Updated 4/6/2015 (see bottom of post)
I really love the smell of pumpkin (especially in the Fall), but, there is at least one seasonal pumpkin treat that I will never order and that’s the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. With more than 200 million sold to date, these drinks sell like hotcakes this time of year, and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said it “still ranks as its most popular seasonal beverage”. But, does anyone know what’s really in it?
I found out, and I’m going to break it all down for you here.
But first, I want to mention that I get riled up when restaurants refuse to disclose their ingredients, because we have the right to know what we are eating and drinking. I’ve tried for years to get ingredient information from Starbucks and it’s been a bit frustrating to say the least. If you’ve ever tried emailing their customer service for ingredients you probably know what I’m talking about.
This week, we emailed them asking for the complete list of ingredients in the Pumpkin Spice Latte and this was their response:
“The Pumpkin Spice Latte is of pumpkin and traditional fall spice flavors combined with espresso and steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. If you ever have any questions or concerns in the future, please don’t hesitate to get in touch”.
After several more emails back and forth, they were still refusing to share the ingredients:
While we understand that some customers would like to know the nutrition information for their specific customized beverage, unfortunately we are unable to provide this level of detail for every beverage customization request. The beverage information that is available on Starbucks.com reflects the beverage offerings currently on our menu with the most common customization options.
For a company that prides itself in its transparency, it’s unbelievable to me that this is how they respond to customers who ask for information about what’s in their drinks. After really putting the pressure on, I was finally able to get the complete list, but it wasn’t easy. While they list some ingredients on their website, they still do not list the ingredients in their most popular items: their drinks! This includes all of their lattes, frappuccinos, macchiatos, smoothies, etc. Starbucks doesn’t even publish the ingredients in their “Kid’s Drinks” – keeping parents completely in the dark. If you have a food allergy, their allergen information isn’t available online either.
How’s that for transparency?
Besides trying to get an employee to spill the beans, pretty much the only way to get the ingredients in their drinks is to go into their online store and search for each of the individual components that make up these drinks, but they are not all listed here. Quite frankly, this is a pain. This also requires you to know all of the components that make up the drink that you order. For instance, the Pumpkin Spice Latte isn’t just espresso, syrup and milk. If you order it the usual way on the menu, it contains espresso, pumpkin sauce, steamed milk (or soy milk), whipped cream and spice topping – and these each come with their own ingredient list.
Another way to get ingredients is to email and call customer service, or to ask a corporate contact at Starbucks (if you’re lucky enough to know one like me). We used all of these avenues to get the ingredients in this drink, and you know what?
We got different ingredients.
Overall, the ingredients were similar, but there were slight differences. We initially called Starbucks customer service and they said that all of the syrups sold in their online store are the same ones that are used in the restaurant, and that specifically the Pumpkin Sauce is the same. The online version here says Pumpkin Sauce contains high fructose corn syrup. They also divulged the ingredients in the whipped cream, spice topping, and soy milk.
Shortly thereafter, we also received a response to our email inquiry and this is when things became shady.
This time the ingredient list they sent over didn’t have any high fructose corn syrup on it. Rather, it was replaced with “sweetened condensed nonfat milk”. After a couple email exchanges, they seemed to confirm that HFCS is an ingredient:
“Yes the sauce that we sell online at www.starbucks.com is that same sauce that we use in our stores. I understand you concerns about high fructose corn syrup being used in the Sweentened Condensed Nonfat Milk. Please be aware that product information is provided to us by the suppliers who manufacture food and beverage items for Starbucks Coffee Company. Variations may exist due to periodic changes in formulations. While we attempt to provide product information that is as complete as possible, product changes or new product introductions may cause this information to become outdated or incomplete. Products may vary from location to location”.
I wasn’t done yet. I also contacted a PR rep at Starbucks whom I had been in contact with previously and asked her to send me the ingredients. According to her, “The condensed milk is sweetened with sugar (no HFCS)”.
As you can see, this makes for a very confusing customer experience, and I still don’t really know if it contains high fructose corn syrup (or not).
Why won’t they just publish ingredients online and end the confusion?
They obviously know what the ingredients are in each of their drinks, so I see no reason for them to hold back from publishing them (in their entirety) online just like they do for their food items. This would make it easy for their customers to know exactly what they are drinking. I believe the reason that they’re dragging their feet is because they don’t want you to know about the harmful additives in their biggest selling items.
Case In Point: You’ll get 2 doses of Class IV Caramel Coloring in Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte.
