There’s a New Drink Dropping With The Starbucks Fall Menu—Is It Healthy?
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below."
Starbucks announced its newest beverage the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato.
Experts says the drink is packed with fat and sugar, so there’s no great way to make a healthier version.
Classics like the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew will also return on the fall menu.
Spooky season is around the corner (yes, really!), and the mark of the beginning of autumn is when Starbucks drops its fall menu. Along with the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Starbucks is launching the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. But before we head to our nearest cafe to grab a cup, we dug into what exactly is the new drink and whether the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato is healthy.
What’s in the Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato?
This new drink is a play on last year’s release of the Apple Crisp Macchiato, but incorporates Blonde roast espresso and oat milk in the standard recipe, according to the press release.
“Crafting the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato with Starbucks Blonde Espresso gives the beverage a soft and smooth foundation that ties all the flavors together,” Starbucks Beverage Developer Harvey Rojas Mora said in the release. “The oat milk adds a creaminess and brings forward the oat flavors of a traditional apple crisp topping.”
The new Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato is described as “layered flavors of apple, cinnamon, oats, and brown sugar combine in harmony with Starbucks Blonde Espresso, creamy oat milk, and spiced apple drizzle to create a delicious apple crisp you can sip.” It is available in hot, iced, or blended varieties.
What’s in the Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato?
Oat milk (oat milk (water, oats), canola oil, contains 2% or less of: dipotassium phosphate, calcium carbonate, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, dicalcium phosphate, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin D2, Vitamin B12), brewed espresso, apple brown sugar syrup {sugars (invert sugar, brown sugar), water, natural flavors, salt, preservative: potassium sorbate, malic acid), spiced apple drizzle (sugars (corn syrup, invert sugar, apple juice concentrate, sugar), water, cinnamon, salt, preservative: potassium sorbate, caramelized sugar (for color), malic acid, nutmeg)
Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato nutrition
Here’s what you’re looking at in the nutrition department when you have a grande Starbucks Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato:
Calories: 320
Fat: 10 g (1 g sat fat)
Carbohydrates: 56 g
Protein: 3 g
Sugars: 29 g
Sodium: 230 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Caffeine: 170 mg
Is the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato healthy?
Swapping out regular milk for oat milk doesn’t necessarily make the drink any healthier, says Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., a New York-based nutrition consultant and author of The Small Change Diet. So, it’s really up to you to determine what makes sense for you and your taste preferences.
“Switching to oat milk is more about a personal preference than making this drink a healthier option,” Gans says. “No matter what milk you choose for this beverage, it’s still a sugar bomb and should be enjoyed on occasion.”
How to make the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato better for you.
Though you can always ask your barista to cut down on the pumps of sweetener in your beverage, Gans says, “Why bother?”
“If they want to make the Apple Crisp Macchiato healthier, honestly, I say why bother? If a person is truly interested in a healthier option they should be opting for a coffee beverage with minimal added sugars and fat, such as a black coffee, original latte, or cappuccino,” she says.
Customers looking to try the new drink without all the fat and sugar can order a regular drip coffee with a single pump of apple brown sugar syrup, ask the barista to use less syrup in the latte, or enjoy the latte as listed on occasion.
This new launch comes just months after Starbucks released their new Paradise Drink and Chocolate Cream Cold Brew on the summer menu. Additionally, the coffee giant has been playing with making plant-based milk the default “dairy” in many of its menu items and has regularly included dairy-free coffee drinks on its seasonal menus. Recent launches include the Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, and Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte.
You Might Also Like
