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 20 sugar-free drinks that need no or little modifications.
Quick Glance at the Starbucks Sugar-Free Drinks
- Dark-roasted Black Coffee
- Espresso
- Espresso Macchiato
- Espresso Con Panna
- Iced Caffè Americano
- Iced coffee
- Blonde Roast Cold Brew
- Nitro Cold Brew
- Peach Tranquility Tea
- Iced Passion Tango Tea
- Jade Citrus Mint Tea
- Iced Black Tea
- Iced Green Tea
- Emperor’s Cloud and Mist Tea
- Royal English Breakfast Tea
- Caffè Misto
- Cappuccino
- Chai Tea latte
- London Fog Latte
- Cold Brew Coffee With Cold Foam
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!
Quick Tip: Starbucks has only two sugar-free syrups: Vanilla and Cinnamon Dulce. So you can add one of these two flavors in your drink.
20 Best Sugar-Free & Low Sugar Drinks at Starbucks
1. 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 syrup.
2. Espresso
A shot of espresso is always an option if you want something quick and sugar-free. You can drink it black or add a little bit of ice and steamed milk to make an iced espresso. Or you can even ask your barista to make it a sugar-free Espresso con panna, topped with a dollop of whipped cream without vanilla syrup to enhance the caramelly flavors.
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.
3. 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.
4. 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!
5. 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 espresso. This is a zero-sugar drink as long as you stay away from the sugary syrup add-ons.
How to order:
- Cus size: Grande
- Americano
- 1 Pump sugar-free Vanilla/Mocha syrup
- Extra Ice
6. 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.
7. Blonde Roast Cold Brew
Starbucks Blonde Roast Cold Brew coffee is a refreshing and smooth way to start your day. This coffee has a delicate flavor that is perfect for those who want to enjoy a lighter roast as it tastes way less burnt.
The cold brew process creates a less acidic cup of coffee, making it easier on your stomach first thing in the morning. Plus, the Blonde Roast Cold Brew is always made with 2% milk and no sugar, so you can indulge guilt-free.
How to order
- Cup size: Grande
- 1 shot of blonde roast espresso
- 2 Pump sugar-free Vanilla syrup
8. Nitro Cold Brew
This is the sugar-free version of the famous, most-loved vanilla sweet cream nitro cold brew.
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.
Optional: 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!
9. 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.
10. Iced Passion Tango Tea
A popular summer drink, the iced passion tango tea is a blend of bold fruity flavors 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.
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.
Below are 5 modified low-sugar drinks that may or may not contain sugar-free syrups
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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!
19. 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.
20. 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.
How to Order Low-Sugar or Suagr-free Drinks at Starbucks
Here are some tips for those who want to customize their Starbucks drink order to be sugar-free or low-sugar. Learn how you can do this and also what are the different types of sweeteners that Starbucks offers.
- Frappuccinos: Avoid frappuccinos and other blended drinks: Frappuccinos and other blended drinks tend to be high in sugar due to the added syrups and toppings. If you’re looking for a cold beverage, try one of Starbucks’ iced coffees or teas instead.
- Stick to unsweetened beverages: This includes coffee, tea, and espresso drinks. You can also ask for your drink to be made with sugar-free syrup or no syrup at all.
- Latte: 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.
Final words
From iced teas to brewed coffees, there’s something for everyone on this list. And the best part is, they’re all completely sugar free. So if you’re looking for a delicious drink that won’t ruin your diet, look no further than this above list. Simply order them off the menu and enjoy your drink.
