{"id":15273484,"date":"2026-08-27T04:28:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T08:28:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/pumpkin-spice-is-back-healthy-swaps-for-the-starbucks-2026-fall-menu\/"},"modified":"2026-08-27T04:33:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T08:33:28","slug":"pumpkin-spice-is-back-healthy-swaps-for-the-starbucks-2026-fall-menu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/pumpkin-spice-is-back-healthy-swaps-for-the-starbucks-2026-fall-menu\/","title":{"rendered":"Pumpkin Spice Is Back. Healthy Swaps for the Starbucks 2026 Fall Menu"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1296\" height=\"728\" src=\"https:\/\/media.post.rvohealth.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Barista sprinkling pumpkin pie spices on top of a pumpkin spice latte in an orange mug\" class=\"wp-image-4900207\" \/><figcaption>Starbucks has launched its 2026 fall menu. There are healthy swaps you can make to still enjoy your favorite drink. Image Credit: Starbucks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Starbucks Fall 2026 menu includes the return of seasonal favorites like the pumpkin spice latte and the pecan cortado, as well as new banana bread flavored drinks and the iced chaider.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Many of these seasonal drinks are high in sugar, fat, and calories.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Nutritionists advise simple changes you can make to your order to make it healthier.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/menu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fall 2026<\/a> menu has arrived at Starbucks, bringing with it familiar favorites like the pumpkin spice latte, the pecan cortado, and the pecan crunch latte.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This seasonal menu also offers new flavors, like banana bread and the iced chaider, which is a twist on chai with cider-inspired flavors and sweet spices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Many of these drinks contain high levels of sugar, fat, and calories. However, if you are trying to make healthier choices, there are ways to still enjoy your favorite fall flavors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>How to make your favorite fall coffee drinks healthier<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kristinkirkpatrick.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kristin Kirkpatrick<\/a>, President of KAK, Consulting, LLC, and a dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Wellness &amp; Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, told Healthline that making a few simple changes to your drink order can make your seasonal favorites a bit healthier.<\/p>\n<p>The first is asking for half the amount of <a href=\"\/nutrition\/how-much-sugar-per-day\">sugar<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThough this does not eliminate the sugar completely and the drink may still end up as a high sugar drink, it at least reduces the total and provides your taste buds with a more dulled experience, which may help with reducing overall sugar over time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Kirkpatrick also recommended working with your barista to get the flavors you enjoy while reducing the drink\u2019s sugar content. She said you could keep the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/milk\">milk<\/a> or cream content the same, but try adding cinnamon and honey instead of syrups for flavor.<\/p>\n<p>While choosing lower-fat milk or skipping the whipped cream can reduce fat, Kirkpatrick said she generally recommends focusing more on reducing sugar.<\/p>\n<p>Kirkpatrick also pointed out that coffee has many bioactive compounds that have been shown to improve <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC12348139\/\">health and mortality<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo keep it as healthy as possible, keep it as real as possible. The less you put in, the more benefit you derive, and the more you put in, the less benefit,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h2>How Starbucks\u2019 8 fall menu drinks compare nutritionally<\/h2>\n<p>Knowing the nutritional content of your favorite fall drinks can help you make choices that align with your health goals. The values below are for grande (16 fl oz) drinks unless otherwise noted.<\/p>\n<h3>Pumpkin Spice Latte<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/recipes\/pumpkin-spice-latte-recipe\">pumpkin spice latte<\/a> includes Starbucks\u2019 signature espresso roast, steamed milk, and pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove flavoring. It is typically topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices.<\/p>\n<p>The classic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/are-pumpkin-spice-lattes-bad-for-you\">PSL<\/a> has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>390 calories<\/li>\n<li>50 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>14 grams of fat<\/li>\n<li>14 grams of protein&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>New Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso<\/h3>\n<p>The iced pumpkin cream shaken espresso includes blonde espresso shaken with brown sugar and cinnamon. It\u2019s served over ice with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/oat-milk\">oatmilk<\/a> and topped with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/pumpkin-nutrition-review\">pumpkin<\/a> cold foam.<\/p>\n<p>The iced pumpkin cream shaken espresso has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>310 calories<\/li>\n<li>37 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>14 grams of fat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>New Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha<\/h3>\n<p>The iced pumpkin cream <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/nutrition\/matcha-green-tea\">matcha<\/a> features iced matcha topped with pumpkin-flavored cold foam.