Free UK delivery on all orders · At-home saliva test · Secure checkout
Free UK delivery on all orders

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short): calories, sugar and caffeine by portion, age and sex

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short), caffe latte with latte art in a white cup, nutrition and calories

Boone’s analysis puts Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) at 8% of an adult’s daily calories, 1.8 teaspoons of added sugar and 75mg of caffeine.

How many calories are in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)? It contains 150 calories, 3g of fat (1.5g saturated), an estimated 7g of added sugar and 75mg of sodium, plus 75mg of caffeine.

Build a full order with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to see this drink alongside the rest of your order rather than on its own. Choose your age and sex, and switch between US and UK guidance, for a more accurate view of how a Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) fits into a day.

‍

Nutrition information

Nutrition information: Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)

Serving size8 fl oz
Calories150
Total fat3g
of which saturated1.5g
Trans fat0g
Carbohydrate17g
Total sugars16g
Includes added sugars (Boone estimate)7g
Fibre0g
Protein14g
Sodium75mg
Caffeine75mg

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 Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains 150 calories, which is 8% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 3g of total fat, of which 1.5g is saturated, 16g of total sugars (an estimated 7g added), 75mg of sodium, 14g of protein and 0g of fibre.

The saturated fat content of 1.5g represents 8% of the 20g Daily Value.

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) is assembled from 2 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The vanilla syrup alone carries 3 different classes of additive. Across the whole drink the ingredient list names emulsifiers, flavourings, preservatives and acidity regulators. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make components survive industrial production, storage and transport.

FDA Daily Values (2,000-calorie diet)

Calories2,000
Total fat78g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate275g
Added sugars50g
Fibre28g
Sodium2,300mg
Protein50g

Added sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)

An estimated 7g of the 16g counts as added sugar, or about 1.8 teaspoons. The other 9g is naturally occurring.

Added sugars come from

  • sugar in the vanilla syrup

Naturally occurring sugars come from

  • lactose in the milk
  • lactose in the protein powder

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030: no more than 10g of added sugar per meal from age 11 and none for children aged 10 and under. FDA Daily Value: 50g a day. Starbucks publishes total sugar only. Boone estimates the naturally occurring share from the milk in the recipe (about 1.3g of lactose per gram of milk protein, capped at the sugar in a plain latte of the same size) and counts sugars, syrups and juice concentrates as added.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing and additives: Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) is assembled from 2 separately manufactured components, combined and served at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains emulsifiers, flavourings, preservatives and acidity regulators. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.

Emulsifiers

Keep fat and water mixed so sauces, creams and foams stay smooth. Found in the protein powder.

Flavourings

Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the vanilla syrup.

Preservatives

Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds, or stop fats going stale, in centrally prepared components. Found in the vanilla syrup.

Acidity regulators

Control sourness and keep syrups and bases stable on the shelf. Found in the vanilla syrup.

Boone classifies Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) 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 Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains at least 8 distinct ingredients: 4 raw and 4 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 Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)

What you orderRawManufacturedTotal% manufactured
Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) on its own44850%

The 4 manufactured ingredients

citric acid, natural flavors, potassium sorbate, sunflower lecithin.

The 4 raw ingredients

brewed espresso, milk, sugar, water.

What those ingredients are, by type

Preservatives and acidity regulators2
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs1
Coffee, tea and cocoa1
Sugars and syrups1
Water1
Flavourings and extracts1
Emulsifiers and thickeners1

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 Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) is made from 4 components, 2 of them separately manufactured.

Ingredients by component: Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)

Milk

Milk.

Brewed espresso

Brewed Espresso.

Vanilla syrup

Sugar, Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid.

Protein powder

Whey Protein Isolate (Milk), Sunflower Lecithin.

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 Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains milk.

Allergen information: Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)

AllergenStatus
MilkContains
EggsNot declared
FishNot declared
Crustacean shellfishNot declared
Tree nutsNot declared
PeanutsNot declared
WheatNot declared
SoybeansNot declared
SesameNot declared

Contains 75mg 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.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)?+

Boone calculates that Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains 150 calories, which is 8% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value and 10% of the daily needs of a moderately active child aged 4 to 8.

How much added sugar is in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)?+

Boone estimates that Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains 7g of added sugar, about 1.8 teaspoons, which is 14% of the 50g FDA Daily Value. Starbucks publishes 16g of total sugar.

How much caffeine is in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)?+

Starbucks lists 75mg of caffeine for Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short). That is 19% of the 400mg a day the FDA cites as an amount not generally linked with negative effects in healthy adults. Pregnancy guidance is 200mg a day, and the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against caffeine for children.

How does Vanilla Protein Latte compare across sizes?+

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte by size: Short: 150 calories, an estimated 7g of added sugar, 75mg of caffeine; Tall: 240 calories, an estimated 11g of added sugar, 75mg of caffeine; Grande: 310 calories, an estimated 16g of added sugar, 150mg of caffeine; Venti: 360 calories, an estimated 20g of added sugar, 150mg of caffeine. Figures are for the standard recipe.

Is Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) within US sugar guidance for children?+

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 recommend no added sugar for children aged 10 and under and no more than 10g per meal from age 11. With an estimated 7g of added sugar, Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) is within the per-meal limit from age 11 but above the guidance for younger children.

How much saturated fat is in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)?+

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains 1.5g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 8% of the 20g Daily Value and 9% of the 17g limit for a child aged 4 to 8.

Is Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) as NOVA group 4. Reading the published ingredient list, it contains emulsifiers, flavourings, preservatives and acidity regulators. NOVA group 4 describes how far a food is from its whole-food form, not how nutritious it is.

Is Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) suitable for children?+

Boone’s analysis flags that its estimated 7g of added sugar is above the Dietary Guidelines advice of no added sugar for children aged 10 and under; it contains 75mg of caffeine, which the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against for children. That does not make it off limits, but it does mean a Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) uses up a large share of a young child’s day in one drink.

How much protein is in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)?+

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains 14g of protein, which Boone calculates as 28% of the 50g Daily Value.

How much sodium is in a Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short)?+

Starbucks US Vanilla Protein Latte (Short) contains 75mg of sodium. Boone calculates that as 5% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 3% of the 2,300mg adult limit.