Starbucks Wants You to Be Healthier

The coffee king has agreed to further alter its menu to conform to the Trump administration’s health goals. Make America Caffeinated Again?

Credit: Erik McLean

The next time you go to Starbucks, you might find a big cup of MAHA on the menu.

In case you've been under a rock for the past decade, coffee, once considered harmful, is now one of the healthiest drinks around. The drink that was once going to kill us is now promoted as a way to stay healthy.

I'm reminded of that scene in the movie Sleeper where Woody Allen, having awakened in the year 2173, discovers that everything science once thought was bad is actually good. If only. I could go for a nice chocolate fudge brownie right now.

But while straight coffee gets a passing grade for health (at least at the moment), a large percent—almost certainly a majority—of the people who indulge in their daily fix at Starbucks and other big chains opt for slurpy drinks filled with sugars, dyes, and other unholy additives. And therein lies the problem. A cuppa joe hold the sugar may be healthy. A 30 oz serving of espresso, half-and-half, vanilla or caramel syrup, whipped cream and drizzles of flavored syrups is not. The medium-sized Starbucks caramel Frappuccino, for example, contains a whopping 54 grams of sugar and 380 calories.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not happy about that. So he has asked Starbucks to change some of the ingredients it puts in its daily pick-me-ups. And the the coffee giant is listening.

Earlier this year Starbucks said it was cutting 30 percent of its menu to simplify operations. Since then it has also been testing healthier drink options such as a sugar-free vanilla latte topped with protein banana cold foam. Starbucks said in a statement, "We keep it real—no high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, flavors, or artificial trans-fats." This pivot to healthier drinks comes under the leadership of new CEO Brian Niccol. Since September 2024, Starbucks has seen a 24.5 percent increase in stock value.

As for Kennedy, he has already praised Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol for already aligning the chain with parts of his MAHA agenda.

"I was pleased to learn that Starbucks' food and beverages already avoid artificial dyes, artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and other additives," Kennedy said.

This is in line with the Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative. The administration says it is "leading the charge to transform America’s approach to public health" to "ensure that all Americans—today and in the future—live longer, healthier lives, supported by systems that prioritize prevention, well being, and resilience." 

And apparently it all starts with that first cup in the morning.

Credit: Nathan Dumlao