[00:00:00] Jenn Trepeck: Welcome to Salad with a side of Fries. I'm your host, Jenn Trepeck, talking wellness and weight loss for real life. We're here to clear up the myths, misinformation, bad science and marketing to teach you how to eat and how to cheat. Are you ready? I'm having salad with a side of Fries This week we're talking about Starbucks protein drinks.

[00:00:27] Christine, have you seen them? No, I haven't. Tell me about it. Okay, so Starbucks just started promoting that they now offer protein and you can put protein into your coffee. And I think a lot of this is part of the protein packed craze where everyone's trying to put protein in things. I think it's also part of, and I admit I've contributed to this, I think it's part of people being aware that we maybe don't necessarily want caffeine before fuel in the morning.

[00:00:57] And so people. Bulking [00:01:00] up their coffee. So I saw it, I heard about it, and when I heard it, it sounded to me like you could just add protein powder to your drink. So I went online to find the nutrition facts of the protein powder that they're using. Also like all of Starbucks stuff, like their almond milk or soy milk or whatever is their own off-label, you know, brand or formula.

[00:01:27] It's not a brand that we know anyway, online, on their website. I couldn't get to the information. I was sort of clicking around in circles, so I just decided I had to go into the Starbucks and ask some questions. So shout out to the location near Union Square in New York City. I went into Starbucks and.

[00:01:47] They were awesome. And it kind of turned into a whole ordeal. So I go up to the counter and I said, what protein powder is it that's being added to the drinks? And the guy was [00:02:00] sort of like, I'm sorry, what? And I was like, in your protein drinks, like what's in the protein powder? And he was like. I have no idea.

[00:02:09] Why do you need to know? And I'm like, I'm a health coach. My clients are asking me, I'm trying to find information out for them. I've tried looking online, I'm sort of going in circles. And he was like, hang on, let me get the manager for you. So then I'm talking to the manager who then said, look at the website.

[00:02:26] Look at the app. You know, and again, so had to go through the whole thing again. And then she says, wait a minute, our district manager is here. So they go out. So meanwhile. They go back into, you know, the back area and they come back out with this like silver cellophane bag that's the protein powder, and it just says on it.

[00:02:49] And admittedly, I thought I took a picture of it, but now I can't find the picture. So maybe I didn't take it, but it just said like, whey protein on it or whey protein, I [00:03:00] can't remember if it's. Isolate or concentrate or whatever. But it was basic, like it didn't have a whole long list of ingredients. So I'm talking to the district manager now and I'm like, here's what I'm trying to understand, right?

[00:03:13] Like, can I just add this to my drinks? Or what do you do with this powder? Like, where are the nutrition facts or information of this powder? And she was like, we don't have it. We don't know, but here's what happens. And so she explained to me what they're doing. So they take this protein powder that's in this cellophane bag, and the bag was maybe, I don't know, six by eight, kind of a size bag, and I'm making that up from memory, but about that size bag.

[00:03:43] So they take the bag of protein powder and mix it with either 2% milk or the sweet cream. So it's a pre-made mixture. Then if you order your drink in the protein version, [00:04:00] that's what it's made with. So to make the protein milk, it's 2% milk blended with the whole bag of the protein powder. The protein foams are three scoops of the protein powder mixed with their traditional sweet cream.

[00:04:16] Now, she didn't tell me how much milk or how much sweet cream. Was going into each concoction, but the bottom line is it is not the case. You cannot just order your usual drink the way you order it and say add protein. You have to order the protein version of your drink, and your only option is then it's this protein milk or the protein sweet cream foam.

[00:04:45] Then to really understand the difference or what you're getting, you then have to compare your typical drink made with 0.2% milk versus their protein version of the same drink. [00:05:00] So my drink, if I order something, is a matcha with almond milk unsweetened. I cannot order that with protein. Instead, I have to order the protein matcha.

[00:05:13] Which is then made with 2% milk. That's the only choice. Again, as I do, I took one for the team, which means about a week or so after I caused this whole to do in the Starbucks, I went back to the same location and I ordered the protein matcha, unsweetened, and I'm not gonna lie, it just tasted like milk.

[00:05:36] I'm not the biggest fan of milk, nor does milk really like me. Which means before we even get to comparing the nutrition facts, this may not be your choice beverage. It's not my choice beverage. So then in order to understand the nutrition facts of how much that one bag of protein ends up being or ends up creating, you know, once they [00:06:00] mix it with the milk or the sweet cream and then it gets divided into each drink, it's kind of a bit of a crapshoot of how much each drink is actually getting.

[00:06:10] Nevertheless, we have to assume that they have some sort of information about how much protein is in that bag that they showed me. And then how much of that you know is in the milk, you know how much protein is in the milk, and then, you know, divide it up for each drink. So for argument's sake, I went online to the Starbucks app to compare my regular matcha with the protein matcha.

[00:06:36] Now again, when you make modifications that doesn't adjust their nutrition facts, so I just looked for an iced matcha made with 2% milk. So iced macha latte grande is 16 ounces made with 2% milk is 190 calories, five grams of fat, of which it's three grams of saturated fat, zero grams of trans fat, 27 grams of [00:07:00] carbohydrates with one gram of fiber, and 25 grams of sugar, then nine grams of protein.