You’ve probably heard me talk about caramel coloring before, and that’s because I think it’s one of the most hazardous chemicals being added to our food. Although it sounds harmless, food safety and consumer watch dog groups say it is not.
There are four different types (classes) of caramel coloring and two of those types contain the dangerous substance 4-methylimidazole (4-Mel). Starbucks uses Class IV Caramel Color, considered the most harmful type that contains 4-Mel, in many of their drink syrups and sauces. It’s even in their whipped cream!
Why Starbucks should stop using Class IV Caramel Coloring immediately:
- It’s created in a laboratory by reacting corn sugar with ammonia and sulfites under high pressure and temperature, which produces the byproduct 4-Mel.
- A U.S government funded study found that feeding mice caramel coloring IV (which contained 4-Mel) increased their risk of developing lung cancer and leukemia, at every dosage level.
- The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies 4-Mel as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.
- Any food or drink that contains more than 29 micrograms of 4-Mel requires a cancer warning label In California (under Prop 65) that says, “WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer.”
- The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) petitioned the FDA to ban caramel coloring in 2011 due to safety concerns and the cancer risk of allowing this ingredient in our food.
- It has no nutritional benefits and is only used cosmetically to improve the appearance of food and drinks, yet there are safer alternatives available to food manufacturers.
- It’s sometimes added unnecessarily to food and drinks that are naturally brown or that are not even visible to the consumer (e.g. baby vitamin drops).
- It’s the most widely used food coloring in the world, which makes it easy to consume excessive amounts.
- Thankfully, the FDA is currently reviewing its safety and GRAS status, due to a Consumer Reports study that found excessive levels in many popular drinks.
In previous correspondence with Starbucks, they told me they have no plans to remove the ingredient and, “in all instances where the color is used in our beverages, the level is well below the No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) allowed by California’s Prop 65, regarded as a conservative evaluation system, and safe to consume”. I haven’t seen any testing results that show the exact levels of 4-Mel found in Starbucks drinks, so we just have to take their word for it on this one. Also, even if the level is below what’s allowed, what if someone has a Vente (Starbuck’s largest size) with the double dose of caramel coloring within the syrup and whipcream – what’s the amount of caramel coloring then? Even if the levels are below what’s permitted in California, it’s still not safe. In the opinion of toxicologist Dr. Urvashi Rangan, “There is no ‘safe’ level of 4-MeI, but if you have set a threshold, it should be well below the Prop 65 level (29 micrograms/day) – and more like 3 micrograms/day”. Roasted coffee itself has been shown to contain trace amounts of 4-Mel. Couple that with the fact that this coloring is in just about every processed food you can imagine, so you may be cumulatively eating more of this stuff than you realize – and no amount is safe.
Would you really care if the syrup and sauces that they squirt into your coffee are colored brown? It’s going into brown coffee anyhow…. it’s totally ridiculous to me that caramel coloring is even considered a necessary ingredient and that Starbucks doesn’t ask their suppliers to completely remove it.
Where’s the pumpkin?
After reading the ingredients in the Pumpkin Spice Latte, I can tell you that there’s absolutely no pumpkin. Instead, you’ll be drinking this:
- A Huge Dose of Sugar – A lot of it. Order up a non-fat grande and you’ll get served 50 grams of sugar. Is it a pick-me-up from the caffeine, or all that toxic sugar?
- Monsanto Milk – Even though over a hundred thousand customers are demanding it, Starbucks refuses to serve organic milk (at all locations). Due to consumer pressure, they stopped using milk from cows injected with growth hormones several years ago, but their milk still comes from cows that are fed genetically modified feed all day long – which is really supporting Monsanto and the biotech companies. When cows survive primarily on a cheap grain diet (corn, soy, alfalfa, cotton) it’s bad for the health of the animals, which is contributing to the overuse of antibiotics and the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. If they made the switch to organic milk, or even offered it for that matter, it would ensure that it didn’t come from cows grazing on GMO grains or injected with antibiotics.
- Pesticide Residue – Starbucks doesn’t serve organic coffee in most locations. Non-organic coffee is considered one of the heaviest chemically treated crops in the world, especially when it’s imported from developing nations that allow pesticides that are restricted in the U.S. due to health concerns, such as Chlorpyrifos.
- Natural and Artificial Flavors – Since this drink contains absolutely no pumpkin, this is where all that flavor comes from. The problem with both artificial and natural flavors is that their sources are proprietary and you never really know what they are made from.
