Starbucks iced coffee

Yesterday I went to Starbucks (one of those rare times), and trying to make a better choice than a sugar-loaded frappuccino, I got an iced coffee, figuring it's just coffee (like 9 calories a cup) and ice. Right? Nope. Picked up one of their nutrition guides on the way out, and it turns out a grande iced coffee has 80 calories. Does anybody know why this is? Especially considering that the cup is half-filled with ice, how does this happen? Personally I think it's a little misleading, even though they do offer the nutrition guides.

Milk would be my guess. Not many people drink iced coffee black. I think they use 2% but I am not certain.

did you check CC? I usually drink the hot one and it is 5 cals per small cup. That is really strange.. another idea, check their website.. I don't know.

I couldn't say anything for Starbucks, but I work at a coffee shop and our iced coffee is exactly what we sell hot, but we just cold press it so it tastes good and not stale when cold.  Our has no additives and I'm pretty sure Starbucks doesn't either, because I have seen plenty of employees go pour a cup of hot coffee into a shaker of ice and serve it to me as iced coffee.

Next time you're at the shop, ask them what makes it different from regular brewed coffee.  I think Starbucks is probably figuring on the sugar and cream most people add to iced coffee.

I agree with the poster above that it must be milk. Use skim milk instead. All the Starbucks around here let you add your own milk to iced coffee so choose the skim and save yourself a load of calories. Also I prefer the iced Americano which is just iced water with a shot of expresso. Tastes just like iced coffee but better and you can feel confident regarding the calories.

Ok, strange, I just went to their website and looked up the Brewed Iced Coffee. They describe the drink as follows:

A delicious and refreshing blend of freshly brewed Starbucks® Terraza Blend served chilled and slightly sweetened on ice.

Grande has 90 calories, 21g carbs (20g sugars)

Lightly sweetened? 80 calories worth? It doesn't taste sweetened at all. That is seriously disturbing!!!

Definitely next time order the Iced Americano. It is only 15 calories per grande cup hot so the iced should be the same (I have seen them make it and nothing extra is added).

I am horrified!!!!!!

so does ayone now how many calories are in a small sized cappuccino from star bucks in the uk, just a normal cappuccino that you ask for with no special stuff in its name oh and do the nutrition values change between starbucks in america and starbucks in the uk

Oh, the coffee in the nutrition guide is the sweetend kind. The regular iced coffee has the 5 calories you thought it did. Just tell them that that's what you want.

Since when is there a sweetened iced coffee which is different from the regular one? When you ask for iced coffee, which is the one you get? It doesn't taste sweetened so this is why I am confused (and deeply disturbed) ........

Every time I've ordered iced coffee from Starbucks they have always asked me if I wanted it sweetened or not. Just specify it next time.

Guys. what about the hot regular one tall coffee?? I usually drink those without sugar and I calculated it as a 5 cals beverage. Advise please??

I have never been asked if I wanted sweetened or not. Strange ........

i dont think coffee is calorie free bu tmaybe im mistaken. i usually figure in about 5 calories or so.

doesnt starbucks usually have it so you make your own?


speaking of americanos...i love it when people see me pour in water into the cup and they ask why im watering it down. i dont think people know what they are ordering at the counter lol.

i also love it when people order a frozen blended drink and ask for skim milk. sure, save 50 calories or so but the powder itself is loaded with sugar and its about 300 calories just for a small....plus, the syrups and whatnot add up as well. people need to try harder with diets.

It is only 80 calories if you got it sweetened.

"""people need to try harder with diets."""

I totally agree with 120byDecember. I mean cut me a break! I am usually behind people ordering the most complicated sugary drinks with SKIM milk. I think they are delusional if they think that is really helping...I mean, milk is loaded with sugar to boot.

We are not always avoiding sugar when ordering skim milk. Whole milk has a lot more fat and cholesterol than skim and for some of us every little thing helps our heart health. Also, there are occasions when I decide to have a treat, however I might just order with skim milk as it tastes no different to me (used to it I guess). When it doesn't taste any different to me why should I take in the extra fat and cholesterol?

Whole milk

Skim milk

That being said, I still don't think we are the bottom of this sweetened business. I emailed Hungry Girl, maybe she will think my complaint enough to explore. In the meantime, no iced coffees at Starbucks for me, it's Americano all the way.

I work at Starbucks, so here you go:

The iced coffee comes sweetened and unsweeted.  We use our Classic syrup to sweeten it.  All syrups (minus sugar-free) have 20 calorie per pump, and an iced venti coffee will come with 6 pumps, grande with 4, and tall with 3, so 120, 80, and 60 calories respectively.  Your barista should have asked if you wanted it sweetened, but you may have had a bitch behind the counter.

The iced coffee itself is just double strength brewed coffee (like you'd brew at home, but with twice the coffee beans to the usual amount of water), so it probably has 5 calories or so.  To save calories, ask for it to be sweetened with another sweetener like splenda or equal, or ask for sugar-free syrup.  We have sugar-free vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, and cinnamon-dulce.  I'd go for vanilla, if I were you.

Other low-cal drinks are americanos or non-fat mistos.  For a semi- low-cal drink you could get a latte with non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup (90 calories in a tall). 

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. 

If you ask for a blended latte, would a barista actually blend ice, skim milk, and espresso (and i guess syrup depending on the person) in the blender for you without all of that gunky frappucino base?

If not, what should I say at Starbucks to get that?

no unfortunatly they can not do that, but you can order the light version of the frappacino. it comes in both the coffee base and the creme base (which is made with nonfat milk). it will save you about 1/3 of the calories.