This Simple (And Delicious) Starbucks Order Is A No-Brainer If You're On The Keto Diet

You might've been sold on the high-fat, low-carb keto diet when you learned you wouldn't have to give up beloved foods like cheese and bacon. But did anyone warn you that, in exchange, you might have to sacrifice your routine Starbucks order?

Okay, fine—you don’t have to give up Starbucks or all coffee-shop orders completely—you may just need to switch up the way you order your usual cup of Joe. And you don’t have to solve an intense math equation to cook up the perfect keto Starbucks drink. Julie Upton, RD, co-founder of Appetite for Health, and Scott Keatley, RD, of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, suggest following these simple rules the next time you’re after your afternoon pick-me-up.

How to make your Starbucks order keto-friendly:

1. Stick to the sugar-free options.
Sugar = carbs, so you generally want to avoid this ingredient in your drinks, notes Upton. A lot of Starbucks drinks are full of syrup that’s made of sugar, so let your barista know to skip the caramel drizzle or any other extras that could add sugar.

2. Opt for heavy cream over regular milk.
By eliminating lactose (aka the natural sugar found in milk) from your drinks, you’re minimizing your carb intake, says Upton.

3. If you need to add milk to your drink, go for unsweetened nut milks like almond or coconut.
Unsweetened nut milks are more keto-friendly given that they lack lactose (and therefore, carbs!).

4. Go easy on the sugar substitutes.
It’ll help you avoid a bathroom trip, says Keatley. “Just because you don't absorb sugar substitutes the same as natural sugar doesn't mean the bacteria in your gut will not feast," he says. "Too much and you may have to move your office chair near the bathroom.”

5. Take advantage of technology.
Keatley recommends making your orders on the Starbucks app. “If you've done a keto diet for even a minute, you know that it's all about preparation, and thankfully Starbucks has poured serious attention into their app,” Keatley says. “It's difficult to stand at the front of a huge line and make 300 special orders. The app lets you take your time, compare, customize, and pick up quickly.”

If your Starbucks order checks those boxes, then it’s probably keto-friendly. But if you’re still not sure and want an expert-crafted order ready at your fingertips that requires little brain power on your end, here’s a list of keto Starbucks drinks and snacks, recommended by dietitians. Cheers!