- Preservatives and Sulfites – Which may cause allergic reactions or asthma attacks, and is linked with DNA damage.
If you’re vegan, I have a specific warning for you.
Many of you may be shocked to find out that when you order a Pumpkin Spice latte with soy milk, it’s still not vegan. This is because the Pumpkin Sauce contains condensed nonfat milk, and many Starbucks employees don’t realize this and have misinformed customers. This is yet another reason that Starbucks Corporate should be transparent about what’s in their drinks by publishing complete ingredients online.
You’ll also get more than you bargained for if you order up a soy latte, because the Starbucks “proprietary” organic soy milk contains carrageenan – which is linked to gastrointestinal inflammation and cancer. It also contains another dose of added sugar, preservatives and natural flavors.
Complete Ingredients in Starbucks “Pumpkin” Spice Latte:
Milk, Espresso (Water, Brewed Espresso Coffee), Pumpkin Spice Flavored Sauce (Sugar, Condensed Nonfat Milk, High Fructose Corn Syrup or Sweetened Condensed Nonfat Milk (Milk, Sugar), Annatto (for color), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color (class IV), Salt, Potassium Sorbate (preservative)), Whip Cream (Whipping Cream, Starbucks Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Caramel Color (class IV)), Pumpkin Spice Topping: Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Sulfites.
SOY OPTION:
Starbucks Organic Soy Milk (plain): Filtered Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Organic Vanilla Flavor, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B12, Zinc Gluconate.
Starbucks Organic Soy Milk (vanilla): Filtered Water, Organic Whole Soybeans, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Natural Vanilla Flavors, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Carrageenan, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B12.
Ditch the Starbucks and Drink This Instead!
Mama Natural has a version of a homemade pumpkin spice latte that actually uses real pumpkin! And 100 Days of Real Food has a few quick and easy alternative recipes – see help graphic below.
You can also try a latte with my homemade pistachio milk, which is one of my favorite treats! Also, seek out locally-owned organic fair trade coffee shops in your area. My favorite is Larry’s Beans Organic Fair Trade coffee.
Starbucks: Stop Putting Toxic Chemicals In Your Pumpkin Spice Latte.
- Tell Starbucks to remove unnecessary carcinogenic caramel coloring by commenting on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
- Call their customer service department at 1-800-782-7282 and ask them to remove these harmful additives and post all of their ingredients online.
- Join GMO Inside and sign the petition asking them to serve organic milk at all locations.
- Share this blog post with everyone you know. The more people that know the truth, the more Starbucks will be forced to make a change.
Thank you for your activism and spreading the word in advance. Together we can change the food system. Hopefully in the near future, we can have treats like these without worrying about the toxic chemicals in them!
Xo,
Vani
Update 4/6/2015: I received an email from Starbucks representatives that they have started to remove caramel coloring level IV. “we recently transitioned the vanilla syrup in our US and Canada stores to a new formula which is free from caramel coloring. We prioritized vanilla as it is an ingredient in our whipped cream, so with this one change we removed caramel coloring from many beverages. We are actively working on the rest and don’t have a specific timeline to share at this time.” Go Food Babe Army Go!
Thank you so much for this.
How about doing the same type of article on the flavorings they use in some yogurts which are made from Beavers excretions
it so grossed me out on many levels that I have ceased eating yogurt and now opt always for Kefir. I am so much healthier as a result.
I’m sure the beaver excretions don’t additively poison your body… and I’m sure there are other animal juices in other food you’ve never thought of either. Hell, you’re eating fermented cow milk on a regular basis. Given the choice and knowing one is toxic and the other isn’t, I’ll take the nonpoisonous ingredient.
The harmful ingredients in the yogurt are the array of artificial sweeteners and hormone laced milks if that particular producer uses it, not the beaver juice.
Not being grossed out doesn’t necessarily equal being healthier. Why is Kefir healthier than yogurt? Also, what is Kefir?
Thanks so much for all your hard work and research. I shared this article on Facebook.
Wow…I drank these for years. I will no longer set foot in Starbucks nor will any of my family members until the change to organic milk which is less expensive anyway and you wouldn’t have to put all the fake ingredients in it either. I see Starbucks going down the tubes..Im re-posting. Get ready Starbucks the *%#@ storm this is going to cause for you.
Cathy Smith
I wondered if anyone else went to Starbucks and said their piece? I just did. I will not buy from them because I said to them they do not care of their customers health & this is so deceptive. I hope all of you do go and say something, the more who bombard them, the more they may see, they have to change. It was done with Subway, so maybe they will realize they have to change or they will lose so many!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your activism Cathy & Diana! This is amazing!
