Instagram has no shortage of influencers, who are up and coming public figures and celebrities who have made a name for themselves online. @themacrobarista AKA Alex Moe, just so happens to be one of these "Insta famous" people, with 418,000 followers. His bio: "A barista finding macro friendly ways to order your beans" seems to say it all. It's safe to say that as a big Starbucks drinker myself, I was intrigued. Alex's Instagram is basically a healthy version of the Starbucks secret menu: the account is dedicated to reordering Starbucks drinks in a more health-conscious way, while still achieving that perfectly sweet caramel macchiato taste we all love.
I tried some of @themacrobarista 's more popular beverages to see if Alex Moe could really match my favorite Starbucks drinks for 100 calories and nine grams of sugar, instead of 300 calories and 25 grams of sugar. And here's the tea:
1. Caramel Macchiato
Alex orders his version of the famous drink with one pump of caramel syrup, four pumps of sugar free vanilla, light cream, and light caramel drizzle. The beverage comes out to 100 calories and nine grams of sugar. I was skeptical before my first sip, thinking nothing would compare to my all time favorite Starbucks drink, but I was wrong. The drink is amazing— almost better than its "real" companion, as it isn't too sweet and dense. I definitely rate this one a 10/10.
2. Iced Gingerbread Latte
Of course I had to try my favorite seasonal drink with Alex's healthy twist since I have a real gingerbread weakness. His version is ordered with one pump of gingerbread syrup, two pumps of sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup, and light cream. Not only does this drink totally taste just like a gingerbread latte, it also sort of tastes like a dirty chai tea latte (chai tea latte + espresso) so it's basically a win/win.
3. Green Tea Latte
It was only right to give one of his tea swaps a try, as those are often what I opt for when I'm not in the coffee mood. His green tea latte is ordered with almond milk, one scoop of matcha, and three pumps of sugar free vanilla. Out of the three I decided to test out, it is for sure the one that I was most impressed with, since I love matcha. This 90 calorie substitute is a great choice if you want to change up your drink but also maintain that Starbucks matcha flavor.
No Shame...
In my opinion, Starbucks drinks are amazing. We shouldn't be afraid of the occasional latte or whole milk-y goodness. With full fat, full calories, and full sugar in all their glory, Starbucks holiday drinks are one of my favorite treats. But all of the sugar and chemicals in the syrups they use aren't always the best choice to have on a day to day basis.
That being said, I really like what Alex is doing through his account @themacrobarista and believe his drinks are a tasty and fun way to have a sweet coffee drink without feeling as though you've had way too much sugar! And don't worry about freaking out the baristas with a high maintenance order. They're used to it.