Keto dieting has become extremely popular in recent years, and a big reason for that is its effectiveness for weight loss.
The entire premise behind keto-living is to adopt a high-fat, low-carb diet while also consuming little to no sugar, and it has proven to be very successful for many people.
This type of diet may sound tough, but in actuality, there are a lot of delicious Starbucks keto food and drinks that you can enjoy while also staying true to keto.
Best of all, you don’t have to go without your daily Starbucks drink just because you’ve decided to give this diet a try.
In fact, there are plenty of keto Starbucks drinks on the menu, so keep reading to find out which ones are best for your diet - and your tastebuds!
18 Keto Starbucks Drinks (Best Low-Carb Orders To Try)
In order to better understand each keto drink at Starbucks, you first have to know a bit about what “keto” means.
Here’s what Healthline has to say about the ketogenic diet:[1]
“The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy.”
Going keto isn’t for everyone, so before you start eating high levels of fat and essentially no carbs and sugar, make sure that it’s right for you.
If you decide that it is, here are 18 Starbucks drinks that you can enjoy while living keto:
1. Brewed Coffee & Iced Coffee (Unsweetened)
For anyone who prefers to keep things simple, then a basic freshly brewed coffee or Starbucks iced coffee is the perfect choice for staying true to your keto diet.
Of course, you can’t add any processed sugars to your coffee, but you can add heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) or a non-dairy milk alternative.
In fact, you’d be making your drink more keto by doing this.
So when in doubt about your diet-friendly options, just stick to the basics and order an unsweetened brewed coffee (light, medium, or dark roast) or keto iced coffee.
You can always add a sugar free syrup for a bit of extra flavor!
2. Espresso & Iced Espresso
Another fairly basic keto drink possibility at Starbucks is to go with the famous Starbucks espresso.
You can stick with a single or go with double or triple espresso shots- once again, this hot or iced coffee must remain unsweetened - and rest easy knowing that your keto lifestyle is not being broken.
One of the best qualities of Starbucks espresso is its hints of caramel flavoring, as well as the fact that a single shot is only about 5 calories.
Plus, you’ll get a hefty dose of caffeine in this keto Starbucks drink, especially if you make it a double.
On a hot day, feel free to go with an iced shaken espresso instead.
3. Americano
Love Starbucks' espresso but want something with a bit more volume? Then go with a keto Americano.
Americanos are made by combining espresso and hot water, so by nature, they’re considered a great keto option.
This is the perfect drink for anyone who likes a robust, no-nonsense coffee beverage.
Just make sure to keep your Americano unsweetened or go with a keto sweetener like Stevia, and if you want an extra keto boost, add a splash of heavy cream.
You can even add sugar free vanilla syrup alongside the heavy cream if you want to enhance the taste.
4. Pike Place Roast
We’ve already mentioned brewed coffee as an ideal keto drink for those who like to keep things simple, but let’s look more closely at Starbucks Pike Place roast.
The Pike Place roast is without a doubt the most popular bean offered at Starbucks, and according to the chain,[2]
“a smooth, well-rounded blend of Latin American coffees with subtly rich flavors of chocolate and toasted nuts…”
To keep things keto, go ahead and add unsweetened almond, soy, or coconut milk to your Pike Place coffee.
Or mix it up and ask for a splash of half and half or heavy whipping cream for a beverage that’s rich and creamy.
This Starbucks coffee also works well with two pumps of sugar free vanilla syrup or sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup which both have 0 net carbs.
5. Decaf Pike Place Roast
For anyone who’s trying to stay away from caffeine while also remaining true to a keto diet, there are a lot of options available at Starbucks, and one of the best of them is a simple coffee brewed with decaffeinated Pike Place beans.
6. Keto White Drink
The keto white drink is one of the secret Starbucks menu items, so don’t expect to see it listed at your local Starbucks store.
This iced tea has actually generated a lot of buzz in the keto community, mainly because it's delicious, even though it's basically completely sugar and carb free.
When ordering this iced tea, ask the barista for unsweetened Peach Citrus White Tea, a splash of heavy cream, 2-4 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup, no water, and light ice.