I just have to ask Diana if you called corporate or actually just went inside a Starbucks and have them a piece of your mind. I doubt calling corporate would help much, but giving the baristas a hard time would be completely pointless and rude. They have no say in anything. You’ll just be wasting everyone’s time and making them feel bad, so cut the employees some slack
As a former Starbucks employee I really hope you don’t mean you went and complained to the baristas! They have absolutely no influence over ingredients or corporate policy. Direct your ire to corporate headquarters where it belongs and leave the poor (underpaid, overworked) baristas alone.
I said my “Piece” to Starbuck’s in 2006. I had a very close friend of mine that went there every day and got her favorite beverage – I mentioned that she spends $5 a day for the junk – $25 a week and $100 a month. I asked if she had better use of $100 a month. She’s a very thrifty shopper and she almost jaw dropped it. I think it’s more the addiction than anything.
Anyway, I made her a cup of Organic coffee (that I found online)and sweetened it up so she would have at least a comparison. I used real cream that I was able to get at Nutrition Smart and sweetened with Coconut sugar. The killer for her was cinnamon which really needs to be frothed to mix well. Anyway, I found a Cinnamon oil that worked pretty well – still not the best stuff to be using but way better than Starbuck’s. My cost was about $2.00 a cup.
She now has the recipe.
Everything in America if you want to propose change has to be financially motivated. American business and Government know no other way.
Love your site and please keep up the great work!
I don’t agree that com paining to the Barista is useless as long as you make a statement that its not their fault but you will make the Barista’s aware about the dangers and use of GMO ingredients and so they will be aware what they are selling. 90% doesn’t even care or know what they sell.
Make them aware and they will complain as well.
It’s me again, wasn’t sure where to reply to all of you in here. I only made a comment in the facebook Starbucks profile to the company, I did not call anyone nor am I against the people who work there, as I have found most empl0yees in companies such as this, really don’t know the behind the scenes facts. True, some many not even care, but I am sure others do care. No I didn’t do anything terrible, I simply stated it is deceptive & unfair to customers. I know I want to trust whom I’m buying from, I want to stay healthy & am careful on what I eat, I read labels– what’s going on here, is deception on the wonderful people who go for that coffee, trusting Starbucks they are serving them a wonderful fine product. This will probably be my last comment in here, I think anyone who agrees they should be accountable & honorable to us, to any who buy from them, then plz, go to their facebook profile & tell them how you feel!
Sooo, you went to a Starbucks and harassed a worker. How brave of you.
So, you went to a store and told the underpaid barista’s that you won’t be going back until they change the ingredients? Hahaha….
What is their reasoning for refusing to offer organic milk?
Costing and profits.
I would also like them to offer almond or rice milk. I can’t have dairy and I prefer to keep my soy level to a minimum. Plus soy milk is a lot more calories than almond. A lot of people may have soy allergies (Almond, too), so offering other non-milk alternatives besides or instead of soy would be helpful to many.
FYI – 365 brand organic almond milk does not have carrageenan in it, not “natural” flavors.
Stearns and Lehman used to make all the syrups for Starbucks. Kerry a company based in Ireland bought them out.
hahaha, the censors here are in overdrive. I keep refreshing and there have been literally dozens of posts taken down calling food babe an idiot.
That’s interesting. Or not. I’ve refreshed a few times and all the same comments are still here. You’re full of it.
Funny I don’t see anyone calling her an idiot and no one is forcing them to read her blog.
Starbucks fans are furious because they don’t want to believe that their beloved wake me up is actually toxic. I gave up a lot of my favs – and it wasn’t easy but I feel better than ever- find a new hangout seriously… Farmers market anyone?
Thanks for sharing this Vani! I definitely want to make the 100 Days of Real Food version. There’s also a pumpkin spice inspired green smoothie recipe that we love: http://simplegreensmoothies.com/green-smoothie-recipes/pumpkin-spice
2 cups spinach
2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
1 cup plain canned pumpkin, unsweetened (or fresh pumpkin)
1 banana
1 cup mango
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
YUM!!!!! Looks delicious, thanks for sharing sweet thang 🙂
Last note thanks to the Food Babe for caring and trying to spread the word. Why this makes people feel threatened I don’t understand. Someone tells you to duck, if you are smart you duck first and then look to see. You can yell and criticize her all you want but she is only trying to help.
thanks!
