What is the Healthiest Low-Calorie Drink at Starbucks?

December 24, 2025 •

4 min read

A standard Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with 2% milk and whipped cream contains 390 calories, highlighting how quickly indulgent coffee beverages can add hundreds of calories to your daily intake. Fortunately, many delicious and satisfying low-calorie alternatives are available at Starbucks, perfect for managing your calorie intake or weight loss goals.

Quick Summary

This article explores the healthiest low-calorie drink options at Starbucks, detailing simple customizations to significantly lower sugar and fat content while preserving flavor. It highlights specific drinks, customization techniques, and important nutritional information for making informed beverage choices.

Key Points

Black Coffee is King: Plain brewed black coffee and unsweetened brewed tea are the ultimate low-calorie choices, containing 5 or fewer calories per cup.
Customize Your Milk: Swapping 2% milk for nonfat or almond milk can cut hundreds of calories from lattes and other creamy drinks.
Embrace Sugar-Free Syrup: Use sugar-free vanilla or other sugar-free syrups to add flavor without the added sugar and calories.
Get Creative with Teas: Brewed teas can be customized with light milk and sugar-free syrups to create flavorful, low-calorie concoctions.
Look for 'Skinny' Versions: Order 'skinny' versions of menu classics like lattes, which swap full-fat milk for nonfat and use sugar-free syrup.
Nitro Cold Brew is Your Friend: For a smooth, creamy texture without the need for high-calorie add-ins, a plain Nitro Cold Brew is a great option.

Navigating the Starbucks Menu for a Healthier Choice

Ordering a low-calorie drink at Starbucks can be a minefield of hidden sugars and added fats, but with the right knowledge, you can enjoy a satisfying beverage without the caloric overload. Your best bets often lie in the most straightforward menu items, which offer the most control over ingredients.

The Healthiest Black Coffee and Tea Options

When health is the top priority, nothing beats the basics. Unsweetened brewed coffee and tea are the foundation of a low-calorie Starbucks order. A simple Caffè Americano, made with just espresso and hot water, contains a mere 15 calories for a Grande. For tea lovers, plain brewed teas like Emperor's Clouds & Mist or Mint Majesty have virtually zero calories.

Black Coffee: For a standard brewed coffee, such as Pike Place Roast, the calorie count is just 5 in a Grande. Adding a splash of unsweetened almond milk can provide a creamy texture for only 5 extra calories.
Caffè Americano: This simple espresso and water combination is a fantastic option for a strong coffee flavor with minimal calories.
Brewed Teas: Opt for unsweetened hot or iced teas like Iced Green Tea or Iced Black Tea, which offer refreshing flavor with no calories or sugar.
Nitro Cold Brew: This beverage is infused with nitrogen, giving it a velvety texture and a naturally sweet taste without added sugar or calories. A plain Nitro Cold Brew is only 5 calories.

Customizing Creamy and Sweet Drinks

For those who prefer a creamier or sweeter beverage, strategic customizations are key to keeping calories low. Swapping milk types and using sugar-free syrups are the most impactful changes you can make. Starbucks offers almond milk and nonfat milk as lower-calorie options. Sugar-free syrups, primarily vanilla, are sweetened with sucralose and add flavor without calories.

Nonfat Cappuccino: With steamed nonfat milk and espresso, a Tall Nonfat Cappuccino has only 60 calories, offering a rich and frothy experience.
Caffè Misto with Customizations: A Grande Caffè Misto with almond milk and a pump or two of sugar-free vanilla syrup can be as low as 60 calories, a vast improvement over a regular latte.
Skinny Vanilla Latte: Order a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte, which is made with nonfat milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup, for only 70 calories. This is one of the most reliable options for a flavored, milk-based drink.
Iced Blonde Doubleshot: A Grande Iced Blonde Doubleshot on Ice can be ordered with almond milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup instead of classic syrup, keeping the drink flavorful and low-calorie.

The Healthiest Non-Coffee Beverages

Coffee isn't everyone's jam, and fortunately, Starbucks has a variety of low-calorie, non-coffee drinks. The Refreshers, while often made with sweetened fruit juice bases, can be customized to reduce calories significantly. Unsweetened iced teas remain a top choice for a no-fuss, calorie-free drink.

Passion Tango Tea (Unsweetened): This caffeine-free herbal tea is vibrant and flavorful on its own. For a bit of creamy sweetness, ask for a splash of coconut or almond milk.
Customized Refresher: Instead of the standard Refresher, order an unsweetened Iced White Tea or Passion Tango Tea with a splash of the Refresher base and a packet of stevia. This maintains the fruit flavor with far less added sugar.

Low-Calorie Starbucks Drinks Comparison Table


Drink (Grande)	Default Milk	Standard Calories	Healthiest Customization	Customized Calories	Key Benefit
Caffè Americano (Iced or Hot)	N/A	15	Splash of almond milk	Approx. 20	Virtually zero sugar and low calories.
Pike Place Brewed Coffee	N/A	5	Splash of almond milk and sugar-free syrup	Approx. 20	Simple, classic, and highly customizable.
Iced Green Tea	N/A	0	Unsweetened	0	Antioxidant-rich and sugar-free.
Vanilla Latte	2% Milk	250	Nonfat milk, sugar-free vanilla	80	Classic flavor, dramatically lower calorie count.
Caffè Misto	2% Milk	110	Almond milk, sugar-free vanilla	60	Warm and comforting with minimal calories.
Iced Caramel Macchiato	2% Milk	250	Almond milk, sugar-free vanilla syrup	105	Indulgent flavor profile with a huge calorie reduction.

Conclusion: Your Healthiest Order Awaits

To answer the question, "What is the healthiest low-calorie drink at Starbucks?", the definitive winners are unsweetened brewed black coffee and brewed tea. These beverages contain virtually no calories, sugar, or fat. However, for those craving something more complex, a customized Caffè Americano or a Skinny Vanilla Latte offers the best blend of flavor and calorie control. The key to maintaining a low-calorie diet while enjoying Starbucks lies in mastering customizations: opting for nonfat or almond milk, using sugar-free syrups, and skipping whipped cream. By making these simple changes, you can indulge your cravings without derailing your health goals. For more in-depth nutritional information on specific products, consult the official Starbucks nutrition guide.

For a truly personalized experience that meets your health goals, don’t hesitate to speak to your barista about these smart substitutions. Remember, small changes can lead to significant calorie savings over time, allowing you to enjoy your Starbucks fix guilt-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

The lowest calorie drinks are brewed black coffee and unsweetened brewed teas, both containing less than 5 calories per cup.

To make a creamy drink low-calorie, ask for nonfat or almond milk instead of standard 2% or whole milk. You can also request a pump or two of sugar-free syrup for sweetness.

Ordering a 'skinny' drink means it will be made with nonfat milk, sugar-free syrup, and no whipped cream. This significantly reduces the calories, fat, and sugar content.

Standard Refreshers contain sweetened fruit juice and added sugar. For a lower-calorie version, order an unsweetened iced tea with a splash of Refresher base and a packet of stevia.

You can order a 'Light' Frappuccino, which is made with a lighter base, nonfat milk, and no whipped cream. For an even healthier option, ask for almond milk and sugar-free syrup.

A Caffè Misto is half brewed coffee and half steamed milk. Ordering it with nonfat or almond milk and a sugar-free syrup is a great way to enjoy a warm, creamy coffee with low calories.

Yes, a plain Nitro Cold Brew is very low-calorie, at only 5 calories per cup. The nitrogen infusion gives it a naturally sweet and creamy finish without needing added milk or sugar.