Oh Starbucks. We love that you’re on every corner, but your menu isn’t all that #hellahealthy! Don’t freak out, we created a special secret menu full of healthy Starbucks drinks to share with all of you (including a #PinkDrink Makeover)!

Graham and I just got back from a long road trip from San Francisco, to Portland, to Seattle and back, and YES Starbucks was a frequent stop for potty breaks. Couple that with a few stretches and jumping jacks and I’d say that’s a solid effort to maintain your movement goals on the road.

TIP: If you appreciate cleaner bathrooms, Starbucks is a pretty safe & clean way to go.

#STAYWOKE

Is Processed Sugar Holding You Back?

We created a Healthy Starbucks Drink secret menu because my personal pet-peeve with Starbucks has a lot to do with how loaded their cups are with PROCESSED SUGAR! If you’re like us, you are not going on 26 mile runs right after your sip of blended coffee. Instead, you/we are sitting on our asses – either at our desk, in our cars, or right there at a Starbucks table.

Overloading our system with loads of processed sugar, already predigested in a smooth, “gulpable” drink, means that it will hit our bloodstream fast and furious. Our liver and muscles absorb whatever sugar it can, and the rest? Well let’s just say it gets stored as excess in unwanted places.

Here’s a helpful tool to remember…

According to the American Heart Association, we should keep our daily sugar intake under 100 calories a day (that’s about 9 teaspoons for men, and 6 teaspoons for women) PER DAY FOLKS. And to give you a visual: about 4.2 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon.

STARBUCKS FAVORITES – Sugar Nutrition Facts

Oh hell no. That’s almost my daily sugar allowance in one freakin cup.

Healthy Starbucks Drinks (Secret Menu)

So how do you order at Starbucks if you are trying to live #hellahealthy? – you know…keep that skin looking right, lower blood pressure, decrease chances of diabetes, thrive at a healthy weight, stay cute n’ fly? See below for a quick hack guide.

WARNING: If you are used to high-sweet, high-salt foods, our Healthy Starbucks Drink menu may taste NEW & DIFFERENT (aka – not so sweet). Give it a try! The more you remove excessively sugar-loaded beverages and food, the more you’ll crave ‘cleaner’ foods. Trust me!

We did NOT put any Frappuccino options on here. Why? We’re not a fan of the ingredients in their syrups (even in the ‘light’ low-cal version). Most of my clients and students are extremely driven and focused on cleaning up and getting rid of ALL processed foods because they are either working towards a weight loss goal, OR have food allergies. If this sounds like you, a great way to wean yourself from these foods, is finding cleaner and healthier alternatives (like the ones listed below).

Pink Drink Makeover

ASK FOR THIS:

“Grande, passion fruit tea UNSWEETENED, with a splash of coconut (or almond) milk and a small scoop of freeze dried strawberries (from the Strawberry Acai Refresher) please.” #pinkdrinkmakeover

~ 2 grams of sugar (<1 teaspoon)

Wait…what is the Pink Drink from Starbucks?

If you don’t know about the “Pink Drink”, then here’s the lowdown that pretty much flooded Instagram months ago (and still going). The infamous #PinkDrink is simply ordering the “Strawberry Acai Refresher” (on the menu), but instead of using water, you ask for coconut milk. They keep the stevia sweetened fruit juice and freeze dried strawberries. It tastes like a light Asian milk tea drink I guess.

Bottom line. It’s sugar juice, with concentrated flavors, processed stevia and sugar. And as a health and nutrition coach/author, whose goal is to help fabulous folks feel and function at their optimum, reduce inflammation, promote healthy skin, and educate men and women on natural weight loss, I will never recommend the regular version.

Cold Brew or Ice Coffee

ASK FOR THIS:

“Grande cold brew [with or without a splash of milk or dairy-free milk] please.” #better4ucoldbrew

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

Sprinkle in some cinnamon if you want a dash of sweet, and/or add 1 packet of “Sugar in the Raw” if you have to, which is about 1 teaspoon.

~ 0-2 grams of sugar (<1 teaspoon) depending on milk and added raw sugar.

Why is cold brew good for you?

“Good for you” is a stretch, but cold brew is less acidic and easier on the stomach and teeth. Since it’s less acidic, it also tastes smoother, less bitter, and to some folks, sweeter! (I like it…and I don’t really love coffee.)

