Starbucks’ New Juniper Latte Is Actually Not That Bad For You

Starbucks just launched a new seasonal beverage that basically screams “the holidays are HERE!”: the Juniper Latte.

This latte features flavors of juniper and sage, an evergreen aroma (yum), and notes of citrus, according to a Starbucks press release. It’s actually pretty simple. The drink is made with your standard Starbucks espresso and steamed milk, then it’s infused with juniper syrup and topped off with a dusting of pine-citrus sugar.

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The notes of evergreen and roasty espresso in the new #JuniperLatte pair well with a crackling fireplace and your favorite fleece. 📍Available in the US and Canada.

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Here’s the nutritional info for a grande with 2% milk:

It’s not the worst, nutrition-wise. Yes, it has a lot of sugar, so you probably don’t want to sip one of these daily. (Reminder: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends no more than 52 grams of sugar per day; while the American Heart Association says it should really be more like 25.) But you can always ask for fewer pumps of that sugar-y syrup if you’re really looking to cut back on the sweet stuff.

Luckily, the drink also contains a decent amount of protein (a little more than 20 percent of your recommended daily intake, if you’re a 140-pound woman).

This is on par with most of Starbucks’ other lattes—a plain latte with just espresso and 2% milk has 190 calories, 18 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein. Plus, it’ll definitely give you less of a sugar crash-and-burn than the peppermint white chocolate mocha, which delivers a whopping 60 grams of sugar.

You can also cut down some of the sugar by opting for non-dairy almond milk instead. But keep in mind, that’ll decrease the protein, too:

People are digging it online so far, with several pointing out that while it sounds kind of weird, it tastes great:

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This is new and I approved. Not too sweet either. ⁣Of course there’s a cameo from a nosey creature in the pic. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #juniperlatte #starbucks

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Holy Cannoli, this new Juniper Latte is DELICIOUS #starbucks #juniperlatte #soundsweirdtastesgreat

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So I had a free drink offer today from @starbucks and figured no better time than this to try out their new latte! It’s a smooth brew with a subtle earthy flavor that’s not overpowering and a slight citrus after kick definitely would drink again! #starbucks #juniperlatte #sage #falldrinks #winterdrinks

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The Juniper Latte is available at participating Starbucks locations starting today for a limited time, while supplies last.

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