When three pm rolls around, nothing is better than a middle of the day pick-me-up from Starbucks. While everyone loves to enjoy a coffee to finish out the afternoon, dieters who are following the ketogenic diet need to be careful that their coffee order is not loaded with sugar or other forms of carbohydrates. Read on to learn about how to order coffee from Starbucks without adding carbs to your diet.
Go back to basics
The most obvious way to add carbohydrates to your Starbucks order is to choose a drink with added sugar. Luckily, Starbucks is able to whip up plenty of coffee culture favorites with no added sugar. Some of the most obvious low or no carb choices that Starbucks serves include…
- Espresso. Espresso might be an acquired taste, but if you're looking to stay awake, it'll do the job every time with 0 carbs. Can't stand the sting of black espresso? Ask for a Cafe Americano, which is a softer form of espresso diluted with hot water.
- Hot tea. Starbucks offers a massive range of hot tea options and unique in-house designed flavors. Drink them straight for a warm and comforting treat, or add heavy cream and sugar-free syrups for more flavor.
- Cold brew. Cold brew is one of Starbucks most well-caffeinated beverages, and they make it in small batches early in the morning. Try swapping out your iced coffee with cream and sugar for a cup of cold brew.
Ditch the Frappucino
The biggest calorie and carbohydrate bomb on the Starbucks menu is by far the Frappucino. While this sweet treat may be perfect on a hot summer day, the frozen drink has a whopping 44 grams of carbohydrates in a single grande mocha.1 This means that if you're looking to go into ketosis, you'll probably not be able to consume the standard recipe Frappucino.
Luckily, Starbucks baristas are very generous with substitutions and can help you create a low-carb alternative that has all the flavor of the original. Ask for a coffee light frappucino with half water and half heavy cream instead of nonfat milk. Or, order the Sugar Free Cinnamon Dulce Light Frappucino with half water and half heavy cream instead of the nonfat milk for a seriously sweet treat at a fraction of the carbohydrates.
Learn to build a better latte
Nonfat milk contains lactase, which is a type of sugar that is treated like a carbohydrate in the body. Lattes are not safe for the ketogenic diet as the sugar lactase is treated the same way as other types of sugar once it enters the bloodstream. The lower the fat content of the milk, the more sugar and carbs are contained in a single serving.
Thankfully, Starbucks does make their own delicious heavy whipped cream, which is the perfect substitution for your standard nonfat milk latte. Substitute your milk with heavy cream, and add a pump of one of their many sugar-free flavorings. Many Starbucks also now carry almond milk and coconut milk, which are both alternate options as well.
The most important thing to remember when ordering from Starbucks on keto? Don't be shy to ask for substitutions! Your barista wants you to enjoy your caffeine pick-me-up, so most locations will be more than happy to help you find a substitution or show you the nutritional label on their add-ins so you can make an informed choice. Happy drinking!
NUTRITIONAL DISCLAIMER
The content on this website should not be taken as medical advice and you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. We provide nutritional data for our recipes as a courtesy to our readers. We use Total Keto Diet app software to calculate the nutrition and we remove fiber and sugar alcohols, like erythritol, from the total carbohydrate count to get to the net carb count, as they do not affect your blood glucose levels. You should independently calculate nutritional information on your own and not rely on our data. The website or content herein is not intended to cure, prevent, diagnose or treat any disease. This website shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on the Website or actions you take as a result. Any action you take is strictly at your own risk.
Dr. Rosmy Barrios, MD is an aesthetic medicine specialist whose work focuses on patients who are treated for obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other weight-related issues through nutritional analysis, keto diet programs, and supporting medications.
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