A lot of people worry about the things they’ll have to give up when they begin their Keto diet. Trust us when we say that giving up donuts, spaghetti, and a ton of carb-based treats will make you feel great, but there’s one thing we just can’t seem to give up. So many people have not only come to love its taste – they need it to wake up in the morning. It’s often the first question they have:

Will I have to give up Starbucks?

Quick answer: no! You can definitely still enjoy so much of what Starbucks offers. The long answer involves adjusting your tastes, finding new favourites, and picking the right options.

What Not to Get at Starbucks

Sugars, syrups, and milk make much on the menu Keto-unfriendly. We could write a book about what you should avoid at Starbucks on Keto. But for the sake of simplicity, here are some of the basic drinks and ingredients you should avoid:

• Anything “fruity” – from Caramel Apple Spices to lemonade to any of the smoothies, you can’t consume these while on Keto. Too much sugar!
• Iced coffees and iced teas will always have sugar unless you specifically ask for a sugar-free syrup AND no classic syrup.
• The whipped cream, sweet cream, and Green Tea Lattes include vanilla syrup and sugar. Try substituting with sugar free vanilla and heavy cream.
• Bottled juices and drinks – maybe not the water, but read the nutritional info on everything anyway.

This means caramel macchiatos, frappuccinos, and the seasonal Pumpkin Spice Lattes are all off limits. To keep your Starbucks addiction going, you’ll have to cut out a lot of the sweet stuff. This also means none of the baked goods are good for you, even those oh-so-delectable cake pops.

What You Can Order at Starbucks

If you really want to make sure that your coffee is Keto-friendly, here’s a pro-tip: develop a taste for black coffee or straight tea. It’ll help you out when you’re at any random coffee shop, plus Starbucks beans make for delicious coffee. Their chai also provides a natural flavour that’s great when you’re hankering for something sweet. But let’s say you just can’t get yourself to enjoy the bitterness of black coffee and need a little addition to soften that flavour blow. Starbucks has made it easier, but you still might want to plan ahead.

If you’re on the hunt for sweeteners, Starbucks might just have you covered. Stevia and erythritol are perfect for the ketogenic diet, and the sweeteners at Starbucks are stevia-based, with no artificial chemicals. They should also have sugar-free versions of their vanilla, hazelnut, and cinnamon dolce syrups. These do contain sucralose, and despite what many people believe, sucralose is Keto-friendly. If your local shop is one of the few that doesn’t have them, you should bring your own Keto-friendly sweetener with you. 

Milk isn’t a great choice when you’re dieting. A serving has 12 carbs per cup, so try to avoid it altogether. Regular coffee cream, like half-n-half, is in the same boat, so you’ll have to change up this basic part of your coffee. Heavy cream has lower natural sugars and has much more fat, so the best bet is to use this. If you don’t like the texture or viscosity of heavy cream, thin it out with a little water. 

If you’re craving something sweet, ask your barista about substitutions. Some drinks, like frappuccinos, are made from mixes and can’t accommodate you, but it doesn’t hurt to ask when you’re not sure. The sugar-free options are pretty good at Starbucks – don’t be afraid to give them a try!

Hungry?  Try Moon Cheese (crunchy snacks that are really just cheese in cheddar, gouda and pepperjack), beef jerky, almonds, cheese strings or the egg and cheese in the protein box.

The Ketonut, London and Mt Brydges favourite Ketogenic Health Food Store is on Facebook and Instagram! Be sure to message this post to your friends and help spread keto content. Tell us if you don’t see any of your precious recipes on our menu because we’re always updating and experimenting.