A lot of people consider Starbucks as just a part of their daily routine, it’s just a coffee in the morning before work or a mid-afternoon treat. However, many don’t realize what exactly their “quick drink” really is: a dessert.
While there are plenty of low-calorie and low-sugar items on the menu, most of the most popular drinks actually have way more calories, sugar, and fat than you realize. We made a list of the 11 unhealthiest drinks from Starbucks, consulting dietitians and nutritionists to find out what drinks at Starbucks should really be an every-one-in-a-while kind of thing. Keep reading for all the details.
1. Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
First up is perhaps the most unhealthy item you can get on the entire menu; it includes mocha sauce, Frappuccino chips, whipped cream, chocolate cookie crumble, and mocha drizzle, all of which amounts to 430 calories, 55 grams of sugar, and 24 grams of fat. In case that didn't hit home, registered dietitian Michelle Rauch pointed out a comparison:
"This is the same amount of sugar as eating almost nine Oreo Cookies and more sugar than two regular-sized (47 grams) Snickers bars." It's also "the same amount of fat as a large order of McDonald's french fries." And some people count this as just an afternoon snack!
2. Iced Cinnamon Dolce Latte
A Cinnamon Latte doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, the innocent and simple sounding name actually hides a much more unhealthy interior. The drink, which combines whopped cream, cinnamon dolce-flavored syrup, and cinnamon dolce topping," can be ordered hot or iced, but unfortunately, neither are very good for you.
"Both versions provide 300 calories or more in the grande size," explains registered dietitian Megan Novoshielski. "Nearly 40% of which come from fat. Plus, each drink is packed with 35 to 40 grams of sugar." No one needs that much sugar in a simple drink!
3. White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
Another rival for the unhealthiest of all is the White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino, which Novoshielski points out is "the highest-sugar Frappuccino on the Starbucks menu," at 61 grams of sugar in the single drink. It also boasts a whopping 420 calories and 17 grams of fat.
Rauch also compares it to drinking soda or eating a burger: "This drink has more saturated fat than a McDonald's Big Mac (8 grams) and more sugar than a 16-ounce bottle of Coke (44 grams)."
4. Açaí Lemonade Refresher
Don't feel bad if you thought this was on the other end of the spectrum: one of the healthiest drinks you can order in Starbucks. It's advertised that way, as light and, well, refreshing. But in that fruity beverage is actually way more sugar than anyone needs in one sitting. According to Novosheilski, there's actually "more than a day's worth of sugar in a 16 ounce size." That's a lot of sugar in a "health" drink!
5. Matcha Crème Frappuccino
Another item that conjures an image of health is the Matcha Crème Frappuccino. While matcha is a very healthy ingredient, this drink is far from it. "This is basically a green-colored milkshake masquerading as tea with a venti [size] clocking in at 520 calories," registered dietitian nutritionist Lauren Harris-Pincus explained. "It also has almost 3 days' worth of added sugars and half the daily value of saturated fat."
6. Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino
This one probably isn't a surprise—it's described on the Starbucks website as having "dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and a crunchy caramel-sugar topping," plus the "buttery caramel syrup" that's part of the blended base. With a whopping 470 calories, 60 grams of sugar, and 22 grams of fat, this is less of a mid-day pick-me-up and more of a decadent dessert, and should definitely not be ordered on a daily basis.
Rauch compares it to a chocolate Frosty at Wendy's: "This Starbucks drink has the same number of calories as a Wendy's medium chocolate Frosty (470 calories), almost the same amount of sugar (65 grams), and almost twice the amount of fat (12 grams)." Think twice before you order this one!
7. Hot Chocolate
Last but not least, you might've thought this was a safe bet—not the healthiest but certainly not on the worst of the worst list. However, Rauch recommends skipping this one. Coming in with 370 calories, 37 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of fat, it's less of a hot drink to keep warm and more of a sugary dessert, but most Starbucks customers don't see it that way, which is why, according to Rauch, it's a dangerous menu item. "It's no wonder it tastes so decadent," she points out, nodding to the sugar and fat content.
