15 High-Protein Starbucks Drinks To Help You Hit Your Macros (2023)

15 Starbucks Drinks Ranked From Most To Least Protein

Starbucks does not have the reputation of Sweetgreen or LYFE Kitchen. Instead, this multinational corporation is known for sweet drinks, perfect for sugar cravings.

Just think of iced teas and all the other sweet treats you can drink at Starbucks.

Until a few years ago, you could add whey protein powder to turn Starbucks smoothies and other regular drinks into protein shakes, which was an ideal protein boost after a workout.

However, that option has been discontinued, and today you can only add plant-based protein powder such as Starbucks almond protein, brown rice protein, pea protein, and banana powder.

This does not mean that an insulin spike is the only thing you can get from one serving; on the contrary.[1]

The following 15 Starbucks products have the most protein of all.

Aaand the heavyweight champion of Starbucks is - White Chocolate Mocha!

The Grande size of this espresso protein drink contains 15 grams of protein, and you can ingest up to 19 grams if you opt for the Venti size.

That's a considerable amount of protein, almost like a full scoop of whey powder.

On the flip side, 53 grams of sugar is too much. Although you are recommended to consume over 200 grams of carbohydrates daily, 53 grams of simple carbs from just one mocha is a lot.

So, you have to pay attention to fit the White Chocolate Mocha into the goals. Drink it right before or after a workout to take advantage of the sudden energy boost from sugar.

Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew came in a close second.

The amount of protein is the same - 15 grams, but the source is a plant protein, and that's why White Chocolate Mocha is the winner.

Animal proteins have a better balance of amino acids.[2] Still, we all love cold brews!

This drink is so tasty.

Starbucks almond protein blended with coffee, almond milk, banana date fruit blend, almond butter, and ice makes one of Starbucks' most delicious and refreshing beverages.

It is worth mentioning that it has less sugar, fat, and thus calories than some other available products.

There are two reasons why White Hot Chocolate is in third place, and the Grande size has 15 grams of protein, the same as the first two on the list.

The first reason is personal, so you can accuse me of being biased. I'm not a fan of white hot chocolate. I much prefer a regular, dark one.

The second reason is much more valid, and that is sugar.

For 15 grams of protein, you will consume over 60 grams of sugar with this recipe, which is an enormous amount of sugar, plus there is no caffeine in this drink.

We are all coffee lovers here, right?

So, you can't drink this for a caffeine fix, but you will definitely satisfy your sugar cravings. If you opt for soy milk, you will reduce sugar content a bit.

Caffè Mocha, one of Starbucks' most popular drinks, is surprisingly high in protein while maintaining true coffee flavor.

There are 7 to 14 grams of protein (short to Venti cup), and the sugar content is significantly lower.

A Grande size has 14 grams of protein and 35 grams of sugar, almost 50% less than White Hot Chocolate and White Chocolate Mocha.

Suppose you resist the temptation to add some syrups, flavors, and sauces - Mocha will be easier to fit into your fitness diet.

It will not affect the blood sugar level as much, even though Mocha, like practically everything else in Starbucks, is high in sugar.

There are also fewer grams of saturated fat; however, this is a relatively negligible difference.

Hot Chocolate is a much better choice than White Hot Chocolate, and I'm not just saying that because I prefer one over another.

A 1-gram protein difference is not significant even for professional bodybuilders, but 18 grams of sugar greatly influences your health.

To put it in perspective - a Grande-size White Hot Chocolate has as much sugar as Hot Chocolate plus a Twix chocolate bar.

Do you know why white chocolate generally has so much sugar? Because cocoa butter usually makes up about one-fifth of most white chocolate, and the rest is sugar and milk.

At the same time, you can find dark chocolate with over 70% of cocoa.

A latte is one of my two go-to options when I stop by Starbucks for coffee. Another one is espresso, but it does not contain proteins, so it is not of interest this time.

It contains the same caffeine as White Chocolate Mocha - 150mg; I don't have to sacrifice the much-needed caffeine kick while doing my pancreas a favor.

