Pregnant but craving caffeine? No worries, we’re here to help.
If you’re craving a Starbucks drink, you’d be glad to know that there are plenty of Starbucks drinks for pregnant women.
We'll discuss the top coffee drinks, what to look for when you're ordering your drinks in coffee shops, answer FAQs, and more.
15 Best Starbucks Drinks For Pregnant Women (Safe Options To Order)
1. Hot Tea
There are plenty of hot teas for you to choose from when you're at Starbucks.
Not only do hot teas not contain a whole lot of caffeine, but they're also warm, soothing, and go great with a little bit of honey.
The hot teas at Starbucks also contain minimal calories, and you can choose from a plethora of flavors.
Green tea is often a popular option because of the health benefits, and it has a small hit of caffeine too which is way below the recommended daily caffeine intake, so it's perfectly safe.
Green tea is often used as the base for Starbucks pregnancy drinks which are tea based, and can be served as an iced tea too.
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Some of the other teas they have on offer include Mint Majesty Tea, Peach Tranquility Tea, Hibiscus Tea, and more.
With so many flavors to choose from, you definitely won’t be bored.
2. Refreshers
Light, fruity and cold, Starbucks Refreshers are a great drink to have.
No matter which fruity option you choose to go with, they do contain caffeine, so remember to keep that in mind.
You can go with a tall refresher as it only has around 35 mg of caffeine.
One of the popular freshers is the Strawberry Acai Refresher. A pink drink that’s exceptionally popular and can most definitely be consumed by pregnant women.
Another great thing about refreshers is they are often available in Starbucks trenta size.
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3. Iced Coconut Milk
If you're craving caffeine but don't necessarily want to have a coffee, you can go ahead and order an iced Starbucks coconut drink instead.
Iced coconut milk drinks are a great replacement for coffee, and you can get it in a variety of flavors, such as golden ginger and guava passion fruit.
Get the guava passion fruit in a Grande size, and it's about 190 calories - which isn't too bad and contains zero mg of caffeine.
The only flavor that does have caffeine in it is the Pineapple Matcha, but even so, the Pineapple Matcha doesn't have enough caffeine to hit your max.
4. Decaf & Half-Caf Coffees
Even if you crave caffeine, you might not need it in large amounts. If so, this drink will do the trick.
Decaf coffees usually only have about 15 mg of caffeine, so you don’t have to worry about it being too strong. They also still have the same taste and smell as actual coffee.
If you'd like, you can also add a splash of milk to your decaf coffee or a pump of syrup. Decaf coffees don't contain a whole lot of calories either, which is always a nice bonus.
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5. Chai Latte
If you’re looking for a drink that’ll warm your soul, you can’t go wrong with a Chai Latte.
Even if you order a Venti, a Chai Latte only contains 120 mg of caffeine. You can also customize your drink by adding some flavors and toppings to it.
It's a little heavy on the calories, though, sitting at 240 calories for a grande size, but it’s still less than the number of calories in a Frappuccino.
6. Espresso
If you’re looking for your next caffeine fix, there’s nothing better than a Starbucks espresso shot.[1]
Not only do they only contain 10 calories, but two espresso shots is only 150 mg of caffeine - below your caffeine intake threshold.
Just watch how many shots you have and make sure that you’re not having more than two shots, or you’ll be above your limit of 200 mg each day.
Espressos are literally just espresso and hot water, but you're more than welcome to add some syrups and sauces into your espresso if you'd like.
From toasted vanilla syrup to caramel syrup, feel free to take your pick.
7. Iced Coffee (Regular & Cold Brew)
While there’s nothing wrong with an espresso, it’s normal to crave a Starbucks iced coffee drink - especially if the weather’s warm outside.
Iced coffee are great with milk, sugars, syrups, and can be ordered in a light, medium, or dark roast.
You can even order a decaf coffee iced if you want to really reduce your caffeine consumption.