Just make sure you ask for the unsweetened Peach Citrus White Tea, because the regular one has liquid cane sugar within it.
Many people describe this iced tea as tasting like a slice of peach cobbler, so it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular options on the secret Starbucks menu right now.
7. Low-Carb London Fog
The traditional London fog at Starbucks is made by combining Earl Grey tea with vanilla syrup and steamed milk.
To make this Earl grey tea drink a keto-friendly option, simply ask the barista to switch out the regular steamed milk for half and half, heavy cream, or a dairy-free substitute in order to drop the carb count.
You'll also need to skip out on 4 pumps of regular vanilla syrup and ask for 1-2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup instead.
That’s it… now you have a delicious London Fog that won’t ruin your diet.
8. Skinny Mocha
Who doesn’t love a chocolately mocha?
Well, even if you're on a keto diet, you can still enjoy a Starbucks mocha drink that won't ruin all that you've worked for so far.
The Starbucks skinny mocha is similar to the traditional option, but you’ll have to make a few modifications to keep it keto-friendly.
First, ask your barista to swap out the steamed milk for half and half / heavy cream to up the fat content and lower the carb count.
Then, to reduce the sugar, ask for the sugar free mocha sauce in place of the usual mocha sauce that the Starbucks baristas use.
Skinny mocha sauce has lots of flavor and should give you all the same great taste as a regular mocha sauce.
Just make sure there's no whipped cream, because this is packed with sugar!
9. Iced Blonde Vanilla Latte
Anyone who likes iced lattes will love the keto-friendly iced blonde vanilla latte.
Not only is it delicious, but it’s also easy to order; just ask for an iced latte, but instead of the usual 2% milk, get whole milk or almond/coconut milk instead.
The light ice coffee comes with vanilla syrup as standard, but ask the barista to add 2 or 3 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup flavoring.
This spin on the classic latte has a lot going for it, like the fact that it contains only 4 net carbs and no sugar while simultaneously delivering refreshing vanilla creaminess.
10. Low-Carb Pink Drink
The low-carb pink drink (also known as the keto pink drink) is another fantastic choice for anyone who likes sweet flavoring but is trying to remain true to a keto diet.
This beverage recently became very popular on Instagram, so feel free to post your own pic after ordering.
The base of this drink is unsweetened passion tango tea, and it’s topped off with a splash of heavy cream followed by 3 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup.
Finally, it’s poured over ice, making it the ideal choice for a hot summer day.
11. Low-Carb Flat White
The low-carb flat white is available in both iced and hot options, and it’s the perfect blend of robust espresso flavor and creaminess.
All you have to do is ask for a flat white that’s either iced or hot, but have the barista swap out the normal whole milk for unsweetened Starbucks almond milk or heavy cream.
12. Low-Carb Caramel Macchiato
The normal caramel macchiato is packed with sugar.
Luckily, there’s skinny caramel macchiato version that’s low in sugar and almost completely carb free, so you don’t have to go without your macchiato just because you’ve adopted a keto diet.
To order the low-carb, low-sugar version, just ask for a grande caramel macchiato with 3 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup.
If you absolutely can’t go without the caramel sauce, make sure to ask for a light caramel drizzle so that your diet isn’t ruined.
13. Keto Cafe Latte
Lattes, by nature, are keto-friendly, but only if you order yours with heavy cream or almond milk, and of course, make sure to lay off the sweetener unless you opt for a sugar-free one.
To order your keto Starbucks latte, start by asking for a cafe latte brewed with ¾ hot water and ¼ heavy cream (or almond milk if you don't like the richness of heavy cream).
You can use the Whole Earth sweetener packets if you like a sweeter beverage, or go with a couple of pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup (or other classic syrup) instead.
14. Keto Cinnamon Dolce Latte
The keto, sugar free cinnamon dolce latte is more like a dessert than a drink, so if you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, this is the one to go with.
If you go with the traditional version, then you’re basically asking for your keto diet to be ruined, but the good news is that there’s a way to minimize the sugar and carb count drastically.