M
As a nutritionist, I always recommend the cleanest (leanest!) ingredients. As a former fat girl and foodie, I don’t wanna give up my favorite things. I was so happy to see your post!! I just made my own healthy (and skinny!) Pumpkin Spice Latte (or coffee) made with real ingredients that taste great and don’t have any sketchy ingredients. I thought your readers would like it. Keep up the great work!! xxoo CC http://www.christinacarlyle.com/skinny-spice-pumpkin-latte-recipe/
I am so glad to see this investigation and will be sharing it! I can’t believe how many people drink these and think they are perfectly healthy.
I’m preeetty sure nobody orders a sugared down beverage from an establishment known for offering sweet and highly artificial flavorings thinking what they are getting is “healthy”.
I understand what you are saying and wanting people to know exactly what they are consuming. The reason I am writing is the drink is called a pumpkin spice latte, not a pumpkin latte. It has pumpkin spice in it, this part of your post is invalid, you want starbucks to be 100% transparent, you be also.
100% Agree – never thought there would be pumpkin, why would anyone???
Then why do they put artificial pumpkin flavors in it to make it taste like pumpkin?
It’s not supposed to taste like pumpkin. Things that are flavored “pumpkin spice” are supposed to taste like the spices found in pumpkin pie.
Well done, Vani! It’s not just a cup of coffee, it’s a huge dose of chemicals and substandard “foodlike” substances that nobody should be drinking (and it probably costs $5!!) Excellent job showing consumers how they are being ripped off and having their health compromised at the same time.
YOU ROCK, VANI (Food Babe)!!!!
Since Starbucks is using caramel coloring, as well as other chemicals, shouldn’t they be posting the Prop 65 warning on all of their storefronts (which is required by the the Prop 65 law) to inform consumers that toxic chemicals known to cause cancer… is on their premises? Also, a lot of these chemicals are banned in Europe.
Thank you for all of your hard work and research to keep our food safe. I can’t wait to try the Mama Natural pumpkin latte!!! I’ve had to stop going to Starbucks because they are just too expensive, but now I will boycott Starbucks!!
Thank you again, Vani – You are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharon Sweet (former Starbucks customer)
I loved this drink.
I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know it was that bad!
Thank you for the alternatives! I will definitely check those out!!!
Have you looked into Caffe Bene? Zero nutrition/ingredients available on their websites. They have 43 locations in NYC alone. Starbucks is so disappointing and I was hoping to find an alternative on the go but with no ingredients available for Caffe Bene I’m wary. How disheartening that society popularizes such unhealthy and awful choices. Sigh
I’m not surprised. I never like StarBucks coffee. I just don’t understand why American over pay for average coffee.
I agree, Khurt Williams. I never liked Starbucks and their prices are outrageous. I always make my coffee at home. Thanks to Vani, however, for reminding people that they shouldn’t just ASSUME that because its Starbuck’s, it must be ok or good for you. Deceptive advertising is everywhere. The only way you can be sure what you’re putting in your body is to make it yourself.
Why would anyone assume something was good for you just because starbucks made it? Thats like saying “I assumed it was good for me because McDonalds made it” To my knowledge, Starbucks never advertized health food.
Having said that, ALL ingredients should be listed.
I totally get you on all of this except for, “Where’s the pumpkin?” Are you serious? It’s a Pumpkin SPICE Latte. Nutmeg, cinnamon, clove… No one wants squash in their coffee.
Also, Starbucks coffee is terrible. Go to an independent proprietor for your coffee, or make it at home.
There also is an artifical sweetner somewhere in the standard PSL. I can taste it .. must be in the syrup. I always order it No whip and no powder.
I’m not trying to be inflammatory here, but anyone who thinks Starbucks drinks are healthy is sorely mistaken. Even with non-gmo/organic ingredients, they are no where near healthy. Why get up in arms over this?
I was kind of thinking the same thing. None of this is surprising AT ALL, and I guarantee that the people who drink it regularly (I have a friend who gets several of them a week during the season!) couldn’t care less about the health factor. *shrug*
I have to agree Kelly. Although there is some good information here, who really thinks its healthy in the first place? Personally I hate the fall spice drinks and air fresheners-ugh! And Starbucks is not endorsing it as healthy, never has. Most people just don’t care enough to avoid fake foods. I like my coffee plain, so I don’t wrestle with having to know what’s inside it.
