Listen, I love Starbucks as much as the next person. (Probably more, if my credit card statement isn’t lying.) I love my caffeine fix, and I love getting it quick and made-to-order. And hey, listen, I’ll even occasionally indulge in a Strawberry Creme Frappuccino (which is basically a strawberry milkshake) when I’ve had a rough day. I think we all should from time to time.
But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone out to Starbucks with a friend and they’ve told me they’re on a health kick, so they’re going to get X drink (usually one of the refreshers) instead of their usual…
And then when I look it up later, that drink is actually loaded with chemicals, unhealthy nonsense, and tons of sugar.
So this article is for everyone trying to drink healthy at Starbucks – here are five drinks that look way healthier than they actually are. They may “feel” healthy, but they’re absolutely loaded with sugar.
Evolution Fresh Organic Defense Up
Starbucks describes this drink as a “refreshing smoothie packed with bright flavor…an excellent source of vitamin C, made with 100% juice and no added sweeteners or artificial flavors.”
That sounds…awesome? Like, you read the description above and probably think, “oh great, that’s super healthy for me.”
37 grams (!) of sugar per bottle beg to disagree.
And listen – these bottles? They’re just 11 fluid ounces. That’s slightly less than your typical 12-oz can of soda. (Which has an equivalent amount of sugar.)
So as far as the sugar content is concerned, might as well just drink the soda, right?
Mango Dragonfruit Starbucks Refresher
Here’s the thing that kills me about the Refreshers: They’re so good! They’re so light! They’re so – dare I say it – refreshing!
They don’t taste like an indulgent-and-unhealthy-but-you-totally-earned-it frappuccino.
I mean, a Grande Mango Dragonfruit Refresher is just 90 calories.
And 19 grams of sugar.
Which, to be clear, is just 1.5 grams of sugar less than a Snickers bar.
That’s not exactly…healthy?
Evolution Fresh Organic Super Fruit Greens
Just look at the name and tell me it’s not healthy.
(Plus, the dark green color – probably to emphasize the spinach packed into the bottle – just pushes that narrative even further.)
And to be clear – there’s a lot to like about this 11 fluid ounce bottle packed with vegetables and juices. Three grams of dietary fiber – and, heck, even three grams of protein!
But it’s all paired with a whopping 36 grams of sugar.
So again – in terms of sugar content, it’s basically equivalent to a soda.
Paradise Drink Starbucks Refresher
I love pineapple juice, and I LOVE coconut milk, so naturally this refresher is right up my alley. (It also has passionfruit in it, which is good but not nearly as good as pineapple juice.)
So you get a great flavor, and of course the coconut milk itself is loaded with benefits (lauric acid, good fats, etc.) – and again, since it’s such a light and, well, refreshing drink – you’d think it would be healthy.
But it has a whopping 23 grams of sugar!
And it has over 20 ingredients – including all kinds of gums, corn dextrin, and more. This is one of those drinks that’s much better (and healthier) homemade.
Strawberry Acai Starbucks Refresher
Acai’s well-known as a super food, and strawberries are healthy, so again – this is another light and refreshing drink that you would think is quite healthy.
(Plus, when you dig into the ingredients, at least every one of them is pronounceable and a “real” food. So there’s another check mark for it.)
But again – the sugar content is just all out of whack. 21 grams of sugars means this has almost as much sugar as the jelly donut above.
Bonus: Peter Rabbit Organics Strawberry Banana
This one’s technically not a drink, but it was so egregious I had to include it. Peter Rabbit organics strawberry banana is a food pouch Starbucks markets as “organic banana-strawberry puree with a hint of lemon juice. Perfect for busy moms on the go.”
As a parent of two small children, I can say – food pouches are often lifesavers. They’re portable, you can re-close them, kids can squeeze them and suck all the food out without any utensils (and sometimes without any mess at all)…they’re great.
And when you read the description above, you probably think the pouch above is great. And I’m confident that just about any kid who has this pouch will love it.
Why? Well, it has a whopping 17 grams of sugar!
(And only one gram of protein.)
No thank you.
Ok, so what can you drink?
If you’re going to consume that much sugar, it might as well be really enjoyable, right? And I just don’t think any of the drinks above quite hits that note.
But if you’re trying to go to Starbucks and drink healthy, I have good news – because there are a ton of drinks under 100 calories that aren’t loaded with sugar – just check out the full list here and steer clear of the Refreshers.
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