- Starbucks’ holiday drinks are festive but can have more added sugar than you realize.
- Reducing the syrup or swapping for sugar-free help you cut down on sugar.
- Choosing a smaller drink size allows you to enjoy your fave without going overboard.
Starbucks’ holiday drink menu is officially back, bringing cozy flavors and festive nostalgia. As Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., RDN, puts it, “Starbucks holiday drinks are sweet treats that evoke celebratory nostalgia in a cup.” Their limited-time run only adds to the appeal, making these drinks feel even more special.
But these cheerful sips can also pack more added sugar and calories than you might expect. “Most Starbucks holiday drinks are loaded with added sugars, sometimes two to three days’ worth and up to 540 calories in a venti,” Harris-Pincus tells EatingWell.
The good news? You don’t have to skip the holiday flavors you love. “With the Starbucks app, you can customize drinks to your needs and preferences like type of milk, pumps of syrup or drink sizes,” says Patricia Kolesa, M.S., RDN. We asked registered dietitians to share simple ways to lighten up your order while still enjoying the festive menu.
1. Reduce Syrup or Sauce Pumps
“Each pump of flavored syrup typically contains 5 grams of added sugar, with slightly more in sauces like pumpkin and mocha,” explains Harris-Pincus.
Most added sugar intake comes from sugar-sweetened beverages, including drinks on Starbucks’ holiday menu. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of your daily calories, which translates to less than 200 calories or 50 grams per day on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. Consuming too much added sugar is linked with weight gain, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
2. Switch to a Sugar-Free Syrup
Choosing sugar-free syrup as a way to make your holiday drink sweet can be a nice way to cut back on calories and added sugar. “Sugar-free syrups are a helpful alternative to reduce additional calories and added sugars,” says Kolesa. A regular vanilla syrup has 20 calories and 5 grams of sugar per pump compared to the zero calories in a sugar-free syrup.
While you may have concerns about artificial sweeteners, the Food and Drug Administration regards aspartame and other sweeteners like sucralose (Splenda) as safe to consume. Many sugar-free syrups contain sucralose, which is 600 times as sweet as regular sugar, ensuring your drink remains sweet yet low-calorie.
3. Sprinkle Cinnamon for Flavor
Instead of relying on syrups or sauces, try cinnamon for extra flavor. Ask for a sprinkle of cinnamon on your drink, or add some yourself—many Starbucks have cinnamon available for customers.
Some research suggests that cinnamon may help regulate blood sugar levels, but you’d need significantly more cinnamon than the dusting on your beverage to potentially reap that benefit. The upside to using cinnamon here is that it can make your drink feel more festive and warm, without adding any sugar.
4. Skip the Whipped Cream
“Hold the whipped cream or choose a light whip,” recommends Harris-Pincus. Light whipped cream means your barista will use less, so you still get some creaminess and sweetness.
One tablespoon of whipped cream contains about 8 calories, but you’ll get a bit more than that on your holiday drink. While this may not seem like much by itself, calories quickly add up when you have syrup, whipped cream and other flavorings.
5. Choose a Lower-Calorie Milk
The milk you choose can impact your drink’s calorie content.
Half-and-half (breve), coconut, whole milk and sweet cream have the most calories. Almond milk contains the fewest calories, with 40 calories per cup. However, it lacks protein, which can help balance the sweetness of Starbucks’ holiday drinks.
Choose nonfat or soy milk for a lower-calorie, protein-rich option. One cup of nonfat milk has 84 calories and 8 grams of protein. In contrast, a cup of soy milk delivers about 109 calories and 7 grams of protein. Pairing protein with a sweet treat—like a Starbucks holiday drink—helps stabilize post-meal blood sugar levels by slowing gastric emptying and stimulating the release of insulin.
6. Choose a Smaller Drink Size
Simply changing the size of your drink can significantly reduce calories and added sugar. With less milk and fewer syrup and sauce pumps, a smaller drink still retains the holiday spirit but is lower in calories and added sugar.
For example, a grande (16-ounce) peppermint mocha has 440 calories and 36 grams of added sugar compared to the 240 calories and 19 grams of added sugar in a short (8-ounce) peppermint mocha. Unlike the grande, the short beverage only contains one shot of espresso. If you want more caffeine, add an extra shot, which has less than 3 calories and no added sugar.
Our Expert Take
Choosing a smaller size, reducing syrup pumps, swapping in lower-calorie milk or ordering through the app to customize your drink can all make a meaningful difference so you can continue enjoying Starbucks’ holiday menu without derailing your nutrition goals.
As Harris-Pincus recommends, start simple and add. “For example, order an almond milk latte (no syrup) and add 2 pumps of pumpkin sauce, 2 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon,” she says. Try these tweaks next time you order from Starbucks’ holiday menu—and enjoy!
