Starbucks protein per calorie, ranked
Every Starbucks protein drink and food item we track, from best to worst protein per calorie.
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Starbucks has leaned hard into protein lately, with protein lattes, protein matcha and a protein cold brew alongside the egg bites and breakfast sandwiches. But more protein on the menu board doesn't always mean a good deal on calories. We ranked every Starbucks item we track by grams of protein per 100 calories, the same metric as our leaderboard.
We currently track 12 Starbucks items: 5 protein drinks and 7 food items, all from Starbucks' own published nutrition pages.
Every Starbucks item we track, ranked
| # | Item | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Leaderboard rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 29 g | 200 | 14.5 | #52 | label |
| 2 | Starbucks Iced Protein Matcha (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 31 g | 260 | 11.9 | #70 | label |
| 3 | Starbucks Iced Vanilla Protein Latte (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 29 g | 270 | 10.7 | #86 | label |
| 4 | Starbucks Protein Matcha (Grande, hot) Grande (16 fl oz) | 28 g | 300 | 9.3 | #104 | label |
| 5 | Starbucks Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites 1 order (2 bites, 130 g) | 12 g | 170 | 7.1 | #116 | label |
| 6 | Starbucks Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap 1 item (as listed) | 20 g | 290 | 6.9 | #118 | label |
| 7 | Starbucks Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | 17 g | 260 | 6.5 | #120 | label |
| 8 | Starbucks Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket 1 item (as listed) | 20 g | 310 | 6.5 | #124 | label |
| 9 | Starbucks Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites 1 order (2 bites, 130 g) | 19 g | 300 | 6.3 | #125 | label |
| 10 | Starbucks Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew (Grande) Grande (16 fl oz) | 17 g | 300 | 5.7 | #130 | label |
| 11 | Starbucks Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich 1 item (as listed) | 21 g | 390 | 5.4 | #134 | label |
| 12 | Starbucks Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box 1 item (as listed) | 22 g | 470 | 4.7 | #137 | label |
Leaderboard rank is out of all 143 products on the site.
What stands out
The sugar-free latte wins, by a lot. The Starbucks Iced Sugar-Free Vanilla Protein Latte (Grande) has 29 g of protein for 200 calories (14.5). The regular Starbucks Iced Vanilla Protein Latte (Grande) has the same 29 g of protein but 270 calories, which drops it to 10.7. Same protein, 70 more calories. If you like the vanilla latte, the sugar-free version is the easy swap.
Iced beats hot for the protein matcha. The Starbucks Iced Protein Matcha (Grande) lists 31 g for 260 calories (11.9), while the Starbucks Protein Matcha (Grande, hot) lists 28 g for 300 calories (9.3). We're just reporting the published numbers here. The two drinks are built differently, so check both if matcha is your order.
Not every "protein" drink is high in protein per calorie. The Starbucks Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew (Grande) has 17 g of protein for 300 calories, or 5.7. That's less than half the score of the sugar-free latte, so it's not in the same league as the lattes.
On the food side, the egg white bites lead. Starbucks Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites is 12 g for 170 calories (7.1). The Starbucks Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap is close behind at 6.9 and has more total protein (20 g). The Starbucks Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites has 19 g of protein but 300 calories, for 6.3.
The protein box is last. The Starbucks Apples & Cheese Trio Protein Box has 22 g of protein, which sounds decent, but it comes with 470 calories (4.7), the lowest score of any Starbucks item we track.
Most total protein: the Starbucks Iced Protein Matcha (Grande), at 31 g. If you want the biggest protein number in one order, that's it; on per-calorie it's 11.9.
How Starbucks compares
The best Starbucks item ranks #52 of 143 on our leaderboard. Its 14.5 is below every bottled shake we track; see best shakes and drinks per calorie. Among fast-food chains, Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) still beats everything on the Starbucks menu at 19.2; see fast-food protein picks, ranked.
How to use this list
- Ordering a drink? The sugar-free protein latte is the most protein-efficient drink we've found at Starbucks.
- Ordering food? Egg white bites or the egg white wrap give you the best per-calorie numbers.
- Customizing? Every change of milk, syrup or size changes the numbers, so check the nutrition info in the Starbucks app or website for your exact order.
Caveats
All numbers are from Starbucks' published U.S. nutrition pages for the standard recipe, Grande size for drinks. Handmade drinks vary from store to store, and menus change by season and region. Some items may not be available where you are. We don't track sugar, fat or caffeine here, only protein and calories.
See every item side by side on the full leaderboard.
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Disclaimer: All numbers come from manufacturer labels, brand websites and restaurant nutrition pages on the dates shown on the leaderboard. They can change without notice, vary by location, flavor or customization, or differ from the product in your hand. Always check the current label. This article is general information only and is not medical, dietary or health advice.