There’s a reason that Starbucks’s logo is a beautiful siren; the successful coffee company has created a cult-like following so in love with their coffee that they even launched an app for people to pre-order their drinks last year. And as someone who used to work as a Starbucks barista, trust me when I say people take their Starbucks seriously… like, really seriously.
But there are some drinks that should have their siren logo swapped with a scary ogre as a reminder that we should STAY AWAY at all costs.
The Most Unhealthy Drinks You Can Order at Starbucks
There are certain drinks that I’m sure consumers know are unhealthy for the most part. I mean, “iced chocolate white mocha” has SUGAR and CALORIES written all over it. But what about the seemingly healthy orders that somehow sneak 300+ calories into one measly cup? I give you the top six secretly unhealthy drinks, ordered from the least amount of sugar to the most (a.k.a. the healthiest choice to the least healthiest):
7. Grande Caffè Mocha with 2% milk
This chocolate latte contains 260 calories and 34g of sugar, making it a horrible, horrible addition to your breakfast or lunch.
6. Grande Chai Latte, 2% milk
There was a time when I downed one grande chai latte a day. Chai sounds so wholesome! How bad can a latte be, right? WRONG. One grande chai latte made with 2% milk packs 240 calories and 42g of sugar! You might as well have a box of Milk Duds — 24 of those delicious, chocolate balls contain 40g of sugar.
5. Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte, 2% milk
I can actually hear the screams of blonde, Ugg-wearing women across the nation as I write this. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one of these drinks has 380 calories, 14g of fat, and 50g of sugar. Do the math and 53% of this drink’s calories come from pure sugar. Oh, and “pumpkin” isn’t even a real ingredient in it! *Cringe*
4. Grande Tazo Green Tea Latte
Since green tea is an antioxidant, this MUST be good for me. Wrong again! One grande Tazo Green Tea latte has 350 calories and 57g of sugar. I have no words.
3. White Chocolate Mocha (without whipped cream)
It’s just a latte with a little bit of syrup, right?! IF ONLY. This disastrous drink contains 400 calories and 58g of sugar! Why not down a pack of Rolo chocolates? You’d still have less sugar doing that than having one of these psychotic drinks.
2. Grande Green Tea Frappucino
Starbucks loves to make green tea unhealthy it seems! Even when made with nonfat milk, this cold drink packs 280 calories and 64g of sugar. Eating a small cookie dough Blizzard from Dairy Queen would only give you 10 additional grams of sugar, by the way.
1. THE WINNER (a.k.a. LOSER): Grande Caramel Apple Spice (without whipped cream)
This used to be my go-to hot drink in the wintertime. That apple cider, that caramel… all mixed together with a delicious caramel drizzle on top. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. Now, I know that one of these diet ruiners contains 280 calories and a shocking 65g of sugar. You could have two scoops of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream from Baskin Robbins and not even come close to consuming that much sugar, FYI.
Note that this is often parents’ go-to option when they want a decaffeinated drink for their child in the winter months!
The Bottom Line
It’s amazing to me that from the list above, the best option is the chocolate latte. But since green tea and chai tend to be seen as healthy ingredients, it’s likely that many people are inadvertently making worse choices than they think. And remember, if you’re having a grande White Chocolate Mocha every morning, you’re unknowingly consuming an additional 2,000 calories and 232g of sugar each week. That equates to gaining one pound every 11 days, all thanks to this simple little habit. Stay away from the desserts in disguise above!
P.S. I'm going to be releasing a "Hall of Fame" post soon about Starbucks drinks and food items soon, so hopefully that eases some of your anxieties!
You Tell Me!
Surprised at any of the above items? Have you been accidentally consuming any of these on a daily basis? Let me know in the comments below!