Knowledge is power. Even if you are aware that what you are drinking is not healthy (a very broad term btw) people should still have the right to know what they are drinking and make informed decisions. I would be willing to bet that most people who order the pumpkin spice latte are fully aware that there is a significant amount of fat and sugar in it, but are unaware of the many chemicals being sold to us as “food”
thank you so much for your hard work uncovering this mess (hot mess?)
I think we all should print out at least 50 copies and go to our nearest Starbucks and pass these out to the customers entering and leaving the store (or even the drive-through)!
I think I will !!
again, thank you!!!
If you want to get your point across, try being more concise. I got tired of reading the same thing over and over about how difficult it was to get a list of ingredients that I never made it to the list of ingredients. Was this post supposed to be about the ingredients or how difficult it is find out the ingredients? Readers may find it more beneficial if you just get to the point.
Agreed Jason.
Hi Vani! I am so happy you are bringing this to light! I have been telling clients, friends and family to stop drinking these ridiculously unhealthy and pricey drinks for years. I have also tried to get the ingredients in the past with no success. Thank you for sharing. I will gladly pass this on!
Hi Vani!
Thank you for publishing this one! I have been telling clients, friends and family for years to stop drinking these ridiculously unhealthy drinks (not to mention pricey). I have also tried to get a full ingredients list without success! I will gladly pass this on. Thanks, keep on the good fight girl!
I really want to know about Minnesota’s local coffee chain, Caribou. They sell organic and fair trade coffees and I’d love to know exactly what’s in their other drinks, like the berry white mocha (my personal vice). Anyone looked into them at all?
Thanks for the informative post.
Even before reading this, I always felt there was something wrong about starbucks. I was a big consumer of their frappuccinos, but starting about several months ago I simply cannot get myself to order one. The only thing I buy at Starbucks nowadays is bottled water.
Large companies often have multiple suppliers and so they have a hard time nailing the ingredients. For example, in an email exchange with Subway about animal rennet in their cheese, I was told they have multiple suppliers and some use animal rennet and some don’t. (I stopped eating Subway as well because I never felt good after eating it, and after reading the posts about what they put in their bread and in way they maintain the “freshness” of their ingredients, I now know why!)
Thanks for sharing this Vani! I’m done with Starbucks until they make some major changes.
I have the solution: Stop buying Starbucks crap.
GREAT WORK… NOW PLEASE CHECK-OUT DUNKIN DONUTS…they use something in their coffee that actually made me sick… cramps, stomach pain, gas… Starbucks has a way to go to catch-up to Dunkin Donuts I think ;/
I also get sick every time I go to Dunkin Donuts, I thought it was the egg sausage sand. I was getting but last time I just got a bagel with cream cheese and a coffee and still got sick with same symptoms, gas stomach pain, diareah so I will NEVER eat there again!
Thank you FoodBabe.
I went through my own rigorous research trying to find out what is in all those syrups in their latte’s.
What I found? HFCS. In ALL of them.
And, it is true, the only way to find the list is on the Starbucks Store & go to their syrups section. None of their syrups are made without HFCS.
So, no more vanilla latte, no more cinnamon dolce.
And, for all you Chai Latte lovers out there,,,, it is a chai syrup they are putting in them and I couldn’t find the ingredients list so, it’s most likely HFCS also.
It’s a shame.
Keep up the good work Food Babe,, we need you to be our voice.
Thank you!
This is actually not entirely accurate. I can’t speak to the chai concentrate as I’ve never checked the ingredients list, but I have personally checked the syrups at my store and not once is HFCS listed on any of them – only sugar. As another commenter suggested, companies like Starbucks often have a number of suppliers, some of which use different formulas. I’m not saying you’re lying, but it isn’t accurate on your part to suggest that the use of HFCS is rampant throughout ALL Starbucks syrups in ALL locations.
Wow….someone has a lot of time on their hands to perform all this research, just to bash Starbucks. It still won’t make me stop going there. I just won’t drink any flavored coffees(which I don’t anyway). And Vegans……..get over it!!!
She did not bash Starbucks just for the heck of it. Why is it so hard to appreicate this effort in letting everyone know that they have harmful chemicals in their products? Just because you don’t drink flavored coffees doesn’t mean that the research is useless. It could help thousands of others make decision in light of this information.
Dear Food Babe – please help!
I love tea and drink it in hopes of some benefits in this natural drink derived of various leaves, fruits, flowers and berries but I also love Starbucks.
I was concerned at their teaming up with Teavana. I went into Teavana a year or so ago and tasted their teA YUCK! It tasted really synthetic. When getting the staff their to read me the ingredients every bucket aprox 20 different teas had artificial flavour added in. Yet when you read the tea at Starbucks – the Teavana Opraha Chai it says natural flavour…..so which is it? And why on earth should there be artificial flavouring in Tea??
