Starbucks Chai Tea Latte While Pregnant: Is it Safe to Drink?

When you finally get pregnant, the well-being of your baby is suddenly on your mind 24/7.

And you quickly realize… you might be doing things in your everyday life that you shouldn’t be doing anymore!

As a latte lover, you may be wondering: can I drink a Starbucks chai tea latte while pregnant?

Is it okay for pregnant women to drink anything from Starbucks?

We talked to a medical doctor, registered dietitian and nutritionist, and a toxicologist to find out for sure!

How much caffeine is in a Starbucks chai tea latte?

It’s fairly common knowledge that caffeine should be limited during pregnancy.

So first thing’s first: is Starbucks’ chai tea high in caffeine?

According to the nutrition info provided by Starbucks, the caffeine content is anywhere from 50 milligrams to 120 milligrams per latte (depending on size).

This is on par with the caffeine content of a cup of black tea of the same size.

Prefer cold drinks? Us too. Unfortunately, the iced chai tea latte has even more caffeine per serving, with an estimated 145 milligrams per Venti.

Can you drink a Starbucks chai tea while pregnant?

The flavors of the Starbucks chai tea latte are rooted in Indian chai, known for its healing properties.

Infused with several different spices, sweetened, and flavored with vanilla, it’s one of the most popular drinks offered at Starbucks.

We approached several medical professionals with this information (along with the caffeine content) and asked them about the safety of a Starbucks chai tea latte while pregnant.

How much caffeine can you drink while pregnant?

Melissa Wasserman Baker, a registered dietitian and nutritionist and the founder of Food Queries gave us the official answer.

“The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to 200mg per day.”

Is it safe to drink the daily caffeine limit all in one drink?

Our expert MD, Dr. Z. Afzal of Welzo, doesn’t think you should max out your caffeine first thing in the morning.

“It is generally recommended that pregnant people spread their caffeine consumption out throughout the day, rather than consuming it all at once. This can help to avoid the potential side effects of caffeine, such as anxiety and insomnia,” he says.

Melissa agrees, adding that the side effects aren’t just about you.

“It’s best to spread out your caffeine intake […] to minimize the risk of any potential negative effects that caffeine may have on you or your baby.”

Does this mean the Starbucks chai tea latte is safe for pregnant people?

Kelly Johnson-Arbor, a Medical Toxicologist for Poison Control, is very reassuring with her answer. “It is likely safe for most people to occasionally consume a Starbucks chai tea latte during pregnancy […] as long as the drink is not customized to contain additional coffee and as long as no other sources of caffeine (chocolate, tea, soda, etc.) are consumed.”

The key here is monitoring your total caffeine content, including in sources you wouldn’t normally think of, like candy bars.

Melissa feels the same but urges you to get personalized advice from your doctor. “[I]f consumed in moderation, a Starbucks chai tea latte can be a safe beverage option during pregnancy.

“However, it’s always best to consult with your healthcare provider about your individual needs and any concerns you may have,” she says.

Why is caffeine dangerous during pregnancy?

People drink caffeine every day. So what about pregnancy suddenly makes it a big deal?

“Healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day without an increased risk of adverse effects,” says Kelly, our toxicologist. “However, because of individual differences in metabolism, some people may be more susceptible to the effects of caffeine than others.”

That’s not all, though. She adds: “[C]affeine can cross the placenta and have effects on the fetus. Neither the fetus nor the placenta can effectively metabolize (break down) caffeine, so fetal caffeine exposure can be prolonged regardless of the pregnancy trimester.

“Pregnancy also slows the rate at which pregnant people metabolize caffeine: the body breaks down caffeine more slowly in [the third trimester], leading to a potentially increased fetal caffeine exposure as the pregnancy progresses.”

Kelly cites further concerns related to fetal growth restriction. “Caffeine consumption during pregnancy is associated with stillbirth and decreased fetal weight, and some research studies have also found an association between caffeine consumption and miscarriage.”

Dr. Afzal confirms the danger of caffeine throughout the whole nine months. “There is some evidence to suggest that the safe amount of caffeine may vary throughout pregnancy.

Some studies have suggested that caffeine may be more harmful during the first trimester when the baby’s organs are developing. However, more research is needed to confirm this,” he clarifies.

Our RDN, Melissa, agrees. “[S]ome studies suggest that caffeine may have a more significant impact on a developing fetus during the first trimester, as this is a critical time for the baby’s growth and development.

“Therefore, it’s especially important to monitor caffeine intake during this time,” she says.

Are there any dangerous ingredients in a Starbucks chai tea latte?

Our toxicologist checked out the drink and gave us her thoughts. “According to the Starbucks website, this drink contains black tea, cinnamon, clove, steamed milk, and foam.

“While cinnamon may cause lung irritation and coughing if inhaled, this is unlikely to occur during consumption of a beverage.

“The remainder of the ingredients are likely safe to consume during pregnancy,” says Kelly.

“[S]ome individuals may be sensitive or allergic to specific spices used in chai tea,” Melissa adds. So you should take your personal allergy history into consideration if you’ve never ordered a chai tea latte from Starbucks before.

There’s another ingredient besides spices that, while obvious, may not immediately jump out as a risk to your pregnancy.

“Pregnant people should be mindful of the sugar content in the Starbucks chai tea latte, as consuming too much sugar can lead to gestational diabetes and other health issues,” cautions Dr. Afzal

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Are homemade chai tea lattes healthier than Starbucks’?

Can you have a chai tea latte that you’ve made yourself while pregnant?

Absolutely – and if you do it properly, it can be a much healthier option for you.

