What is it?
Are you ready to get your caffeine and protein all in one?
The new Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew and Cacao Protein Blended Cold Brew from Starbucks kill two birds with one stone. The Almond version has almondmilk, cold brew coffee, a plant-based protein, almond butter and a banana date fruit blend. The Cacao is very similar – although with coconutmilk instead of almondmilk and cacao instead of almond butter.
How is it?
Let’s get to the point: I really enjoyed these. Going into it, I thought I would like the Almond more than the Cacao, but the Cacao beat it by one point in my ratings! Both drinks have a smoothie-like consistency – I’m surprised that “smoothie” isn’t in the official name.
Here’s the low-down: Almond was not overly sweet, and the cold brew coffee flavor came in the aftertaste. I could definitely taste the banana date blend, which I enjoyed. It took me a while to finish this one, as it was more of a sipping beverage.
Cacao was more chocolate and less coffee, and a little bit smoother of a consistency. Almost tasted like a healthy dessert! (#notcomplaining) The cacao powder masked the banana date blend.
Is there anything else I need to know?
I tried each of these on separate mornings and replaced my typical oatmeal and coffee with this all-in-one drink. I thought it would be weird to essentially drink my breakfast, but I loved how I was getting both my breakfast and coffee together – so productive. And, even with running a couple of miles one of the days, the drinks still held me over until lunchtime. Yay protein! They also kept me properly caffeinated, thanks to the cold brew.
Conclusion:
Great move, Starbucks. In the future, I see this for me as either a breakfast on the go or an afternoon pick-up/snack to get me through the rest of the day. I wonder if Starbucks can come up with any more flavor options?
Purchased Price: $5.95 each
Size: Grande
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Almond)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cacao)
Nutrition Facts: (16 oz) Almond – 270 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugars, and 12 grams of protein. Cacao – 250 calories, 9 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugars, and 10 grams of protein.
10 or 12g of protein for 250 calories is still pretty bad… ‘protein drink’… lol
These–especially the cacao version–sound great, and they would be good as an afternoon snack break, but I was thinking that the protein amount, for a protein-oriented drink, would be higher as well. Instead, you can have your regular coffee and a 5.3 oz. Greek yogurt on the side, offering the same or slightly more protein for up to half or fewer the calories, and calcium besides. Also, $5.95–ouch (a Greek yogurt from your supermarket, $1 or $1.50, or less).
Exactly my thoughts, exactly my calculations, and exactly my price eye-roll. Not a value, not enough protein, and $5.95 — wow. That’s a no for me, too.
My husband and I tried the cocoa version today, and it was absolutely disgusting. It had a weird chalky taste, and we drink protein shakes at home that don’t taste like this. Please don’t waste your $5.95 on this drink. We complained and got a credit for another drink.
Loved the Cacao Protein Drink. I have so many allergies, but I eat 100% cacao bars for snacks, so this was a perfect fit for me. The price needs to come down by at least $1 for it to become a regular affordable on the way to work thing.
Help us out here StarB!