Thank you – hope you can help.
Food Babe has already posted a blog article on Teavana (and other teas). You can find it here:
https://foodbabe.com/2013/08/21/do-you-know-whats-really-in-your-tea/
Here’s her quoted paragraph on Teavana:
“If grocery store brands don’t provide a clean option for you, perhaps a high-end loose leaf tea would circumvent some of the issues of grocery store brands. Right? Wrong! Take Teavana, which is found in malls across North America for example. Teavana taps into tea culture with the “Teavana Experience.” Convincing their employees to take customers on a sensory journey – they open a huge canister of loose leaf tea and wave the top of the canister so you can smell the tea – touting all of the wonderful health benefits of tea complete with samples and manipulative demonstrations that end in an expensive visit to the tea shop. Is all the extra money worth it? Are customers getting a superior tea product? No.
“Teavana tea was tested by an independent lab and 100 percent of it was found to contain pesticides. One tea in particular, Monkey Picked Oolong, contained 23 pesticides. 77 percent of the teas would fail European Union pesticide import standards, and would be banned from import. 62 percent of the teas tested contained traces of endosulfan, a pesticide that has been banned by the U.S., China, the E.U., and 144 other countries because it has been linked to impaired fertility and could harm unborn babies.”
Hope that helps!
Good to know, thanks!! I’ve spent hundreds on their tea and actually..it isn’t all that great!
I stopped going to Starbuck’s when they started using HFCS over 10 years ago. Recently I was going for the Drip coffee, but was asked to leave, because the Muzzle of my Concealed 9mm Beretta could be seen poking out of the bottom of my jacket. I was courteous, and left, but not without the “Applause” from patrons cheering that a Terrorist (Sarcasm)had just left thier store. With the recent “Announcements” from our beloved GOV, about how ISIS “WILL” attack an American city, wouldn’t it make sense for a Father of 5, that has served this country, be able to carry for self and family defense? I will never step foot in another Starbuck’s again, and neither will my wife (Her choice, I am not her owner, so she chose to support me). I think the message we send to Starbuck’s is to stop putting harmful chemicals in ALL of thier products, and to stop ostercising our nations last line of defense, period. The Pumpkin Spice is just one of many products containing these ingredients. Let’s vote with our dollars, and flat out stop going there. Outside the produts, do you really think they are using purified water, as well? No, they are using Fluoridated tap water. You can not boil out Fluoride, or Chlorine, so not only are you getting poisoned, but Drugged without your consent.
Thanks for leaving-I’ll feel safer.
Starbucks uses filtered water in just about every location it’s available.
Source: I worked there and watched them install the water tap (for lack of a better term, since it’s done restaurant style).
The caramel color is what scares me most. No excuse to have it in there! This is worth fighting about, as is the difficulty getting ingredient info for vegans and folks with allergies. This is where the battle lines should be drawn, instead of adding on extraneous unrealistic complaints:
Unrealistic to complain about “no real pumpkin” – many pumpkin spice flavored items do not have actual pumpkin, it’s a generic term for that spice blend.
Unrealistic to expect that they would eliminate the sugar, any more than a bakery would eliminate if from their cupcakes. Everyone who buys this knows it’s sweet and is making a choice to consume sugar, but they don’t know about the caramel color, so that’s different.
Lets just get them to clean up their act on the chemicals and the ingredient transparency and not expect them to become an organic, real-food health emporium.
Nice work, and I agree that the full ingredients list of every component should be available online. But did you think to visit a store and ask to see the ingredients list on the bottle? It’s right there along with a nutrition facts panel. This info is available on all syrups, mocha powder, frappuccino components, all printed on the packaging. I’m sure a manager at your local store could have helped you out–you might have snagged a picture as well. Just FYI to save some work next time.
Have you found out the ingredients of beer ? I saw you with Alex Jones discussing the beer ingredients , please let us know your findings. Thank you for your hard work Food Babe !
My Starbucks serves Prarie farms milk. I personally called and asked Prarie farms if their milk was non gmo and the said yes it was. I def agree they need to serve organic and choose better ingredients. Starbucks has the best tasting coffee around and would hate for them to disregard the organic requests.
Thank you for all your hard work!
