Nutrition information
Nutrition information: Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall)
| Serving size | 12 fl oz |
| Calories | 280 |
| Total fat | 12g |
| of which saturated | 7g |
| Trans fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrate | 39g |
| Total sugars | 37g |
| Includes added sugars (Boone estimate) | 29g |
| Fibre | 0g |
| Protein | 6g |
| Sodium | 135mg |
| Caffeine | 45mg |
Nutrition figures are Starbucks US published data for the standard recipe in this size, including the default milk and toppings. Starbucks publishes total sugar only, so added sugar is a Boone estimate. Boone converts the figures to the portion and age comparisons on this page.
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) contains 280 calories, which is 14% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 12g of total fat, of which 7g is saturated, 37g of total sugars (an estimated 29g added), 135mg of sodium, 6g of protein and 0g of fibre.
The saturated fat content of 7g represents 35% of the 20g Daily Value.
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) is assembled from 4 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The brown sugar cold foam alone carries 6 different classes of additive. Across the whole drink the ingredient list names corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, preservatives and acidity regulators. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make components survive industrial production, storage and transport.
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) is over the US per-meal added sugar limit
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) contains an estimated 29g of added sugar, 2.9 times the 10g per-meal limit in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The same guidelines recommend no added sugar at all for children aged 10 and under.
FDA Daily Values (2,000-calorie diet)
Calories2,000
Total fat78g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate275g
Added sugars50g
Fibre28g
Sodium2,300mg
Protein50g
Ultra-processed food: what is really in it
Processing and additives: Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall)
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) is assembled from 4 separately manufactured components, combined and served at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, preservatives and acidity regulators. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.
Corn syrups and invert sugar
Sweeten and control texture more cheaply than sugar alone. Found in the brown sugar cold foam.
Emulsifiers
Keep fat and water mixed so sauces, creams and foams stay smooth. Found in the brown sugar cold foam.
Thickeners and gums
Thicken and stabilise texture so sauces and foams hold up in storage. Found in the brown sugar cold foam.
Flavourings
Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the chai tea concentrate, brown sugar cold foam, banana syrup and cinnamon dolce topping.
Preservatives
Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds, or stop fats going stale, in centrally prepared components. Found in the brown sugar cold foam and banana syrup.
Acidity regulators
Control sourness and keep syrups and bases stable on the shelf. Found in the chai tea concentrate, brown sugar cold foam and banana syrup.
Boone classifies Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) as NOVA group 4, ultra-processed, based on the additives named above. NOVA groups foods by how far they are from their whole-food form, not by how nutritious they are. A group 4 food is not automatically unhealthy, and a group 1 food is not automatically healthy. Read from the published ingredient list, October 2026.
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) contains at least 21 distinct ingredients: 15 raw and 6 manufactured. Raw means something you could buy and cook with at home; manufactured means a substance that only exists as an output of industrial processing.
Ingredient count: Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall)
| What you order | Raw | Manufactured | Total | % manufactured |
|---|
| Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) on its own | 15 | 6 | 21 | 29% |
The 6 manufactured ingredients
carrageenan, citric acid, invert sugar, mono and diglycerides, natural flavors, potassium sorbate.
The 15 raw ingredients
black pepper, black tea, brown sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cream, ginger, ginger juice, honey, milk, salt, star anise, sugar, water.
What those ingredients are, by type
Herbs and spices7
Sugars and syrups4
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs2
Preservatives and acidity regulators2
Emulsifiers and thickeners2
Water1
Coffee, tea and cocoa1
Flavourings and extracts1
Salt and minerals1
Boone counts every distinct named ingredient on Starbucks’ published component lists, including sub-ingredients, and removes duplicates, so sugar appearing in three syrups counts once. Ice and water added at the counter are not counted. Raw covers whole foods and basic kitchen staples such as milk, sugar, salt and oil. Manufactured covers substances that only exist as an output of industrial processing. Every figure here is a minimum.
Ingredients
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) is made from 6 components, 4 of them separately manufactured.
Ingredients by component: Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall)
Chai tea concentrate
An Infusion Of (Water, Black Tea, Black Pepper, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Natural Flavor, Star Anise), Honey, Ginger Juice, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid.
Brown sugar cold foam
Vanilla Sweet Cream (Cream (Cream, Mono and Diglycerides, Carrageenan), Milk, Vanilla Syrup (Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid)), Brown Sugar Syrup (Invert Sugar, Brown Sugar, Water, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Sorbate).
Banana syrup
Sugar, Water, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.
Cinnamon dolce topping
Sugar, Cinnamon, Salt, Extractives of Butter (Milk), And Other Natural Flavor.
Ingredients taken from the Starbucks US menu at starbucks.com, retrieved October 2026, for the standard recipe. Recipes change and customisations alter them, so always check in store before ordering if you have an allergy.
Allergens at a glance
Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall) contains milk.
Allergen information: Starbucks US Iced Banana Bread Chai (Tall)
| Allergen | Status |
|---|
| Milk | Contains |
| Eggs | Not declared |
| Fish | Not declared |
| Crustacean shellfish | Not declared |
| Tree nuts | Not declared |
| Peanuts | Not declared |
| Wheat | Not declared |
| Soybeans | Not declared |
| Sesame | Not declared |
Contains 45mg of caffeine. Contains = named in the Starbucks US ingredient list for the standard recipe; Starbucks does not publish a separate allergen statement for most drinks. Starbucks prepares drinks with shared equipment, so no drink can be guaranteed allergen free, and changing the milk or adding toppings changes the allergens. UK rules also require barley, oats, mustard, celery and sulphites to be declared; these are shown where the ingredient list names them. Retrieved October 2026.
