For many, Starbucks is a daily ritual, the start to their morning, and, sometimes, the first thing to hit their stomachs at the top of a long day. But it’s no secret that coffee on an empty stomach can lead to some digestive discomfort, anxious jitters, and increased heartrate. Incorporating a little protein into your morning routine can help mitigate these negative effects and may even curb cravings throughout the day. So, while we’ll never tell you to put down your daily coffee for good, it could be worth it to swap out your go-to morning beverage every now and again for the highest-protein drink on the Starbucks menu: the Caffé Mocha with 2% milk in the venti size.
The venti Mocha comes in at 18 grams of protein. The only thing to be mindful of when consuming 20 ounces of steaming chocolate goodness would be the 45 grams of sugar that it comes with. It certainly is on the sweet side for a morning beverage, so if you want to cap the sugar content a bit while still getting a decent dose of protein, try the venti Flat White with whole milk, which has 15 grams of protein and 22 grams of sugar. In case you’ve never heard of it, a Flat White is a little different than a Latte.
Protein, caffeine, and coffee, oh my!
Maybe it’s too late in the day for caffeine, or you’re in the mood for a treat without the jitters — you can still enjoy a protein-rich Starbucks drink that has no coffee or espresso. The venti Hot Chocolate with 2% milk has the most protein of all the non-coffee drinks, falling just behind the Mocha with 17 grams. These numbers do seem to suggest that the mocha sauce at Starbucks — which is how Starbucks makes the Hot Chocolate as well — has some sort of secret protein content that boosts it. The ingredients list for the mocha sauce is short and has no obvious source of protein, so it’s intriguing that the chocolate-based Starbucks drinks have consistently higher protein content. You can also doctor your Hot Chocolate with these 11 add-ins.
If you’re looking for a balance between caffeine and protein but prefer plant-based milks, soy milk is an easy swap that tastes great and has a similar protein content to dairy milk. And, when in doubt, don’t be afraid of a little DIY moment to make sure all your morning beverage needs are met. A venti Iced Latte with 2% milk already has 12 grams of protein to begin with, but don’t be afraid to take it home, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder, and blend it all together for a protein frappé. Or, grab an iced Espresso in a grande or venti cup and top it with a ready-to-drink protein shake.