While you might be tempted to get yourself a grande cup of cold brew coffee, it’s best to steer clear of it as Starbucks reserve cold brewed coffee has exactly 200mg of caffeine in it.
Tempted to get a Nitro coffee? Skip that as well and stick to an iced coffee.
A Nitro coffee contains 280 mg of caffeine, way above the safe limit during pregnancy.
Don't worry, though; you can still have a regular iced coffee as it not only contains 80 calories but it also only has about 165 mg of caffeine.
8. Cappuccino
It's a common misconception that pregnant women should avoid cappuccino, but it actually contains less than 200mg of caffeine.
In fact, even if you choose to get yourself a grande cup of cappuccino with 2% milk, it still only has 150 mg of caffeine.
In terms of calories, it’s also only about 140 calories for a grande with 2% milk.
Cappuccinos are also easy to customize. You can add sweeteners, syrups, sauces, and even toppings, depending on your preferences.
9. Caffe Americano
Similar to cappuccinos, it's a common misconception that you shouldn’t be drinking Caffe Americanos as it contains too much caffeine.
Remember that an Americano is actually a more watered, diluted version of an espresso. So if you’re drinking an espresso, you can drink a Caffe Americano.
The Starbucks version of this has about 150 mg of caffeine in a grande cup, so it's a safe caffeine intake.
Just make sure that you’re not getting any more shots, or you could end up above the caffeine limit.
You can even order this as a decaf coffee so there's no risk of you reaching your caffeine limit.
In terms of calories, the Caffe Americano only has about 15 calories in a grande size.
Want it cold? You can order an iced coffee Americano which has the same caffeine content and is just as safe.
10. Hot Brewed Coffee
You can most definitely get a hot brewed coffee. Hot brewed coffee is incredibly soothing to drink on a cold wintery day.
When you order your hot brewed coffee from Starbucks, they also allow you to select from three different roasts - light blonde, medium roast, or a dark roast.
You'll be glad to know that you can enjoy a hot brewed coffee! Just make sure that you're ordering the smallest size espresso drinks to stay below the caffeine threshold.
It's also low in calories (unless you add a lot of steamed milk), and you can add in flavors, toppings, sweeteners, and more.
11. Macchiato
Who doesn’t love a good Macchiato? Yes, even though you're pregnant, you can still enjoy a delicious Macchiato.
While they are rich beverages and contain caffeine, a venti size of Macchiato still contains less than 200 mg of caffeine, so it’s safe for you to drink.
Just make sure that when you're ordering a Macchiato, however, that you're not ordering an Espresso Macchiato.
An espresso macchiato has a higher caffeine content than you should be consuming because of how many shots of espresso are in the recipe, so you should avoid them.
In terms of calories, it depends on what Macchiato you're ordering, but a Caramel Macchiato is about 250 calories for a grande size.
12. Mochas
If you're craving a sweet Starbucks mocha drink with a reasonable caffeine content, Mochas will do the trick.
They're a drink that contains chocolate with espresso and steamed milk. They're kind of a cross between a hot chocolate and Starbucks latte, but with a bit more coffee and a bit less chocolate.
Compared to Macchiatos, Mochas are less strong and not quite as rich. One of the most popular mocha coffee drinks is the peppermint white chocolate mocha.
They're one of the best Starbucks pregnancy drinks because they are relatively low caffeine, but they still have bags of hot chocolate flavor.
Even if you choose to get a venti Mocha, it'll still have less than 200 mg of caffeine.
Since Mochas can also be easily customized, you're more than welcome to experiment and find the flavor that you like the most.
If you order a regular Caffe Mocha in a Starbucks Grande cup size, these have about 370 calories.
If you drink hot chocolate and want a pregnancy safe coffee then a Starbucks mocha is the one for you - plus you can order a mocha coffee iced.
13. Frappuccino
Frappuccinos are delicious: they're creamy and a lovely ice-blended drink for a warm day.
