Starbucks Caffeine Guide: 24 Popular Drinks Ranked By Their Caffeine Content
There are mornings where sometimes our alarms hit a little harder than usual. For me, I tend to brew up an extra shot of espresso or double my usual coffee intake to give me the boost I need for the day.
Being able to get our caffeine jolt first thing in the morning, with a healthy coffee selection, such as Lifeboost, is ideal. However, the reality is, sometimes we don’t have that option - whether we are traveling or we somehow let our at-home coffee canisters run out (gasp!).
In these moments, most of us then seek out convenience over smart choices (I get it! A morning without coffee can be rough!). While we understand the need to rush to Starbucks or another coffee chain when your choices are limited, we still want you to make informed decisions about what you are putting in your body.
So, if you are dashing off to Starbucks today, remember there are pros and cons to each drink on the menu. Starbucks is known to offer some of the highest caffeinated drinks, which can be a great thing if you need that extra boost.
Keep in mind, though, caffeine is a stimulant and does come with negative side effects too. High consumption of caffeinated drinks can have some adverse effects like restlessness, dehydration, headache, insomnia, etc.
In this article we want to go over just how much caffeine is in different Starbucks drinks, making it easier for you to be aware of if perhaps there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing.”
Starbucks Caffeine Content – 101 Guide
All Starbucks patrons know that the multinational coffeehouse chain sells its drinks in four standard sizes:
- Short
- Tall
- Grande
- Venti
There are two additional sizes – kid-sized and extra-large Trenta.
Now, many might think that the larger the drink size, the higher the caffeine content. Surprisingly, this is not the case. In fact, a class-action lawsuit was also filed against the company in 2020, claiming that this was a fraud. But that’s another story!
Generally, the caffeine content in Starbucks’ drinks as per their cup size is as follows:
- Short and Tall cups = 75 mg
- Grande and Venti cup = 150 mg
While the Short and Tall sizes contain one espresso shot, the latter sizes contain two espresso shots. In other words, there’s 75 mg of caffeine per espresso shot. That makes 150 mg for Doppio (2 shots), 225 mg for Triple (3 shots), and 300 mg for Quad (4 shots).
So, the bottom line is the caffeine content in a Starbucks drink will ultimately depend on the number of espresso shots it contains. And this can be further increased or decreased depending on your preference.
24 Most Popular Starbucks Drinks And Their Caffeine Content
As we mentioned earlier, the caffeine content varies between cup sizes. Hence, we have considered all drinks in a Grande (16 oz size) to make the comparison easier. You should also note that the numbers may vary slightly from one location to another. However, the below list should give you a good understanding.
10 Starbucks Classic Drinks
- Caffe Mocha – 175 mg
- Caramel Macchiato – 150 mg
- Caffe Misto – 150 mg
- Flat White – 195 mg
- Cappuccino – 150 mg
- Caffe Latte – 150 mg
- Pike Place, Decaf Brewed Coffee – 15 mg
- Medium Roast Brewed Coffee – 260 mg
- Dark Roast Brewed Coffee – 260 mg
- Blonde Roast Brewed Coffee – 360 mg
6 Starbucks Popular Frappuccino
- Java Chip Frappuccino – 110 mg
- Caramel Frappuccino – 100 mg
- Espresso Frappuccino – 165 mg
- Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino – 15 mg
- Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino – 0 mg
- Coffee Frappuccino – 95 mg
4 Best Starbucks Teas
- Very Berry Hibiscus Refresher – 45-55 mg
- Green Tea Latte – 80 mg
- Black Tea – 25-30 mg
- Chai Tea Latte – 95 mg
4 Starbucks Drinks For Kids
- White Hot Chocolate – 0 mg
- Hot Chocolate – 25 mg
- Steamed Apple Juice – 0 mg
- Lemonade, Milk, Steamers – 0 mg
Wrapping Up
The simplest way to calculate the caffeine content in your Starbucks drink is to multiply 75 mg by the number of shots you request for. That’s because a single shot contains about 75 mg of caffeine.
As mentioned, caffeine comes with both pros and cons as do Starbucks drinks overall. While you might enjoy the initial energy boost, most of these drinks will also include lots of added sugars, coffee beans that aren’t as naturally processed as other clean, healthy brands, not to mention heavy creams or other additives that can negate coffee’s natural health benefits as well as cause a sugar crash later in the day.
To get the most out of the caffeine you are consuming with your coffee, be conscious of the size of the drink you are ordering at chains such as Starbucks, and make sure you understand the side effects of the other ingredients (often hidden or something we overlook) included in that Grande Caffe Mocha.
If you are searching for a way to get the healthiest, but still delicious, caffeine boost with your coffee, you are better off brewing a cup at home. By crafting a mocha using a healthy coffee, such as Lifeboost’s Espresso, a milk of your own choosing, as well as using a sugar-free or homemade chocolate add-in allows you to control your sugar content as well as the taste.
FAQs
What are the most caffeinated Starbucks drinks?
Venti Blonde Roast brewed coffee contains as much as 475 mg of caffeine, making it the most caffeinated Starbucks drink. If you want a coffee to kickstart your day, this is it! Other strong caffeinated options include Venti Medium Roast brewed coffee with 410 mg, Trenta Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew containing 320 mg, and Medium Clover brewed coffee in Venti size with 445 mg.
Which Starbucks drinks don’t contain caffeine?
Not a fan of caffeine but don’t want to miss out on Starbucks’ deliciousness? Don’t worry. There are plenty of Starbucks drinks that don’t contain caffeine, such as their coffee-free Frappuccino, herbal tea, and decaf brewed coffee options. Popular orders include hot chocolate, Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino, and lemonades.
Do Starbucks drinks have a lot of caffeine?
The answer is both a yes and no. That’s because the caffeine content varies between drinks. For a regular brewed coffee, the caffeine content clocks in at about 102 mg, which is considered average. However, if you’re ordering a Venti Blonde Roast coffee, it’ll have a lot of caffeine (475 mg).
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Espresso.