Here Are Starbucks Holiday Drinks, Ranked From Most to Least Healthy
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Starbucks released their highly anticipated holiday drinks this week, and people are naturally freaking out. Instagram posts featuring the drinks are popping up everywhere and there’s a general buzz about the return of these beloved beverages.
While there are no new drinks in the mix, Starbucks brought back plenty of fan-favorite drinks, including the Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, Irish Cream Cold Brew, and Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte. Basically, you have plenty of options for festive drinks at your local Starbucks.
Of course, there’s a lot to choose from and that can make it tricky to decide on just one. It’s generally understood that Starbucks holiday drinks aren’t exactly health beverages. But, if you’re looking for the healthiest of the bunch, here’s how nutritionists rank these holiday beverages, from most to least healthy.
1.Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte
This dairy-free drink is back for a second season after debuting last year. It features sugar cookie-flavored syrup, espresso, and steamed almond milk, topped with red and green sprinkles.
Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte nutrition
Here’s what you can expect when you drink a grande Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte, according to Starbucks:
Calories: 180
Fat: 6g
Sugar: 27g
Protein: 3g
Fiber: 1g
Nutritionists on the Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte
“With a name like Sugar Cookie, you would expect this to be a calorie bomb but, at 180 calories, it’s not too bad,” says Scott Keatley, R.D., co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. But he adds this caveat: “There is little other nutritive value to the drink beyond the energy and good feelings it provides.”
Jessica Cording, R.D., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers says the almond milk is the reason for the lower calorie count, but notes that the drink is also low in protein and fat. “It will likely affect your blood sugar pretty significantly,” she says.
Irish Cream Cold Brew
This drink features cold brew coffee with Irish cream syrup. It’s topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and a hint of cocoa.
Irish Cream Cold Brew nutrition
Here’s what you can expect when you drink a grande Irish Cream Cold Brew, according to Starbucks:
Calories: 200
Fat: 11g
Sugar: 24g
Protein: 2g
Fiber: 0g
Nutritionists on the Irish Cream Cold Brew
While the calorie count is on the lower side for Starbucks holiday drinks, Cording points out that there’s “no fiber and very low amounts of protein” in this drink. As a result, she says, “it’s going to impact your blood sugar.”
“Almost all of those calories come in the form of saturated fat and sugar,” Keatley says.
Chestnut Praline Latte
This drink features Starbucks’ espresso, along with steamed milk and “flavors of caramelized chestnuts and spices," per Starbucks. It also has a whipped cream topping, along with spiced praline crumbs.
Chestnut Praline Latte nutrition
Here’s what you can expect when you drink a grande Chestnut Praline Latte, according to Starbucks:
Calories: 320
Fat: 14g
Sugar: 35g
Protein: 12g
Fiber: 0g
Nutritionists on the Chestnut Praline Latte
The Chestnut Praline Latte provides “almost enough calories for a meal,” Cording says, noting that it’s “a little bit lower in sugar” than some other Starbucks drinks. But, she adds, “that’s relative.”
Keatley notes that the Chestnut Praline Latte “can be modified significantly without losing the essence of the drink.” That can include replacing the 2% milk with almond or skim milk and asking for less pumps of the chestnut praline syrup.
Caramel Brulée Latte
This drink features espresso, steamed milk, and caramel brulée sauce, all topped off with whipped cream and caramel brulée bits.
Caramel Brulée Latte nutrition
Here’s what you can expect when you drink a grande Caramel Brulée Latte, according to Starbucks:
Calories: 410
Fat: 14g
Sugar: 48g
Protein: 12g
Fiber: 0g
Nutritionists on the Caramel Brulée Latte
Keatley points out that this latte “gives you a ton of sugar” but adds that “at least it has some protein in it.” Cording acknowledges that there is “a little protein” in this drink, but the lack of fiber is concerning.
“This beverage has enough energy to replace a small meal but it will at least make you feel kind of full,” Keatley says.
Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
Starbucks describes the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha as espresso “paired with flavors of caramelized white chocolate combined with steamed milk and topped with whipped cream and festive holiday sugar sparkles and crispy white pearls.”
Toasted White Chocolate Mocha nutrition
Here’s what you can expect when you drink a grande Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, according to Starbucks:
Calories: 420
Fat: 15g
Sugar: 55g
Protein: 15g
Fiber: 0g
Nutritionists on the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
A big issue with this drink is the sugar content. “This drink has 55 grams of sugar—just to give you an idea of how much added sugar you should have in a day, it’s 25 to 35 grams,” Keatley says. It’s also “very high in calories” and has no fiber, Cording says. “I would look at this as a high-sugar meal,” she says. “It’s definitely not a health beverage.
Peppermint Mocha
The Peppermint Mocha features Starbucks espresso, along with steamed milk, sweet mocha sauce ,and peppermint-flavored syrup. It’s topped with whipped cream and dark-chocolate curls.
Peppermint Mocha nutrition
Here’s what you can expect when you drink a grande Peppermint Mocha, according to Starbucks:
Calories: 440
Fat: 16g
Sugar: 54g
Protein: 13g
Fiber: 4g
Nutritionists on the Peppermint Mocha
The Peppermint Mocha isn’t winning any health awards with nutritionists. "The turkey you'll have at Thanksgiving is going to have fewer calories,” says Keatley.
Cording also isn’t impressed. “This has enough calories to be an entire meal,” she says. However, Cording points out that the Peppermint Mocha has some fiber, along with 13 grams of protein. “While the protein, fat, and fiber help a little with balancing things out, it’s still a lot of sugar to have in one setting,” she says.
Overall, experts say it’s really best to view these drinks as a sweet treat vs. your new everyday beverage. “I prefer to think of them more as that slice of a holiday pie, perhaps topped with ice cream,” says Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet.
If you want to enjoy one of these drinks more regularly but are wary of all the calories and sugar, Cording suggests making little tweaks, like opting for skim milk, asking for less pumps of syrup, and omitting whipped cream.
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