The 10 Best Starbucks Swaps to Cut Calories & Fat

The Vanilla Latte is a staple for any Gold Card holder. But at 200 calories and 35 grams of sugar for a Grande, it can really put a dent in your calorie allowance for the day. What many don't know is that Starbucks adds a default of four pumps of syrup to your flavored latte. But that doesn't mean that you need to keep it at four — you can actually customize your drink by asking the barista to use only one or two pumps instead. That way, you'll cut your calorie and sugar intake, and you won't feel like you've just had dessert for breakfast.

As delicious as Starbucks' Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Breakfast Sandwich can be, it's also packed with more than half the recommended daily value of cholesterol (165 milligrams), 43 percent your daily value of fat (28 grams) and about 38 percent the recommended daily value of sodium (920 milligrams). Instead, opt for the Ham & Cheese Savory Foldover. Bechamel sauce, a French white sauce, keeps this pastry rich without adding too much sodium. It has half the calories, half the sodium and a third of the cholesterol of the Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Breakfast Sandwich.

Read more: 7 Best Breakfast Sandwiches and 8 to Avoid

The Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew consists of Narino 70 Cold Brew and a dash of house-made sweet cream. Unfortunately, that dash of cream comes with approximately 100 calories and 3.5 grams of saturated fat. If you're still looking to bump your plain coffee up, order the Narino 70 Cold Brew with Milk. You'll cut the calories to around 25 and save yourself 2.5 grams of saturated fat. We recommend getting it with coconut milk for a little kick of lactose-free sweetness.

Like the Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Breakfast Sandwich, this version with Gouda and bacon has a whopping 165 milligrams of cholesterol, which is 55 percent of your daily value. It also contains 19 grams of fat and 850 milligrams of sodium. Luckily, Starbucks also has the Reduced-Fat Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Cage-Free Egg White Breakfast Sandwich, which comes with 230 calories, 20 milligrams of cholesterol and 560 milligrams of sodium. In the pork-versus-turkey bacon standoff, opt for the latter to keep your morning light.

Read more: The 20 Best Ways to Use Eggs

Who doesn't want to try Starbucks' new sous vide egg bites? But before you reach for those Bacon & Gruyere tarts, know that they come with 185 milligrams of cholesterol. That's 62 percent of your daily value — more than you'll find in even the Sausage, Cheddar & Egg Breakfast Sandwich. For the perfect protein snack, choose the Egg White & Red Pepper bites. While they come with five grams of saturated fat, they have only 25 milligrams of cholesterol, making them a healthier choice than their meaty counterpart.

A Grande Caramel Frappuccino made with whole milk and topped with whipped cream has 66 grams of sugar. Imagine drinking 16 tablespoons of sugar! Especially keeping in mind that the American Heart Association recommends that men eat no more than 37.5 grams of sugar daily and women eat no more than 25 grams of sugar daily. For a sweet-treat alternative, order the the Iced Caramel Macchiato with only one or two pumps of syrup.

Read more: 10 Desserts That Won't Derail Your Diet

As far as healthy afternoon pick-me-ups go, a Grande Strawberry Acai Refresher isn't the worst you could do. It's infused with green coffee extract to give you a kick of energy, but it's also got 20 grams of sugar that'll bog you down later. For a cleaner drink, get any one of Starbucks' Teavana beverages on ice. For a tangy, sweet flavor like the Acai Refresher, go for the Youthberry or Passion Tango blends.

If you've got a hankering for a turkey sandwich, you might go for the Turkey Pesto Panini. Stuffed with fire-roasted peppers and basil pesto, it sounds like a perfectly healthy option. However, hiding beneath those folds of melted provolone is a startling 1,230 milligrams of sodium. That's about half the salt you're supposed to ingest in an entire day. But don't get discouraged — you can have the Smoked Turkey and Swiss Sandwich bistro box instead. You'll not only save yourself 190 calories, but you'll also cut your sodium intake and get a few apples and carrots to munch on.

Read more: The 5 Worst Chain Restaurant Options and 5 Better-for-You Picks

Starbucks' bakery case is dangerous territory when it comes to healthy eating. The loaves and pound cakes, which all come in at around 400 calories (or more), are particularly deceptive. Rather than going for a slice of Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake, which will fill you with 490 calories, 13 grams of saturated fat (65 percent of your daily value) and 43 grams of sugar, treat yourself to a Chewy Chocolate Cookie. That way, you'll stop at 170 calories and 26 grams of sugar — and still satisfy your chocolate cravings.