To do this, ask for the cinnamon dolce latte, but with NO whipped cream and NO dolce sprinkles.
Then, substitute the whole milk for almond milk or heavy cream, and substitute the cinnamon dolce syrup for sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup, or sugar-free vanilla syrup.
To give it its signature Starbucks cinnamon drink taste, ask the barista for a few sprinkles of regular cinnamon mixed into the heavy cream or almond milk and mix together.
15. Keto Frappuccino
Most frappuccinos at Starbucks are loaded with sugar, which is a big no-no for keto dieting.
However, there is a way to order a keto-friendly frapp; ask the barista for a double blended iced coffee with heavy whipping cream and 3 to 4 pumps of a classic syrup of your choice (make sure it's a sugar free syrup).
To avoid the sugar, be sure to ask for no classic and no frap base when you order.[3]
16. Nitro Cold Brew
Just like iced coffee, unsweetened cold brew is an excellent keto-friendly option at Starbucks.[4]
It’s naturally a healthy choice for any type of diet, but it’s especially good for keto because it's a one of the most low carb Starbucks drinks.
Even though the nitro cold brew iced coffee has a strong coffee flavor and is loaded with caffeine, some people find plain cold brew to be boring and bland.
If that’s the case for you, feel free to jazz this cold brew up with a classic syrup of your choice (but make sure it's sugar-free syrup) and a splash of heavy cream.
17. Chai Tea
For tea lovers, a chai tea drink is something you can never go wrong with.
Both the hot and iced chai tea latte are extremely popular at Starbucks, and making yours a keto chai tea is easier than ever.
The most important aspect of making it a keto chai tea latte is to ask the barista to use tea bags instead of the chai concentrate, which is loaded with sugar.
From there, you can spice things up by adding a dash of cinnamon, a splash of heavy cream, and/or a few pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup flavoring.
18. Jade Citrus Mint Brewed Tea
Another delicious tea option for keto dieters is the jade citrus mint, which has been described as the perfect blend of minty freshness and calming jade.
Just like chai tea, there are several ways to transform your plain brewed tea into a keto powerhouse, such as adding heavy cream or a few pumps of sugar-free syrup (2 pumps of sugar free vanilla syrup works great!).
Tips For Ordering Keto-Friendly Drinks At Starbucks
Before you order your keto Starbucks drinks, keep the 3 basics of a successful keto lifestyle in mind: low-carb, no sugar, and high fat.
These are the three major rules of keto, so as long as you adhere to them, chances are you’ll be ordering something that is keto-friendly.
In addition to staying mindful of the three rules, here are a few more tips for ordering your next Starbucks keto drink:
Common Starbucks Keto Drink Questions
Are lattes keto-friendly?
Yes, lattes are keto-friendly especially if you substitute heavy cream for regular milk in your latte. Another option is to use Starbucks coconut milk or almond milk, both of which have fewer carbs than regular milk.
Are matcha drinks from Starbucks keto-friendly?
Unfortunately, Starbucks matcha drinks are not keto-friendly. They don't have a low-carb version of this drink. The matcha contains a lot of sugar, so any matcha beverage isn’t considered to be keto-friendly.
How do I order a keto drink from the Starbucks app?
When you order a keto drink from the Starbucks app, just be sure to include all of the exact details for making your drink of choice a keto-friendly one including milk choice and sugar free syrups. You can even include "make it keto, please" in the comments before placing the order.
Conclusion - Stay On Track With Your Diet!
Just because you're keto doesn't mean that you have to stop drinking Starbucks coffee, and hopefully this guide has introduced some Starbucks keto drinks you're keen to try.
Remember, keto beverages are low in carbs, contain no sugar, and are high in fat (when possible), so keep these 3 points in mind before ordering your beverage.
References:
1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101
2. https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/480/hot/nutrition
3. https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/nutrition/more-sugar-more-problems
4. https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/2121912/iced
This is absolutely brilliant. Looking forward to sampling most of these along with my fellow crew mate whilst on shift. Both on Keto. Happy days!