<\/p>\n<p>The iced pumpkin cream matcha has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>350 calories<\/li>\n<li>39 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>17 grams of fat<\/li>\n<li>10 grams of protein<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>New Iced Banana Bread Chai<\/h3>\n<p>Making its fall menu debut, the iced banana bread chai is an iced spiced <a href=\"\/nutrition\/chai-tea\">chai<\/a> latte with <a href=\"\/nutrition\/is-banana-bread-healthy\">banana bread<\/a>-flavored syrup, topped with <a href=\"\/nutrition\/brown-sugar-vs-white-sugar\">brown sugar<\/a> cold foam and cinnamon dolce topping.<\/p>\n<p>This banana-flavored drink has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>350 calories<\/li>\n<li>48 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>14 grams of fat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>New Iced Banana Bread Latte<\/h3>\n<p>Another new fall 2026 addition, the iced banana bread latte features banana-flavored syrup and is topped with brown sugar cold foam and cinnamon dolce topping.<\/p>\n<p>The iced banana bread latte has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>420 calories<\/li>\n<li>52 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>19 grams of fat<\/li>\n<li>10 grams of protein&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Pecan Cortado<\/h3>\n<p>The returning pecan cortado features three ristretto shots of blonde espresso with steamed milk and pecan flavoring, topped with a pecan crunch.<\/p>\n<p>The pecan cortado has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>130 calories<\/li>\n<li>17 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>4 grams of fat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Pecan Crunch Latte<\/h3>\n<p>The returning pecan crunch latte combines blonde espresso and steamed milk with pecan flavors, then tops it with crunchy pecan-flavored sugar.<\/p>\n<p>The pecan crunch latte has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>260 calories<\/li>\n<li>37 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>6 grams of fat<\/li>\n<li>11 grams of protein<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>New Iced Chaider&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<p>The new iced chaider features a chai blend shaken with strawberry-acai flavors and served over ice.<\/p>\n<p>The iced chaider has:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>90 calories<\/li>\n<li>20 grams of sugar<\/li>\n<li>0 grams of fat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"inmi-source\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/starbucks-fall-drinks-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">News \u2013 World \u2013 Canada \u2013 rss.app #1 \u2192 manual entry<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starbucks has launched its 2026 fall menu. There are healthy swaps you can make to still enjoy your favorite drink. Image Credit: Starbucks<\/p>\n<p>The Starbucks Fall 2026 menu includes the return of seasonal favorites like the pumpkin spice latte and the\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15273486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15273484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1.avif",1296,728,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-620x348.avif",620,348,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-768x431.avif",768,431,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-940x528.avif",940,528,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1.avif",1296,728,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1.avif",1296,728,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-998x665.avif",998,665,true],"ignition_item":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-670x446.avif",670,446,true],"ignition_item_lg":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1.avif",1296,728,false],"ignition_article_media":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-510x510.avif",510,510,true],"ignition_minicart_item":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-160x160.avif",160,160,true],"profile_24":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-24x24.avif",24,24,true],"profile_48":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-48x48.avif",48,48,true],"profile_96":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-96x96.avif",96,96,true],"profile_150":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-150x150.avif",150,150,true],"profile_300":["https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/15273484-getty_upload_header_1296x728-1-1-300x300.avif",300,300,true]},"author_info":{"display_name":"news.iNthacity","author_link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/author\/atombo\/"},"category_info":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/articles\/news\/canada\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Canada<\/a>","tag_info":"Canada","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15273484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15273484"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15273484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15273485,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15273484\/revisions\/15273485"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15273486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15273484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15273484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15273484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}