How is cold brew made?
Cold brew is made by simply soaking roughly ground coffee beans in cold water – usually for about 12 hours. The absence of heat is what impacts the acidity level.

Where is cold brew from?
Cold brew is not a NEW invention folks. According to Driftaway Coffee, the history of cold brew can be traced back to the 1600’s in Japan, influenced by trades between the Dutch. However, I’m confident that there was a version of “cold brew” somewhere close to the equator, where it has grown and thrived for centuries.

PASSION GREEN TEA ICED TEA (my fave)

ASK FOR THIS:

“Venti, half green tea plus half passion fruit tea, UNSWEETENED please.” #passiongreentea

0 grams of sugar

HERBAL GREEN TEA

ASK FOR THIS:

“Grande, Emperor’s Cloud and Mist green tea [or another kind], UNSWEETENED please.” #detoxmegreen

0 grams of sugar

NOTE: There’s a solid list of Teavana® flavors. Go ham. Just request UNSWEETENED and you should be good.

There’s nothing really ground-breaking (or secret), but many of you that reach for your normal coffee drinks, might be skipping over a super cleansing option – TEA! It’s not on here to WOW you, but rather remind you to maybe put that mocha or latte on hold for a sec.

HOT BREWED COFFEE

ASK FOR THIS:

“Grande, dark roast [with or without room for a splash of milk or dairy-free milk] please.” #diysweetcoffee

OPTIONAL ADD-INS:

Sprinkle in some cinnamon if you want a dash of sweet, and/or add 1 packet of “Sugar in the Raw” if you have to, which is about 1 teaspoon.

~ 0-2 grams of sugar (<1 teaspoon) depending on milk and added raw sugar.

NOTE: Like the #DetoxMEgreen tea above, this isn’t on here to WOW you, but rather to show you a simple ‘hack’ to wean you off of the high-sugar espresso drinks by adding cinnamon (free at the counter) and possibly 1 teaspoon of sugar if you really need something extra. You will be surprised how reducing your sugar intake does for your health goals.

HUNGRY? NEED A SNACK?

A FEW OPTIONS:

1. FRESH FRUIT: If you feel sluggish and a meal isn’t too far behind, but you really need something NOW, then a good, “clean” option is an apple or banana. There’s no hidden ingredients. Just be sure to give the apple a quick rinse (or ask them to do it for you).
2. NUTS & SEEDS: If you need something with a bit more substance or fat to hold you over, look for plain nuts. I haven’t been too lucky in this realm because most of their packaged nuts/fruit have added oils and sugars, and to me, that makes ZERO sense. $2 for filler ingredients? 
3. PROTEIN BISTRO BOX: And if you are really, really in a bind, eating something with PROTEIN is one of the better options (over a cookie). The ingredients in the bread are not the cleanest, but everything else should satisfy you and clear the hunger pangs until you reach a balanced meal. If there’s a fresh salad, that’s even better, but it really depends on the Starbucks and their stock.

DISCLAIMER ON STARBUCKS COCONUT (or Almond) MILK

Not all coconut, almond, or other dairy-free milk are created equal. And while I don’t want to get all complicated about this, I do want to help you non-dairy or vegan folks out a bit. If you are dairy-sensitive and can easily swap Starbucks milk for the coconut milk, please continue. BUT if you have food allergies, suffer from a sensitive stomach that often bloats from unknown (or known) food sources, I don’t recommend that you order drinks from Starbucks with coconut/almond milk. Just skip the ‘milk’ altogether and order coffee/tea straight up.

Starbucks’ coconut and milk includes more than just coconut or almonds. The added thickeners and emulsifiers (that help with the consistency and texture of the milk), includes ingredients like Carrageenan (made from seaweed) that may cause an already sensitive stomach to bloat. (I can testify). Don’t freak out, just be mindful of how sensitive you are and order accordingly.

If you are curious about what’s in their coconut milk, see below. And if you are curious about MAKING YOUR OWN (super easy) dairy-free milk, here’s a great post on that!

Coconut Milk (from Starbuck) [Water, Coconut Cream, Cane Sugar, Tricalcium Phosphate, Coconut Water Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Gellan Gum, Corn Dextrin, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)]

See more Starbucks nutrition facts here