Due to the public uproar on climate change, most businesses are now trying to be eco-conscious and play their part in preventing the worsening of our planet. This includes Starbucks, one of the biggest coffeehouses in the world. Let’s read ‘Is Starbucks coconut milk sweetened?’.
Is Starbucks coconut milk sweetened?
Coconut milk is one of the popular non-dairy options, even for non-vegans when ordering a Starbucks drink. Remember the hype on the Starbucks pink drink? Sadly, for those wondering if Starbucks’ coconut milk is sweetened, it is. Although, it contains less sugar than soy milk and even whole milk. Starbucks coconut milk is considered the second healthiest drink after almond milk.
Starbucks coconut milk controversy
Yes, controversies on coconut milk exist. To be more eco-friendly, Starbucks is constantly developing its vegan menu. One of which is to have non-dairy drinks by providing whole milk alternatives like soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, and coconut milk. But did you know, back in 2014, Starbucks was accused of using “fake coconut milk?”
Generally, real coconut milk consists of coconut and water (not to be confused with coconut water, though). People skeptical about the legitimacy of Starbucks’ coconut milk did some research on the ingredients and found that they use coconut milk that contains food additives and emulsifiers. In simple terms, Starbucks’ coconut milk is probably just 95% unnatural ingredients and 5% coconut product. Here are the ingredients of Starbucks’ coconut milk, according to Mashed, “water, coconut cream, coconut water concentrate, cane sugar, tricalcium phosphate, natural flavors, sea salt, carrageenan, gellan gum, corn dextrin, xanthan gum, guar gum, vitamin A palmitate, and vitamin D2.”
The ingredients might seem like not a big deal, but the coconut milk that Starbucks uses contains a few ingredients are has caused people to get concerned. For example, Carrageenan. Despite being approved by the FDA to be used as food additives, multiple health sources reported that Carrageenan might have bad side effects like inflammation, food allergy, and deadly diseases like heart disease and colon cancer. Adding to the fact that Starbucks’ coconut milk is sweetened, it may not be best to opt for coconut milk when ordering at Starbucks frequently. I guess it’s time to cut down on the infamous Starbucks Pink Drink orders.
Benefits and perks of coconut milk (real coconut milk, of course):
Due to its creaminess and sweetness, most people prefer coconut milk to its non-dairy siblings, oat milk, or almond milk. Adding to its tastiness, it’s also really good for you!
Despite its name, a little fun fact, “coconut” coconut is not a nut but a fruit. It’s a delicious fruit that is entirely useful for its water, oil (recognize the using coconut oil trend to grow your hair?), and “meat.” Coconut, though, doesn’t produce milk. Coconut is a mixture of coconut meat and water! There is still plenty of room for research on coconut milk, but here are some of the benefits of coconut milk:
1. Dairy-free lactose-free
What are we going to do without dairy-free milk? Thanks to coconut milk, not only can we enjoy delicacies but not hurt our stomachs for people who have milk allergies or are lactose-intolerant.
2. Increased good cholesterol
Coconut milk is said to be able to help with cholesterol. Quoting Webmd and Healthline, a study found that consuming coconut milk has helped decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. Good cholesterol is important for our overall health because it helps prevent you from catching viruses and destroying the bad cholesterol! They also produce hormones and make your metabolism work efficiently.
3. Boost your immune system
Coconut milk has saturated fats which shows in its high amount of calories. Though it can be a bad thing, saturated fats in coconut milk contain “Laurici acid,” which is known to help treat multiple diseases like yeast infections and even help improve skin conditions, combat acne, psoriasis, and many other benefits. Although, because of its saturated fats, it’s important to consume coconut milk moderately.
4. Decrease stomach ulcer
Coconut milk and coconut water are known to help treat stomach ulcers. In 2008, a team of researchers conducted a study on rats and found that coconut milk has similar effects to sucralfate, reducing the mean ulcer area by 56%. The study also concluded that coconut milk has a stronger effect than coconut water on helping prevent and decrease stomach ulcers.
5. Best workout prep
Coconut milk and coconut water are known in the fitness community for their beneficial effects when working out! Just like coconut water, coconut milk can help hydrate your body. Coconut milk also contains ingredients that help fuel your body for workouts and even post-workout recovery. For fitness lovers, try incorporating coconut milk and or water into your workout routine!
6. Promotes weight loss
Coconut milk contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) that are known to help with weight loss. MCT helps you feel full by reducing calorie intake and burning calories. As shared in the previous points, coconut milk increases metabolism, which, as you know, high metabolism helps people lose weight easily and maintain that weight. Coconut milk also helps with endurance and stamina when working out, enabling you to have a more effective workout and help you achieve a fit body!
Conclusion
Starbucks coconut milk is sweetened and contains high sugar and calories. Despite the red flags in Starbucks’ coconut milk ingredients, coconut milk tops one of the most popular alternatives to whole milk among Starbucks consumers. Although no Starbucks drink is actually “healthy,” to feel less guilty, you can choose almond milk when ordering a drink as it contains the least sugar among the other kinds of milk. Coconut milk has a lot of health benefits! Moderately consuming coconut milk can improve your overall health, and it tastes good!
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of coconut milk does Starbucks use?
Starbucks uses their coconut milk, “Starbucks Single Origin Sumatra Coconut Milk”.
- Is coconut milk from Starbucks healthy?
Not really. It has plenty of food additives and contains a lot of added sugar.
- What is a good alternative to coconut milk at Starbucks?
If you want healthier non-dairy milk, choose almond milk. It has only 7 grams of sugar.
