Starbucks uses pre-sweetened matcha, which is like an instant matcha powder. Regular matcha does not dissolve in water like Starbucks does. The two ingredients in Starbucks matcha tea mix are sugar (the main ingredient) and green tea. Because matcha is sweetened, we won’t be able to order a sugar-free matcha drink.
Until recently, the chain used to sweeten its matcha drinks with classic syrup (along with the sugar already in the powder), but not anymore. However, it does not get to be one of the best drinks. It will also depend on the Matcha green tea drink that we choose. Ordering a Matcha green tea latte is definitely healthier than buying a frappuccino with matcha cream.
If we’re at Starbucks and want to be as healthy as possible, there’s a wonderful iced green tea as well as some hot green teas to choose from. However, unless we call for no sweetener in the iced tea, the normal recipe is to add liquid cane sugar to each iced tea as it is made.
All Starbucks Matcha
Currently, there are five matcha tea drinks on the menu at Starbucks. All of them are based on the matcha tea mix that is made up of “sugar and matcha tea”.
Matcha Green Tea Crème Frappuccino
Ice, Whole Milk, Frappuccino Cream Syrup, Classic Syrup, Matcha Tea Blend, and Whipped Cream.
Without a doubt, it is the most famous matcha drink on the Starbucks menu. However, the nutritional value of this drink is not available. Although seeing the ingredients that compose it, we can intuit that it is not low in calories.
Matcha Green Tea Latte
Blend of Matcha tea and whole milk.
In a large glass we find 80 mg of caffeine, 240 calories and 32 grams of sugar. There’s no syrup in this drink, but it’s already sweet thanks to the sweetened matcha tea blend. If we’re trying matcha for the first time and we like our drinks really sweet, we can order it with the classic syrup, which is how Starbucks used to make their matcha lattes.
Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
Ice, matcha tea mix and whole milk.
This large tea contains 80 mg of caffeine, 200 calories, and 28 grams of sugar. It is a cold and refreshing version of the simple matcha latte made with 2% milk and ice. There is no syrup in this drink, but it is sweet thanks to the sweetened mixture.
Matcha Lemonade
Ice, matcha tea mix and lemonade.
It is the best version of this tea, as it contains 80 mg of caffeine, 120 calories and 27 grams of sugar. Matcha tea mix is shaken with lemonade, water and ice for a sweet and tangy drink.
Iced Pineapple Matcha Drink
Ice, Matcha tea mix, coconut milk, pineapple and ginger syrup.
The Matcha tea mix is shaken with a pineapple-ginger syrup, coconut milk (Starbucks coconut milk mix), and ice. It contains 80 mg of caffeine, 170 calories and 27 grams of sugar in a large glass.