[00:07:06] Now they sweeten their matcha, right? So if you then. Make adjustments to it. That's not reflected in this information, but I just went with how they have it. So then again, this isn't my total drink, but now to compare that to the protein version, also a Grande 16 ounces. The matcha protein latte is 300 calories, five grams of fat, three grams of saturated fat, zero grams of trans fat, 29 grams of carbohydrates, one gram of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, then 36 grams of protein.

[00:07:44] Now the other thing that's interesting that I noted is that it says 75 milligrams of caffeine. The other one without the protein was like 65 milligrams of caffeine. So I'm not really sure what's happening there, but I noticed it so I'm sharing it. So if [00:08:00] we focus on the protein, there's a big difference between the regular version with 2% milk and their protein version.

[00:08:07] With the protein 2% milk. So the difference between the two. Is 27 grams of protein, which is almost four ounces. I mean, that's a significant, relatively to be adding to your coffee or whatever drink you're having. I think the trade off is that. You have to have the 2% milk. So if you go for a drink, that's the protein foam.

[00:08:33] It ranged from 19 to 26 grams of protein in the grande size, the 16 ounce drink. So super quick grande iced vanilla cream protein latte. It's 26 grams of protein, and I couldn't totally find the iced vanilla cream latte. But I was able to compare it to the iced blonde vanilla latte that grande was seven [00:09:00] grams of protein.

[00:09:00] So again, we're seeing quite a difference, you know, that difference not quite as much as the other, but all in, I think first of all, it is not quite so clear because you can't totally compare apples to apples in the nutrition facts of what they're getting. If you compare your drink, and I invite you to do so.

[00:09:23] Please tell me what you find. I am very curious. Frankly, I am impressed that their protein powder is actually very simple and not a whole long list of ingredients. And there's also the drawback to me that if you want protein in your drink. From Starbucks, you have to use either 2% milk or sweet cream, which to me is not really that appealing.

[00:09:47] You know, I think my conclusion is that if it makes you happy, go for it. And I don't think it needs to be the justification for ordering something that you otherwise wouldn't. And please know that you do [00:10:00] not have to order coffee with protein. I've said it before, I'll say it again. It is okay for us to not protein pack every single thing on the planet that we consume now.

[00:10:10] You know, I get why Starbucks wants to jump on the bandwagon and just because they are, I don't think it means that you have to. Christine, what do you think? Questions? Anything you wanna add?

[00:10:21] Christine: Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't feel very appealing to me just because like, I wouldn't normally add milk or heavy or the sweet cream to anything, you know?

[00:10:30] So I feel like I'm being forced to do something I don't wanna do. And also, you know, whey protein is what it is. But I'm a little bit like, I don't know, skeptical, but I'm a little bit curious about what really is it like to have something so simple like that. Is it really that simple? That's what I would wanna know.

[00:10:48] And how do you get all those ounces into the drink that like, is it, you know, a much bigger drink? What is it when they add it to. Like it's 16 ounces is 16 ounces. Well, it's

[00:10:59] Jenn Trepeck: a [00:11:00] 16 ounce drink.

[00:11:01] Christine: So how did they do that? But it becomes

[00:11:02] Jenn Trepeck: 16 ounces of 2% milk. So they take this giant thing of protein powder. Yeah.

[00:11:08] And mix it with like a gallon or whatever it is of the 2% milk. So my guess is they're combining that nutrition information and then portioning it out. 16 ounces of this milk now has all of this in it. Now we also don't know the quality of that protein. We don't know the source of that protein that happens with most protein powders or things that we have available that we can buy.

[00:11:32] You know, it takes some extra effort to find those answers and, or you don't need to put in the extra effort. Just stick to your usual, go-to black coffee or you know, espresso or Americano or whatever it is and call it a day. But I get why they would jump in on that. Alright, friends, well, there you have it.

[00:11:52] My take on the Starbucks protein drinks. Well, as always, everybody, I'm your host, Jenn Trepeck. Connect with me on [00:12:00] Instagram or all social media. I am at Jenn Trepeck, J-E-N-N-T-R-E-P-E-C-K. Website is a salad with the side of fries.com. Also on the website, you can learn more about working with me as your health coach.

[00:12:14] Also my book, uncomplicating Wellness, is there for you to pick up or just send a message and No, just in that, send a message. I love hearing from you, your ideas, your takeaways, your questions. Christine, thank you again for joining me. A pleasure. Always. I always love hearing your take on things. And of course everybody, if you are not already a member, I invite you to the Happy Healthy Hub.

[00:12:39] You'll go to a salad with the side of fries.com/membership. This shows your support for this podcast, this community, and of course, supports your help. On top of the 24 7, ask Me Anything, community Chat, discounts, curated content, and more. You'll get this week's recipe for the Southwestern Power Salad with Creamy cilantro, lime dressing, and [00:13:00] the Farmer's Market Cookbook.

[00:13:03] Well, friends, that's it for today's episode of Salad with a Side of Fries. Congratulations for making yourself and your health a priority. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure to click subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast platform. Share us with a friend and we'll be back next week. Always remember you deserve it and you are worth it.

[00:13:22] Happy, healthy.