The holidays are arguably the greatest time of year at Starbucks. Every November, the coffee chain unveils its highly anticipated holiday menu, which ranges from the iconic Peppermint Mocha Latte and beloved Iced Sugar Cookie Latte to new drinks and food additions. And while Starbucks’ holiday beverages taste like sugary nostalgia, they aren’t exactly ripe in nutrition. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. For example, did you know that most grande beverages are over 400 calories and have about 50 grams of sugar? In a recent clip, TikTok user @seed.oil.sisters shared low-cal, low-sugar swaps for five popular Starbucks holiday drinks. So the next time you’re craving a peppermint or caramel latte, consider ordering one of these healthier alternatives.
RELATED: The Starbucks Medicine Ball: How to Order the Super-Secret Drink.
1 | Swap for Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Latte
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Before it was discontinued, a grande Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Latte topped with whipped cream and sprinkles was a whopping 420 calories. Not to mention, the drink contained twice the daily recommended amount of sugar, per the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.
So, if you're missing this saccharine selection but want to cut a few calories, @seed.oil.sisters recommends ordering dark roast coffee with one pump of white chocolate mocha sauce and a splash of almond milk. Typically, a grande-sized beverage has four pumps of syrup/sauce, so this alternative saves you 48 grams of sugar. It’s also only 73 calories.
2 | Swap for Peppermint Mocha Latte
Starbucks
Starbucks’ Peppermint Mocha Latte is a customer favorite for a reason. But at 440 calories and 54 grams of sugar for a grande, the winter coffee beverage shouldn’t be a daily indulgence.
If you’re a big fan of peppermint-flavored drinks, opt for this @seed.oil.sisters' order instead: blonde roast coffee with one pump of mocha sauce, one pump of peppermint syrup, and a splash of almond milk. This healthy version is only 65 calories and 12 grams of sugar.
3 | Swap for Caramel Brulée Latte
Starbucks
Attention all caramel lovers! This festive Starbucks latte contains 410 calories and 48 grams of sugar in a grande. In other words, you would have to burn some serious calories to work off this drink.
However, coming in at 53 calories and only 10 grams of sugar is @seed.oil.sisters' healthier version, which has a base of dark roast coffee. To that, you will ask for one pump of dark caramel sauce, one pump of toffee nut sauce, and a splash of almond milk. It’s sweet enough to satisfy your cravings—without sending you into a sugar coma.
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4 | Swap for Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
Starbucks
If iced coffee is more your speed, then you’ll love @seed.oil.sisters' subtly sweet, low-calorie swap for Starbucks’ Iced Sugar Cookie Latte. The order is iced coffee with almond milk and two pumps of sugar cookie syrup. It has half the calories (only 75) and 13.5 grams less sugar than its standard menu counterpart.
5 | Swap for Hot Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
Starbucks
For those who prefer hot coffee to iced coffee, this swap is for you. However, the biggest difference with @seed.oil.sisters' tweaked recipe is that you will ask for an Americano, not a latte. To that, you add two pumps of sugar cookie syrup, one pump of sugar-free vanilla, and a splash of oat milk. This healthier version saves you nearly 100 calories.
