The 12 Best Keto Starbucks Drinks and Snacks

Being arguably the most popular coffeehouse in the world, Starbucks is pretty ubiquitous. You’ll find a store on every corner in every city. And while that’s great for staying well-caffeinated, it may pose problems when trying to stay in ketosis.

That’s because many items on a Starbucks menu have sugar and other sources of carbs – which complicates ordering keto at Starbucks.

Luckily, the Seattle-based coffeehouse is as known for its willingness to customize as it is for its sugary lattes. The baristas there are trained to make your drinks the way you want them to be. But don’t go crazy! There are things you can and cannot order, and knowing what your options are can help you avoid unnecessary carbs and annoying the barista.

With that said, here are a couple of tips for ordering keto drinks at Starbucks:

• Ask for “no classic” – Except for plain coffees, Starbucks drinks have sugar by default. Ask for “no classic,” which means sugar-free in Starbucks lingo.
• Go for sugar-free sauces and syrups – There are currently 2 flavors of sugar-free sauces and syrups, namely cinnamon dolce and vanilla. However, Starbucks will occasionally add sugar-free caramel and mocha to its menu.
• Add spices as your go-to toppings – Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa powder, and pumpkin spice are all great low-carb options to top your coffees and teas with.
• Stick to coffee and tea – Is a latte Keto? Hardly. Even if you order one with coconut milk and sugar-free syrups, it’s hard to customize lattes and frappuccinos to make them keto-friendly – although it’s not impossible. Stick to coffee and tea for now.
• Go for “breve” instead of milk – Usually, Starbucks adds 2% milk to their lattes and other drinks, which is high in milk sugars. Ask the barista to use “breve” in your espresso or tea, which is a fancy way of referring to half-and-half. Other options include almond and coconut milk.
• Choose keto sweeteners – Starbucks offers a range of keto-friendly sweeteners like Equal, Splenda, and a Stevia and monk fruit blend from Whole Earth.

With that said, you’re now probably wondering, “what is keto at Starbucks?”

Below are a couple of menu options along with their macros breakdown. The macros are calculated using nutritional info for each drink from the Starbucks website and the USDA food database where necessary.

With the exception of Caffe Misto, Starbucks freshly brewed coffees are zero-carb, sugar-free drinks by default.

You can choose between Blonde Roast, Dark Roast Coffee, or Pike Place Roast to get your morning dose of caffeine. These are available in classic Starbucks serving sizes (short, tall, grande, and venti). There’s also a decaf (Pike Place Roast) option in case you don’t like caffeine.

Ask for add-ins like non-nutritive sweeteners, creamers, and powders if you don’t like plain coffee. A splash of half-and-half or heavy cream is best. However, you could also go for almond or coconut milk as plant-based options.

Americanos are essentially diluted espressos. They’re a perfect pick if you like large servings of coffee without overdosing on caffeine. A tall Caffe Americano, for example, will give you only 150mg of caffeine (around 400mg/day is safe 3). But you can lower this even more by asking for one shot instead of two.

There are around 1g of carbs in a serving of Americano coffee, and you can add zero-calorie sweeteners and cream if you like.

A lot of people don’t really see the difference between a Flat White and a Caffe Latte. And we wouldn’t blame you if you’re the same. Both are espresso-based, milky drinks. The main difference, though, is that a latte has a layer of foamed milk. A flat white has a thin (flat) layer of steamed milk on top.

Lattes are some of the most popular Starbucks drinks. Unfortunately, flavored ones are loaded with sugar and other carbs. That’s why you’ll need to customize your order to keep carbs as low as possible while not losing on the flavor factor.

How do you do that?

Start by asking for a short or tall Caffe Latte, which is just milk and brewed espresso. Ask the barista to substitute half water and half breve or heavy cream for milk as you would with a Flat White. Ask for no foam or light foam; foam is always made with milk.

Here’s another keto-friendly Starbucks drink that won’t require any customizing. It’s simply an espresso served with a dollop of steamed milk and foam. Starbucks’ Espresso Macchiato is available in four espresso sizes, from solo to quad.

Go for smaller serving sizes since that will keep the caffeine and carb content low. Don’t worry about the milk and foam; the serving sizes are pretty small and won’t add too many carbs to this drink.

Starbucks chai lattes are made with sugary pre-mixes. But there’s also a way to make chai lattes keto at Starbucks. Victoria Coglianese, RD, explains,

If you’re like me and love a quintessential chai tea latte but don’t love the gobs of sugar in the Starbucks pre-mixed version, go for a made-to-order version.”

Victoria suggests ordering, “Tall-sized Chai Hot Tea in a grande cup for extra room. Ask the barista to add 1/3 cup steamed whole milk. Grab your drink and head over to the self-serve counter to add 1 packet of stevia and an extra pour of cream.”

Did you know you can order a glass of Steamed Milk at Starbucks? Well, this coffee giant now offers Steamed Coconut Milk as well.

While this doesn’t sound too exciting for coffee connoisseurs, it’s good news for keto dieters who just want a nutritious drink that won’t kick them out of ketosis or leave them with jitters. Coconut milk is a decent source of ketogenic fats, and it’s tasty, too!

Or maybe you like your caffeinated drinks ice cold? Then don’t deprive yourself of your favorite pleasure and order a Cold Brew Coffee with a splash of milk.

This is one of the best low-carb drinks at Starbucks since you can enjoy it as is. It’s made with brewed coffee, ice, and milk.

In case you need something to curb the munchies, Starbucks also offers some lovely egg bites. This breakfast option is called Sous Vide Egg Bites. Sous vide is low temperature and long time cooking over a water bath, and it leads to the most delicious, most tender egg bites you could eat.

The bites are available in three varieties: Ham, Cheddar & Peppers, Bacon & Gruyere, and Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper.

On the other hand, you could just grab a snack.

Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, suggests to, “Pick up a bag of Moon Cheese. Moon Cheese is a crunchy dried cheese snack made from 100% real cheese with no need for refrigeration. This flavorful snack also provides 10-12 grams of protein per 1 ounce serving with only 1-2 grams of carbs for those looking to stick to lower carb or keto-friendly items.”

While Starbucks is best known for its lattes and frappes, it still has a range of low-carb options available on the menu. From plain coffee and teas to flat whites and keto-friendly chai lattes, there are things you can order at this famous coffee house and stay true to your diet. Another bonus is that Starbucks offers snacks. And some of these just happen to be low in carbs. If you miss your Starbucks outings, try ordering something from this list and you won’t have to worry about the carbs.