With Frappuccinos, you can also customize it according to the flavors you like - whether that be white chocolate, peppermint, or more.
No matter which Frappuccino flavour you choose to go for, you’d be glad to know that they all have less than 200 mg of caffeine.
Just keep in mind, however, that Frappuccinos are relatively high in calories.
A Caramel Frappuccino Blended Beverage in a Venti size, for example, will already be 380 calories.
14. Latte
Like a simple latte? You'd be glad to know that you can most certainly enjoy a latte even if you're pregnant.
You can order a wide range of delicious Starbucks iced latte drink flavors including the blonde vanilla latte, caramel latte, cinnamon dolce latte, or even an eggnog latte.
These are all safe Starbucks beverages and taste great.
The Caramel Brulee Latte is another exceptionally popular latte that’s best enjoyed hot, and even that only contains about 150 mg of caffeine.
It does, however, contain a considerable amount of calories - 410 in a grande size, so just make sure you keep that in mind!
Every latte currently available at Starbucks has less than 200 mg of caffeine content- making them safe if you’re expecting.
15. Caffe Misto
Ever heard of the Caffe Misto? It’s a fantastic drink at Starbucks that consists of half steamed milk and half brewed coffee.
The venti size has about 195 mg of caffeine, so it’s something that you’d still be able to enjoy.
Best enjoyed warm, the Caffe Misto has about 110 calories in a grande size. It's also customizable in terms of the flavors, toppings, and sweeteners that you’d like to add in.[2]
A distinctly delicious coffee drink, this is perfect for sipping on when you’re going for a walk or enjoying a day in the park.
Ordering Starbucks Drinks For Pregnant Women (Things To Consider)
When ordering a drink for yourself or a pregnant woman, one of the things you might be thinking is - does Starbucks use pasteurized milk?
Yes, you’ll be glad to know that all of the milk and cream at Starbucks is pasteurized.
This is important for someone who is pregnant, as pasteurized milk is heated to a high temperature that's perfect for killing harmful bacteria.
While there's a good amount of information out there as to whether or not the coffees at Starbucks are safe, what about the refreshers?
Yes, as mentioned earlier, refreshers are completely safe to consume.
While they do come with caffeine, they are safe if you just want a moderate caffeine consumption and are typically made with ice and the caffeinated base along with freeze-dried fruit pieces.
When customizing your drink, you can put in a plethora of other flavors in your drink, whether that be sweeteners or syrups, to satisfy your sugar cravings.[3]
While you can put a pump or two of your favorite syrup in your drink, make sure that you're not going over the top.
Syrups can have a lot of calories in them, so just be careful when adding them to your drink.
With different sizes, make sure that you're aware of how much caffeine each size contains, as it can differ significantly.
A grande size, for example, might have less caffeine than your average threshold, but a venti size could be too much.
Starbucks Drinks For Pregnant Women FAQs
What Starbucks drinks are not safe for pregnant women?
There are quite a few Starbucks drinks that are not safe for pregnant women due to the amount of caffeine.
If you're not sure, it's best to opt for caffeine-free drinks instead. In addition, make sure you are watching your sugar intake.
How much Starbucks can I drink while pregnant?
If you're pregnant, limit your Starbucks caffeine consumption to 200 mg each day, and you'll be fine. This is about one 12-ounce cup of coffee or one and a half cups of 8-ounce coffee.
What food can a woman eat from Starbucks while pregnant?
When it comes to the food at Starbucks, you can usually eat their wraps and sandwiches.
Just make sure that you ask them to be heated until steaming hot, as most of these foods are not made fresh to order.
Conclusion
As seen from the above, there are plenty of Starbucks drinks available for pregnant women.
Just make sure that you're aware of the caffeine amounts in the drinks you're ordering along with the various customizations, and you'll be all set.
References:
1. https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/410/hot
2. https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/478/hot
3. https://www.cnet.com/health/parenting/how-much-sugar-during-pregnancy/