A latte has only 18 grams of sugar and 4.5 grams of saturated fat. Compared to the majority of the Starbucks offer, a latte can be considered healthy.

Vanilla Crème belongs to a group of non-coffee, steamed milk beverages.

Since milk is the main ingredient, you will drink 13 grams of protein if you buy a Grande Vanilla Crème with 2% or whole milk.

The amount of protein will be significantly lower if you choose an alternative milk from plant-based proteins.

The warm, fat milk and vanilla taste can bring you back to your childhood. It is a delicious drink when you plan an afternoon nap after a workout because it is caffeine-free.

If you want to reduce sugar, choose sugar-free vanilla syrup to make this vanilla protein drink a bit healthier.

Latte macchiato has an excellent balance of protein, sugar, and caffeine.

It is a high-protein drink since it contains 12 grams of protein and is a potent coffee beverage due to 225 mg of caffeine.

You can choose one or two ristretto shots if three shots are too much for you. I like to go with three shots to jumpstart my body before a training session.

Seventeen grams of sugar is reasonable - good for an energy boost without causing side effects.

Pistachio Latte is a sugary version of the previous drink on the list.

Of course, the taste is different since you will notice the well-known pistachio flavor together with delicious coffee.

Yet, when you look at the nutrition chart, you will see 2.5 times more sugar.

The ingredients list is very long, especially compared to a latte, which has only two ingredients - milk and Starbucks espresso roast.

I expected the Pistachio Latte to have more protein because of the pistachio butter made of ground pistachios; however, the amount is the same.

It is an excellent indicator of how the taste is mostly affected by natural and artificial flavors.

Green tea is probably the most popular substitute for coffee, so it's no surprise that the Matcha Tea Latte is one of the best-selling non-coffee items at Starbucks.

The combination of Japanese green tea - matcha, milk, and sugar gives us a delicious beverage and provides 12 grams of protein and 32 grams of sugar.

For those sensitive to caffeine, 80 mg is the perfect dosage to give them energy but not make them jittery.

You can't go wrong with a Flat White.

Those who prefer a more pungent taste of hot coffee usually choose a Flat White.

The Flat White is someplace halfway between espresso and Latte. Starbucks' description is pretty accurate "not-too-strong, not-too-creamy."

Nutrition facts are very similar. The differences in the amount of protein, sugar, and saturated fats are minor. A Flat White contains about 50 mg more caffeine because it is more concentrated.

It is not low-calorie like espresso or Nitro Cold Brew, but you will easily fit 170 calories in your daily calorie count, unlike some other high-calorie blended drinks.

There is not much to say about the Iced White Chocolate Mocha.

It has identical ingredients as White Chocolate Mocha plus ice, making it a popular choice during summer, along with Starbucks Cold Brew coffee.

Ice, which is water, takes a certain part of the volume. That's why the iced version has 4 grams of protein and 5 fewer grams of sugar (in the Grande size.)

Cacao Protein Blended Cold Brew is a non-dairy beverage. It is part of the same product line as Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew.

It has 5 grams less protein because Starbucks cacao protein contains less protein per 100 grams than Starbucks almond protein.

I prefer Cacao Protein Blended Cold Brew because it reminds me a bit of a Mounds candy bar, blending Starbucks cold brew, coconut milk, plant-based protein, cacao powder, banana date fruit blend, and ice for high protein content.

Iced Caramel Macchiato - one of the favorite treats of cold milk and caramel lovers. I can't lie; I'm one of them.

The 10 grams of protein comes primarily from milk. It has twice as much sugar as a Latte Macchiato - 34 grams, which is a significant disadvantage.

You can certainly drink it from time to time; one Macchiato never killed anybody's diet.

Many find Chai Tea Latte to be an iconic Starbucks drink.[3]

I have to admit that black tea infused with cinnamon, clove, and other spices in combination with steamed milk and foam is an interesting approach.

My taste buds think Chai Tea Latte is strange, but if you like it, you can count on 8 grams of protein from a single Grande cup.

Also, count on 42 grams of sugar, which is more than the recommended daily value.