutritionist with the private practice Keatley MNT.
Keto-friendly Starbucks tips
If you're on the keto diet and ordering at Starbucks, Keatley suggests you:
- Opt for unsweetened beverages because sugar, sweeteners, sauces, powders, flavors, and toppings can add carbs to your drink.
- Avoid the skinny and non-sugar syrups too, as many of them have maltodextrin, a food additive that is quickly converted to glucose in the body, thereby bringing you out of ketosis.
- Add milk to your drink for flavor and nutrition. Cow's milk is a complete protein with a slew of vitamins and minerals. You can add up to 8 ounces of milk, which is about 12.3 grams of carbs to your drink, depending on your preference and carb allowance. Alternatively, if you prefer dairy-free alternatives, unsweetened almond, coconut, or soy milk are also keto-friendly options.
Here are 10 keto-friendly drinks you can get the next time you're at Starbucks.
1. Americano
One tall size contains:
- Carbs: 1 gram
- Calories: 10
- Caffeine: 150 milligrams
Americanos consist of two shots of espresso mixed with approximately 1 cup of water. Depending on your preference, you can opt for the hot caffè Americano or the iced caffè Americano.
2. Cappuccino
One short size contains:
- Carbs: 7 grams
- Calories: 70
- Caffeine: 75 milligrams
Cappuccinos consist of a shot of espresso topped with steaming frothed milk. Keatley recommends getting the short size, which has around six ounces of milk and 7 grams of carbs, compared to the tall size, which has around 12 ounces of milk and 10 grams of carbs.
3. Roast coffee
One tall-sized Pike Place roast coffee contains:
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Calories: 5
- Caffeine: 235 milligrams
Starbucks offers roast coffees, such as the Pike Place roast, blonde roast, and dark roast. Thanks to the high caffeine content, plain black coffee can keep you feeling alert and energized, which is great for fighting off the keto flu's grogginess and fatigue, says Keatley.
4. Cold brew
One tall size contains:
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Calories: 0
- Caffeine: 150 milligrams
Cold brew has a milder flavor and is less bitter than traditional roast coffee because of how it is brewed, says Keatley.
5. Nitro cold brew
One tall size contains:
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Calories: 5
- Caffeine: 215 milligrams
Nitro cold brew is made by infusing coffee with nitrogen bubbles. While it doesn't add nutrition, it gives the coffee a thicker and creamier consistency without adding cream, syrups, or sugar.
6. Flat white
One short size contains:
- Carbs: 9 grams
- Calories: 110
- Caffeine: 130 milligrams
The flat white mixes risotto - a concentrated espresso shot - with steamed whole milk. Keatley recommends swapping out half the milk with water, to cut down the carb content to around 4-5 grams of carbs.
7. Chai tea
One tall size contains:
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Calories: 0
- Caffeine: 40 milligrams
If you prefer tea to coffee, opt for chai tea. It has black tea and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, black pepper, and star anise, which add flavor and antioxidants to the drink.
Medical term: Antioxidants are compounds that reduce inflammation and lower your risk of certain diseases like type 2 diabetes and cancer.
8. Green tea
One tall-sized Emperor's Clouds and Mist tea contains:
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Calories: 0
- Caffeine: 1 milligram
For those trying to cut down on their caffeine intake, opt for the Emperor's Clouds and Mist green tea. It has just 1 milligram of caffeine, which is significantly less than many of Starbucks's other beverages. For instance, a tall-sized roast coffee has around 200 milligrams of caffeine. Green tea also contains catechin, which is an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.
9. Iced black tea
One tall size contains:
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Calories: 0
- Caffeine: 20 milligrams
If you prefer your tea iced, the iced black tea is a good option, says Keatley. Like coffee and green tea, black tea is a rich source of antioxidants.
10. Sparkling water
One 12-ounce can of Spindrift grapefruit sparkling water contains:
- Carbs: 4 grams
- Calories: 15
- Caffeine: 0 milligrams
The Spindrift sparkling water at Starbucks is great if you're looking for a refreshing beverage without the caffeine; it's also unsweetened. You can choose from multiple flavor options stocked at Starbucks, such as grapefruit and raspberry.
If you're on the keto diet, you don't have to give up Starbucks. However, it's important you opt for unsweetened beverages like tea and coffee because they're low in carbs.
You can easily figure out if a Starbucks drink is keto-friendly by scanning the nutrition info of the drink online, on the store menu, or on the nutritional label, if it has one.
It's important to note that the keto diet can come with long-term risks, such as liver disease, kidney stones, heart disease, and nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, this diet isn't for everyone, particularly people with liver or thyroid conditions, pancreatic disease, and gallbladder disease.
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