Are the new Starbucks Teavana lemonades healthy or sugar bombs? Here’s the tea

Whether you’re an Arnold Palmer type of girl or a purest, an ice-cold lemonade is perfect for picnicking outside or lounging by the pool. (Just kidding, we know you’re stuck at your desk, gazing longingly out the window, and it’s perfect for that, too.) It also happens to be the latest Starbucks summer sip.

On Tuesday, the company released three Teavana lemonades: a green tea lemonade (made with a combo of peach-flavored fruit juice blend and lemonade), a guava white tea lemonade (with a guava-flavored fruit juice blend and lemonade), and a black tea lemonade (made with a blueberry-flavored fruit juice blend and lemonade). All three are sweetened with liquid cane sugar. As is required these days, all three drinks are colorful and Instagram-friendly.

Refreshing? Totally. But healthy? Not quite. Registered dietitian Sameera Khan, RD, points out that the drinks are pretty high in sugar. A grande cup of the peach or guava white contains 29 grams of sugar, which is 4 grams more than the recommended amount for the entire day. (The black tea lemonade contains 27 grams.)

“Rather than using a sweetener like liquid cane sugar which adds to the carbs, try using monk fruit sweetener which is a revolutionary way to sweeten drinks without the harmful effects of sugar or sugar substitutes,” says Khan. “Monk fruit is a natural sweetener adding no calories and no effect on blood sugar levels.”

Wondering what a dietitian orders at Starbucks? Check out the video below:



Because Starbucks is notorious for allowing customers to customize their drinks, you can follow Khan’s advice by ordering the tea lemonades with no cane sugar. While omitting the cane sugar still won’t magically transform the drink into a nutrient-rich refreshment, it will cut that sugar content down drastically. That way, you can have your lemonade while keeping the vibes chill—and not having a crash and needing a nap later.

You know about Starbucks’ secret healthy menu, right? And here’s where you’ll find the cafe’s healthiest snacks.