Does Starbucks have sugar-free drinks? The answer is a resounding yes!
Contrary to popular conception, the Starbucks menu includes a bunch of naturally sugar-free drinks. Teas and coffees contain no sugar on their own. So, as long as you skip the sweeteners and heaps of dairy, you are in a safe zone.
To make the choice easy for you, we sifted through the extensive Starbucks menu to bring you 15 sugar-free drinks that need no modifications. Simply order them off the menu and enjoy your drink.
We also recommend 5 low-sugar ‘customized’ drinks that you can enjoy guilt-free on your special days. These have only a small amount of sugar, mostly from dairy and occasionally from a pump of sweetener. Either way, buckle up! You are in for a not-so-sweet treat!
15 Best Zero-sugar Starbucks Drinks
1. Iced Passion Tango Tea
Another popular summer drink, the iced passion tango tea is a blend of bold fruity favors in vibrant red color. It uses a mix of tropical hibiscus and lemongrass, along with apples and a hint of cinnamon. It is an herbal tea, meaning it is 100% caffeine-free. This drink has 0 g of sugar and no artificial sweeteners.
2. Dark-roasted Black Coffee
Sometimes, it is ok to skip the fancy flavors and stick to a trusty cup of Black Coffee. Nothing can be better than Black Coffee if you are looking for a morning caffeine kick or a quick pick-me-up in the afternoon. This drink packs in very few calories and has 0 g of sugar.
But if you must, ask your barista to give you a quick squirt of sugar-free vanilla.
3. Espresso
If you are looking for a caffeine boost, nothing works better than a shot of espresso. It has no sugar and a caffeine kick that is comparable to a full cup of coffee. This one is a great budget-friendly sugar-free Starbucks drink.
4. Espresso Macchiato
With only 15 calories and no sugar, the Espresso Macchiato is a healthy twist on the sugary Caramel Macchiato. This European-style drink is essentially a shot of espresso topped with steamed milk and foam. While this drink contains milk, it is barely a dollop and doesn’t change its sugar-free status.
5. Espresso Con Panna
Also, a zero gm sugar drink, the Espresso Con Panna is a shot of espresso made more palatable by adding a tiny dollop of whipped cream. This drink packs 35 calories from the whipped cream, but we don’t think that’s too bad!
6. Caffè Americano
This is for the pure coffee lover—espresso shots mixed with hot water. You can add a splash of milk for some sweetness or keep it nice and simple. This beverage has 0 calories and no sugar.
7. Iced Caffè Americano
If you enjoy the hot Americano at Starbucks, you will love its iced avatar. This cool drink is made by topping espresso shots with cold water, then pouring it over a bed of ice. For a stronger version, ask your barista to add an extra shot of the espresso. This is a zero-sugar drink as long as you stay away from the sugary syrup add-ons.
8. Iced Coffee
Nothing screams more chill than iced coffee. A plain iced black coffee has zero calories and sugar. If you want to dress it up, ask your barista to give you a single pump of sugar-free favorite syrup and a splash of milk.
9. Nitro Cold Brew
If you are looking for the ultimate sugar-free caffeine hit, look no further. The Nitro Cold Brew is a black coffee infused with nitrogen—yes, you read that right—to give the drink some sweetness without any added sugar.
Consider topping your beverage with a cold foam if you want to take it a notch higher. Starbucks makes its cold foam by frothing non-fat milk. It won’t be 100% sugar-free, but a small bit of foam can go a long way!
10. Peach Tranquility
This delicious tea is an infusion of luscious peach and pineapple flavors, with a hint of lemon and chamomile. It can be enjoyed both hot and cold making it an ideal keto-friendly, all-season drink. It has no calories or sugar as long as you skip the artificial sweeteners.
11. Jade Citrus Mint Tea
This Starbucks drink acquired its much-loved moniker ‘medicine ball’ for a good reason. This green tea is infused with refreshing notes of lemon verbena, lemongrass, and spearmint. It is the soothing warm tea you crave when you are sick in bed with the flu. When ordering this drink, ask your barista to skip the lemonade and honey and instead opt for green tea as its base.
12. Iced Black Tea
This is a simple cool number for the non-fussy tea drinker. Normally, this drink includes a classic syrup for sweetness. Ask for an unsweetened version for zero calories and a 100% sugar-free drink. This refreshing iced tea packs a strong caffeine kick for those lazy summer afternoons.
13. Iced Green Tea
This summertime favorite is a refreshing mix of mint, lemongrass, and lemon verbena poured over ice. It is a bright, happy flavor that can be enjoyed any time of the day. It is completely sugar-free. But if you must, add a drizzle of honey to sweeten your drink.
14. Emperor’s Cloud and Mist Tea
Starbucks describes this drink as a ‘gently smoky’ and ‘softly sweet’ green tea, and so do we. The tea leaves used to make this ethereal drink are cultivated 3,500 feet above sea level and are nurtured by mist and clouds, giving this tea its unique subtle flavor. This sugar-free tea is perfect for mild tea overs.
15. Royal English Breakfast Tea
This is Starbucks’ spin on the classic British breakfast tea, which is typically a strong black tea served with milk and sugar. Enjoy this drink with a splash of milk and a drizzle of your favorite sugar-free syrup to keep it simple. Best of all, it is available as a hot and cold beverage.
How to Order Low-Sugar Drinks
Everyone is entitled to an indulgence once in a while, even if that means you need to modify your ‘indulgence’ just a little bit.
ALL types of milk contain some form of sugar. So, it isn’t really possible to order a latte that is 100% sugar-free. For example, 2% dairy milk (whole and skim) contains about 12 g of sugar, while almond milk has only 3g. The trick is to swap high-sugar dairy with vegan options like almond milk or oat milk. You can also ask your barista for sugar-free syrups like the wildly popular sugar-free vanilla syrup.
Here, we list 5 modified low-sugar drinks that may or may not contain sugar-free syrups.
1. Caffè Misto
This modified drink is a low-sugar latte that combines half drip coffee and half steamed milk. Since milk contains naturally occurring sugars, it is impossible to have this completely sugar-free. A Grande with 2% milk contains 10 g of sugar, which can be reduced by opting for non-dairy milk like almond milk or oar milk. But note that these vegan options also cut down the protein content of this beverage.
2. Cappuccino
If you want to trick your mind into believing you are consuming more milk, try a cappuccino. The top layer in a cappuccino is a thick layer of milk foam made by foaming milk for longer than in a latte. This means less milk, which equals less sugar! A Tall cappuccino contains 12 g of sugar.
3. Chai Tea Latte
If you are craving a chai tea latte but want to go easy on sugar, this modified version is for you. Ask your barista to use the hot chai concentrate instead of the chai tea syrup and no sugar. You can then add a splash of milk or heavy cream.
A single pump of the sugar-free vanilla syrup will keep the sugar count of this drink at about 6 g for a Grande size. You can also make your drink ‘dirty’ by asking for a shot of espresso!
4. London Fog Latte
This is a good drink choice for anyone that enjoys earl grey tea with milk. Ask for nonfat milk and a sugar-free syrup to make it low on sugar. Alternatively, you can ask your barista to steep the tea bag in three parts water and add a dollop of cream later. This ‘skinny’ dupe of the original London Fog Latte is also made with Teavana Earl Grey tea sachets and contains caffeine.
5. Cold Brew Coffee with Cold Foam
This is probably one of Starbucks’ best-kept low-sugar coffee secrets. This delicious combination of a smooth cold brew topped with delicately sweetened cold foam packs in 205 mg of caffeine is sure to keep you spirited all afternoon!
This creamy drink contains only 7 g of sugar and 35 calories.