Starbucks New Merry Mint White Mocha Is Missing Nutritional Info. What’s Actually In It?


Starbucks has another holiday treat for customers: the limited edition Merry Mint White Mocha.

In addition to the lineup of festive beverages announced in November, customers can purchase the Merry Mint White Mocha now through Dec. 22, but only on the app. And it’s not an official drink — it’s a variation of the Iced White Chocolate Mocha with two substitutions. 

Instead of whipped cream, the white chocolate mocha-based drink gets topped with peppermint chocolate cream cold foam instead of whipped cream, and they also add a chocolate curls topping. 

What exactly is the nutritional information, then?

Presumably, it isn’t too far off from the original Iced White Chocolate Mocha, which clocks in at more than 400 calories for a grande. But the company is keeping mum on the exact nutritional value of the new drink, as it is not available online, on the app, or through a customer care representative. 

At one Starbucks, a barista directed a Messenger reporter to the official app for nutrition and calorie information. But that information only pertains to the original Iced White Chocolate Mocha drink and does not update the calorie count or other nutrition information to account for the substitutions. 

A customer care representative offered a similar answer and a Starbucks press representative did not respond to an inquiry from The Messenger. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only requires restaurant chains to disclose calories and provide, upon request, nutritional information including fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and protein for standard menu items — not limited-time products, which is how Starbucks categorized this drink. 

Although the nutritional info for the new drink-on-the-block remains a mystery, check out the nutritional information for an Iced White Chocolate Mocha, which is close to the Merry Mint White Mocha — save for the peppermint chocolate cream cold foam and chocolate shavings.

The peppermint chocolate cream cold foam contains “peppermint-flavored syrup and chocolate malt powder blended with Starbucks signature vanilla sweet cream,” per the Starbucks website. Nutritional information for the cold foam by itself was also not available. 

Those changes might slightly raise the sugar, fat and calorie counts, but not by much, dietitian Miranda Galati, R.D., tells The Messenger. 

“The difference in nutrition is probably minimal,” Galati says. “Starbucks’ cold foam and whipped cream are both made mostly of cream and sugar, though the whipped cream might have slightly more fat. The added chocolate shavings on the Merry Mint White Mocha might add a little extra sugar, calories and fat, but nothing notable since the amount used is so small.” 

Nutritional info for a Grande (16 oz) Iced White Chocolate Mocha: 

Ingredients: Ice, 2% milk, white chocolate mocha sauce, brewed espresso, whipped cream

  • Calories: 420
  • Total Fat: 20 g
  • Saturated Fat: 14 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 55 mg
  • Sodium: 200 mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 49 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0 g
  • Sugars: 48 g
  • Protein: 11 g
  • Caffeine: 150 mg

For reference, current Dietary Guidelines for Americans put daily caloric needs somewhere between 1,800 to 3,000 calories, depending on sex, age and activity level. The FDA’s dietary guidelines recommend no more than 10% of a person’s daily calories come from added sugar, meaning a 2,000-calorie diet shouldn’t include more than 50 grams per day. 


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