Starbucks offers a slew of tasty beverages and drinks. So much so that many men and women consume them daily. Amidst such daily consumption, what if a special situation arises? Like when a woman is pregnant.
The post below covers the drinks that a pregnant woman can drink at Starbucks.
Starbucks: Pregnancy-Safe Drinks to Enjoy
Fortunately, Starbucks has numerous drinks which a pregnant woman can drink. The guideline is to keep caffeine consumption below 200 mg per day.
- Almond Milk Honey Flat White
Almond milk, coupled with honey and a ristretto shot, tastes great. These ingredients give this drink an excellent taste and keep the caffeine content to 130 mg in the tall size. Just avoid the venti size as it consists of 195 mg of caffeine which is still below the permissible 200 mg limit. Since the levels are too close to the permissible limit, try to avoid the venti size. - Iced Coconut Milk
How about Coconut milk mixed with fruit juices?
Iced coconut milk drinks offer the options of guava passion fruit, golden ginger, and so on. Since coffee isn’t an ingredient, there isn’t any caffeine present. Even if Green tea is present, the caffeine content is usually much lower than 200 mg. - Starbucks Refreshers
Numerous refreshers are available in every Starbucks store like:- Kiwi star fruit
- Mango dragon fruit
- Pink drink
- Dragon drink
Most of them are devoid of coffee and caffeine content.
- Hot Tea
The caffeine content in tea is almost half of coffee. That makes hot tea a safe option for pregnant women. It is best to limit it to 1 cup per day. The only exception is green tea which one can consume in greater quantities. - Caffe Misto
How about the combination of half-cooked milk & half-brewed coffee?
If that sounds delicious, try Caffe Misto at Starbucks. The venti size contains 195 mg of caffeine. Thus, apart from venti, any size is suitable for pregnant women. - Chai Latte
The cinnamon, clove, and other spices, combined with steamed milk and foam, make the chai latte delicious. The caffeine content of 120 mg in the venti size makes it safe for pregnant women. - Decaf coffee
No surprises here.
Decaf coffee only has 15 mg of caffeine. The taste is similar to caffeine without the side effects making it safe for pregnant women. - Macchiatos
Macchiatos contain espresso and a hot milkshake. The milk content makes it creamier and, therefore, delicious to drink. While a host of Macchiatos are offered by Starbucks, most of them have a caffeine content of 150 mg in venti size, making them safe for consumption. Even the popular Caramel Macchiato has only 150 mg of caffeine. - Espresso
A single espresso shot has 75 mg of caffeine. Avoid the double espresso shots at all costs, as the caffeine content will be high for most women. Since espresso shots consist of concentrated caffeine, it is best to limit it to one espresso shot. - Cappuccino
Regular Cappuccinos with 1% milk and foam have 150 mg of caffeine. It means pregnant women can have a cappuccino only once a day. - Caffe Americano
Caffe Americano allows one to enjoy espresso shots with a twist since they are topped with hot water. However, only tall and short sizes are permissible since the bigger sizes have more than 200 mg of caffeine in them. The tall size has 150 mg of caffeine, and the short one has 75 mg of caffeine. - Hot Brewed Coffee
Short and tall serving sizes of most hot brewed coffee variants at Starbucks (for example blonde roast) have around 100 mg of caffeine. Just avoid the bigger sizes. - Mochas
Mochas essentially consists of steamed milk with dark chocolate.
Doesn’t it sound delicious?
Most mochas have less than 200 mg of caffeine except for venti size. With numerous flavor options available, one can vary the flavor on a day-to-day basis to break the monotony and avoid consuming excessive caffeine. - Frappuccino
Frappuccinos are available in numerous variants:- Chestnut praline
- Peppermint white
- Caramel Brulee
These are well below the threshold of 200mg of caffeine. However, due to cream and other add-ons, the calorie content can be higher than 300. Go for the smaller sizes of these drinks to avoid loading on calories and caffeine.
- Iced Coffee
Iced coffee, especially the short and tall serving sizes, has 120 mg and 161 mg of caffeine, respectively. Avoid the ventis as it contains 235 mg of caffeine.
Note
Regularly consuming even 200 mg of caffeine is not advisable for pregnant women. Even if they consume caffeine above 150 mg, it is advisable to do it on consecutive days.
Maximizing Health and Minimizing Risks in Starbucks Pregnancy Drinks
Caffeine isn’t the only factor pregnant women need to consider while ordering drinks from Starbucks. Also, consider a few other factors that are highlighted below.
- Limit Syrup
Syrups might rejuvenate a Starbucks beverage, but they add to the calories and sugar intake. Consequently, one should be careful regarding the number of syrups added to the drink. A pump or two won’t harm, but anything more than that should be avoided. - Avoid Large Size Options
Grande and venti sizes should be avoided by pregnant women. Even if some of them might not have upwards of 200 mg of caffeine, they push very close to that limit. - Avoid Concentrated Drinks
If 1% milk and other beneficial ingredients like green tea are added to the drink, this somewhat balances out the effects of caffeine. That is why avoid concentrated drinks and go for the ones with beneficial ingredients.
General Questions About Pregnant Women Drink at Starbucks
- Can I drink Starbucks Frappuccino while pregnant?
Yes, one can have a Starbucks frappuccino while pregnant, as the caffeine content is well below 200 mg for short and tall sizes. However, they have a lot of calories in them, and therefore be mindful of the same. - Can I have a latte while pregnant?
Lattes in limited quantity and frequency are fine during pregnancy. Avoid consuming them daily, though. - Can I drink coffee in the first trimester?
Women can consume coffee in the first trimester as long as they keep their caffeine intake below 200 mg every day. Still, it is best to have coffee on consecutive days to be well below the 200 mg limit. - Does Starbucks cold brew have a lot of caffeine?
Yes, Starbucks cold brew does have a lot of caffeine. The 16-ounce serving size contains 205 mg of caffeine.