What Starbucks drinks are good for diabetics? (how do I order less sugar at Starbucks + more information)

It is easy for one to avoid Starbucks drinks by assuming they have high sugar as a diabetic, but a little modification can make them sugar-free and healthy. So, what Starbucks drinks are good for diabetics?

Several drinks offered at Starbucks can be easily modified to be safe for consumption by diabetics. All you have to do is reduce the sugar content to a range below 35 grams, as diabetics should maintain a low-carb intake, preferably 45 grams to 60 grams. Some great options are the skinny mocha latte, cinnamon dolce latte, whole milk cappuccino, and many more.

My uncle is a huge fan of Starbucks drinks, mainly the mocha latte. When he was diagnosed with diabetes, we wanted to create a diet that would suit his health status and, at the same time, not restrict him from enjoying what he loves. We came across the skinny mocha latte from a family member, and since then, he has enjoyed this drink with no complaints. Therefore, if you are looking for Starbucks drinks that will not harm a diabetic, read this article to learn more about the drinks.

Skinny mocha latte

A 230 ml serving of the skinny mocha latte will only give you 150 calories and 27.3 grams of total carbs. This drink is a classic version of the coffee late and has a rich, sweet, chocolatey taste with low-carb content. If you want to further reduce the sugar content in this beverage, ask your barista to make it with heavy cream instead of milk to eliminate the sugars typically found in milk.

You can also order this drink with sugar-free mocha syrup to maintain the calories and carbs at a really low level. This drink is suitable for diabetics as it already has low sugar, calorie, and carb content that can be further reduced by modifying it.

Cinnamon dolce latte

The short serving of the cinnamon dolce latte offered at Starbucks contains 9 grams of total carbs, 60 calories, and 6 grams of proteins. This delicious sugar-free drink is a blend of classic espresso and milk. When making a low-carb version of this drink, ditch the whipped cream and cinnamon dolce toppings while ordering it. This diabetes-friendly beverage has a low carb count and can be modified even further.

Whole milk cappuccino

A small serving of this drink has 5 grams of total carbs, 60 calories, 3 grams of fats, and 3 grams of proteins. This drink is definitely meant not only for diabetics but any coffee lovers who love a drink with a rich coffee taste but low sugar levels. The diabetes-friendly version of this drink is a blend of espresso whole milk Frappuccino topped with a thick, velvety foam.

You can play around with this drink to meet your preferred taste. For example, if you love it smooth, you can ask your barista to use the signature blonde espresso while preparing it. You can also sweeten it a little bit by adding one pack of the artificial sweetener offered at the coffee chain. This drink has equally a low carb and calorie content, and that is why it is best for diabetics.

Low-carb London fog

A grand serving of this serving has 101 calories and 11 grams of protein. The calorie content is pretty low considering the size hence why this drink is good for diabetics. Additionally, Starbucks allows its customers to customize this drink to further reduce the calorie count.

This drink is best for someone who loves tea yet is looking for a low-sugar drink option at Starbucks. It is a combination of steamed milk, earl grey tea, and some vanilla syrup. To further reduce the sugar and calorie content of this drink, you can ask your barista to prepare it with sugar-free vanilla syrup and replace milk with heavy cream.

Nitro cold brew

This drink is among the best options Starbucks offers for diabetics as a 9.6 fl oz serving size has only ten calories, 0 fats, 0 mg of cholesterol, 2 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of protein. This drink is a combination of water and slowly steeped espresso to give a rich coffee taste that is mellow.

This drink is then infused with nitrogen making it creamy and enhancing its sweetness with absolutely no sugar added to it. It is good for diabetics as it has very low carb and calorie content and no sugar content at all.

Iced green tea

Starbucks iced green tea is a combination of unique flavours like lemon verbena, lemon grass, and mint. It is more than ordinary green tea as Starbucks takes it a notch higher by mixing the classic cane sugar syrup with ice to create this frothy refresher.

A grande serving of this drink has no carbs or calories and only comes with 25 mg of caffeine. Aside from all the health benefits that green tea offers, iced green tea beats all drinks offered at Starbucks when it comes to nutritional benefits to not only diabetics but a wide range of special customers, including those with any allergies.

Shaken iced passion tango tea

A grande serving of the shaken iced passion tea tango has only 11 carbs and 45 calories, which is within the limits of a diabetic diet. This vibrant beverage is a better version of iced tea as it is a blend of apples, licorice root, hibiscus flowers, cinnamon, lemon grass, a splash of fruit juice, and classic sugar can syrup. You can opt for an unsweetened version of this drink; it further reduces its carb content.

Violet drink

If you are a diabetic but still want to go fancy with Starbucks drinks, then the violet drink got you. This drink is a combination of ice, creamy coconut milk, and very berry hibiscus refreshers. A grande serving of this drink has a low carb content of 22 grams and 110 calories. You can reduce the calorie count by ditching any ingredient that has fat in this drink. It is suitable for diabetics due to its low carb content.

Iced peach citrus white tea

The iced peach citrus white tea offered at Starbucks has 70 calories and 17 grams of carbs for a 480ml serving. To make a diabetic-friendly version of this drink, ask your barista to prepare the peach, citrus, and white tea with sugar-free vanilla syrup and a splash of heavy cream instead of milk to reduce the sugar and carb content.

Final thoughts

As seen above, you can easily customize different drinks offered at Starbucks to make them diabetic-friendly. All you have to do is ditch most ingredients with high sugar and fat content and opt for sugar-free ingredients with very low fats. That way, you won’t let diabetes limit you from enjoying your favourite Starbucks drink.

FAQ Section

What is the lowest-sugar drink at Starbucks?

The iced green tea drink offered at Starbucks has 0 grams of sugar.

How do I order less sugar at Starbucks?

To order a less-sugar drink at Starbucks, simply ask your barista to either replace or use unsweetened versions of ingredients.

What are sugar-free flavours at Starbucks?

Sugar-free flavours are those that have no sugar content. For example, Starbucks offers a version of cinnamon dolce syrup and vanilla syrup that are sugar-free.

Can you get a sugar-free caramel macchiato at Starbucks?

Yes, you can. To order the sugar-free version of the Starbucks caramel macchiato, ask your barista to prepare it with steamed non-fat milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup, among other ingredients.