If you’re into that caffeine life, coffee and tea are both excellent ways to get yourself up and out in the morning. We love these beverages in all shapes and sizes, and that includes the Tall, Grande, and Venti drinks you can find at Starbucks. The popular chain knows what’s up when it comes to brewing coffee and making amazing seasonal flavors. Unfortunately, it’s pretty easy to accidentally go overboard with all the extras. If you happen to be trying to cut back on calories, but still want to enjoy your daily brew, there a few hacks you should have up your sleeve whenever you order—little swaps can add up to big changes over time.
Gradually Decrease Flavor Pumps
Gradually nix the sweeteners from your order, rather than ditching them cold turkey. Each sweetened Starbucks beverage comes with a specific number of syrup pumps. If you ask for one less pump each time you order, you’ll eventually find that the regular number of pumps is way too sweet for you. This strategy may even help you get rid of sweeteners altogether. Or Choose Sugar-free Flavored Syrups
If you want to cut down on calories, but not sweeteners, opt for sugar-free syrups. Switch to Naturally Sweeter Beverages
Try switching your beverage to something that is naturally sweeter. If coffee is too bitter for you to handle without two pumps of sugar, you may want to start drinking tea-based beverages. The milder flavor makes it easy to drink all on its own. Stick With Smaller Sizes
Starbucks serves a size smaller than a Tall called a Short. At just eight ounces, it’s actually the standard size used at most other coffee shops. Opting for this size instead of your usual Tall or Grande will allow you to enjoy the same beverage with markedly fewer calories. A Short latte has just 100 calories compared to the 150 calories in a tall latte. When it Comes to Dairy, Opt For Low-fat or Skim Milk.
If you like milk in your coffee, switching from whole milk to low-fat or skim will reduce the amount of calories in your morning beverage. And Watch for Added Sugars in the Dairy-free Milk Substitutes
The soy and coconut milk options are great if you’re lactose-intolerant or have a dairy allergy and still want that dairy-like flavor in your coffee. However, the varieties may contain added sugars, which is something you may want to avoid if you’re trying to cut back on sugar and extra calories. Consider Black Coffee
Coffee without any milk or sugar is actually very low in calories. Some love a plain cup of joe for it’s nuanced flavor--give it a try! Try a Cold Brew
Straight up black coffee isn’t for everyone. A great way to ease yourself into drinking it without any extras? Try cold brew iced coffee. Cold brew is naturally sweeter than hot coffee because of the longer extraction process involved in making it. A Grande size of Starbucks cold brew is just five calories. Enjoy Your Fave Frappucino, Just Not Daily
If you absolutely adore Frappuccinos, caramel macchiatos, and the other high-calorie drinks, you don’t have to stop drinking them. Just don’t drink them quite as often. Remember, you can always opt for the Short size.