Of course, it won’t taste exactly the same as the magic formula they seem to use at Starbucks. But being able to customize it yourself is the best way to ensure it’s as safe as possible for your baby.

The base of a chai tea latte is actually extremely simple (as you’ll see in the next section).

Then you can decide what you flavor it with! You can use the same spices and flavors as Starbucks, which include:

• Cardamom
• Black pepper
• Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Star anise
• Vanilla

You can also choose which type of sweetener to use, and how much. Starbucks uses sugar and honey in their latte – which makes it rather sweet (and addictive).

While pregnant, you may want to opt for a natural, zero-calorie sweetener like stevia.

My all-time favorite way to use stevia is in liquid form from Pyure. It takes the tiniest squeeze to really sweeten my hot beverages! You can also get it vanilla-flavored, perfect for your lattes.

How to Make a Chai Tea Latte

The most basic form of a chai tea latte is super easy. It’ll be your chosen spices and added flavors that jazz it up to warm sweet perfection.

All you need is:

• 1 or 2 cups of milk
• 1 chai tea bag
• Pyure, honey, or your preferred sweetener

The process is just like making regular tea, but with milk.

Heat the milk to a simmer in a saucepan, watching carefully and stirring so you don’t scorch it.

As soon as it’s bubbly and starting to foam, remove it from the heat and steep the tea bag.

After three to five minutes (longer means stronger and more caffeine), remove the bag. Use a spoon to wring out the milk still in the bag, if you like an even stronger flavor.

Add your preferred spices and sweeteners, and serve immediately!

Safe Starbucks Tea While Pregnant

While there are studies linking certain ingredients to higher rates of miscarriage or low birth weight, more research is needed to understand why.

Until we know more, it’s best for all pregnant women to avoid those risky ingredients altogether.

So what tea can you drink at Starbucks while pregnant?

We know the chai tea latte is safe, as long as you don’t do anything to add more caffeine and don’t have more than one Venti or two tall drinks per day.

Here are other safe teas to look for on the menu!

Decaf Tea

There are a handful of Starbucks drinks made with tea that show zero caffeine in the nutritional value.

Safe Hot Teas

Hot decaf tea drinks include:

• Mint Majesty
• Peach Tranquility

These two also have no added sugar.

Starbucks also has several low-caf hot tea drinks. Some of them have a ton of added sugar, but these varieties don’t:

• Emperor’s Clouds & Mist
• Jade Citrus Mint Tea
• Earl Grey Tea
• Royal English Breakfast Tea (not the latte version)

These flavors have anywhere from 16mg to 40mg of caffeine in a Venti, making them great sugar-free and low-caffeine tea options at Starbucks.

Safe Cold Teas

There are also a few low-caf, sugar-free options with 40mg of caffeine or less per Venti:

• Bottled Teavana Sparkling Unsweetened Peach Nectarine Green Tea
• Iced Black Tea
• Iced Green Tea

Fruit Tea

There are several cold, fruity teas at Starbucks that you can safely enjoy during your pregnancy.

The list includes:

• Iced Passion Tango Tea
• Iced Passion Mango Tea Lemonade
• Iced Black Tea Lemonade
• Iced Green Tea Lemonade
• Iced Peach Green Tea

These are all low-caf and have less than 20 grams of sugar per Venti, making them excellent options.

The Passion Tango Tea (non-lemonade version) is the only one that is both caffeine-free and sugar-free.

Green Tea Lattes

Both the hot and cold versions of the green Matcha Tea Latte are on the high end of both caffeine and sugar.

That said, they actually have a little less caffeine and sugar than the Chai Tea Latte.

So consider switching from Chai to Matcha to continue enjoying great flavor while saving yourself on a bit of sugar and caffeine.

You’ll still want to limit yourself to a maximum of one daily.

But out of all the safe Starbucks drinks listed, during your pregnancy, I recommend choosing from the ones listed under “Safe Hot Teas” and “Safe Cold Teas” for the healthiest options.

Starbucks Drinks to AVOID During Pregnancy

You obviously want to protect your unborn baby by avoiding teas that cause miscarriage.

The good news is that there aren’t any Starbucks teas that contain dangerous herbal ingredients, so they can all be safely consumed during pregnancy.

But as discussed, you’ll want to avoid adding extra caffeine or excessive sugar to your purchases.

And make sure you’re not drinking alcohol, either. Starbucks doesn’t add any to their drinks, but some people like to add their own after ordering.

Don’t do that during pregnancy!

Custom Ways to Order at Starbucks While Pregnant

There are ways to order your chai tea latte (and most other beverages) at Starbucks to reduce the number of calories, sugar, and sometimes even caffeine that they contain.

In the chai tea latte, for example, it defaults to 2% milk. You could swap this for nonfat milk, soy milk, or almond milk to reduce the fat content.

You can also have the milk foam removed to save a few calories (but where’s the fun in that?).

If you like to have some additional flavor, Starbucks offers a sugar-free vanilla syrup. Sometimes they have other seasonal sugar-free flavors, too!

Skip the extra toppings and espresso. If you must have additional sweetener, opt for Stevia in the Raw. It’s zero-calorie and all-natural, making it the best choice by far.

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It’s nice to know that you can still drink your Starbucks chai tea latte while pregnant, right?

Just don’t go crazy with it, and limit yourself to one a day at the most.

Or, if possible, split it up into two small drinks throughout the day.

To help ensure the health of your baby, make sure you’re taking the best prenatal vitamins for your personal needs!

While you’re here, check out our review of the best stretch mark cream for pregnancy and shop for the best sustainable maternity clothes brands.