Thanks for all of your good work. Not many people know that when Starbucks first came out their logo was upside down to what it is now. You could clearly see a goat with its horns. ( illuminati symbolism ) If you know about the illuminati and their agenda one of their objectives is to reduce the world population by several billion people. ( scary thought) I don’t know if you know this as well, Vani but Starbucks purposely burns the coffee beans to get that more robust flavor but by doing so the beans become carcinogenic ! Thanks again, Frank
Hi Vani, great job, thank goodness for people like you. I’m based in the UK and was wondering if you know whether Starbucks use the same ingredients world wide? I guess they don’t and prefer to go local (maybe I’m wrong) so perhaps this is an exercise that needs to be carried out here too.
Thanks so much for this insightful article!
Thanks for checking this out! In the future though would you mind adding a few more sources for your info? I get that a lot of corporations might not want names out there, but it seems like a lot of what you tell us is word-of-mouth from them to you and then again from you to us.
“Tommy” as an uninformed crawl back under your rock until you have something productive to add to the discussion. The Food Babe is bold enough to take on these giants so consumers who WANT to know what they are “consuming” (duh) can get the facts without the hyperbole. Wonder what you have ever contributed that is positive, most likely nothing.
I have purchased 2 cups of coffee from Starbucks because I received gift cards. I find their prices ridiculous when you can make your own at home for a lot less money and you know what you are putting in your coffee. Thanks for investigating this issue. Confirms my decision not to waste money at Starbucks.
Interesting that several people are saying that “pumpkin spice” doesn’t mean pumpkin. First of all, it does. Those spices are not “pumpkin spices” so if it isn’t meant to imply pumpkin they could have called it “spiced” or “apple spiced”. Second, the ingredient that Starbucks calls “pumpkin sauce” should tell you something. It’s supposed to taste pumpkiny and remind you of autumn. The point is valid. The real point here is that almost all food companies have lowered our expectations so much that people no longer expect real food in their processed “foodlike” products. Thus, pointing out a lack of real food to the average consumer is not very productive.
Many ‘ingredients,’ are made up of many individual ingredients. ‘Natural ingredients’ is a term that often hides the inclusion of monosodium glutamate (MSG). Many ingredients can be made up of up to 60% MSG before having to become listed seperately on the label as ‘MSG’. If a Google search is done for search terms such as MSG, neuroexcitotoxicity… you can begin to see a whole other toxic horror story of our ‘food industry’. If you then probe down deeper and deeper into the search of some of the more scientifically credible search term results, you can build a knowledge base that is profoundly important for public health implications.
Dear Vani,
Thank you so much for all of your hard work & dedication! My husband & I feel so lucky to have found you. You are a beautiful Guardian Angel of truth & nutrition. We LOVE you!
“What good are you if you can’t stand up to some old business man?” Bob Dylan
I believe one solution to avoid chemicals and additives is to make as much as you can at home. If you don’t stop by Starbucks anymore, then you’ll have more money to buy organic.
Here is a healthy meal 100% good for you:
2 sliced tomatoes – one sliced zucchini – one onion – garlic – parsley – basil- oregano
Sautee your onion first, the add the rest. Cook for 7 minutes. Add a cooked egg on top and enjoy this healthy ” ratatouille”.
Thanks Vani for your awesome work!
Marielle
My only comment – it says “pumpkin spice”
Which to me means – cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg. You add it to pumpkin to make pie.
Otherwise – eeewww. Glad I don’t drink Starbucks!
Unbelievable…I am becoming one of your biggest fans Vani!! I am doing my own research now and starting my own blog too. I am just fed up with all the crap in food. It is because of you that I have made a choice just today to eat clean food and go 100 % organic and cut out process foods. I do not consider myself vegan or vegetarian, or anything like that…I am just a concerned consumer who wants to eat healthy and believe that I have the right to know what I am eating or drinking! Thanks for ALL you do Vani and keep up all the good work…I share your posts on facebook often and I also link back to your site too on my blog. You have taught me so much and I continue to learn from you everyday! Because of this…I am sure you have added many years to my (NOW) HEALTHY life…for that I am eternally grateful!
What? there is ” absolutely no pumpkin” in PSL? I am shocked.
By the way, there is ” absolutely no pumpkin” in the alternatives you presented.
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin puree
The graphic posted does not include any pumpkin. I think that is what Justin was referring to. I was going to make the same comment.
The drink is called Pumpkin SPICE latte, not Pumpkin with Pumpkin Spice latte.
THANK YOU! I just posted the same comment 🙂
I am so tired of people all over the internet in an uproar over the lack of pumpkin i this drink. Seriously? LMAO!