Ask a coffee lover their favorite place to catch by, and Starbucks would be the ultimate answer! No doubt, the long list of customizable, mouth-watering drinks and exquisite aromas are cherished throughout the globe.
Yet, at the same time, various happy clients are also curious to know if Starbucks’ most popular, best-known refresher Strawberry Acai Lemonade also has caffeine in it.
The answer to whether Strawberry Acai Lemonade has caffeine is simple: Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Lemonade is made with various ingredients, and caffeine is one of them. The caffeine is added to the beverage in the form of green coffee bean extract powder. The smallest Starbucks cup (Tall) of Strawberry Acai Lemonade has 35 mg of caffeine, while the largest (Trenta) has 90 mg of caffeine. Still, the refreshing drink is prepared with caffeine without making it obvious in the taste that it has caffeine.
Sounds interesting?
The following guide covers more about the Strawberry Acai Lemonade and how much caffeine you can expect in various-sized cups at Starbucks!
What Kind of Drink is Strawberry Acai Lemonade at Starbucks?
The Strawberry Acai Lemonade is one of Starbucks’ most popular refreshers prepared with real fruit juice and freeze-dried fruit pieces.
Though there are various popular Starbucks Refreshers, including Kiwi Starfruit, Mango Dragon Fruit, and Very Berry Hibiscus (currently discontinued), the Strawberry Acai comes on the top.
This fruity beverage is a perfect blend of various sweet and tangy tastes, and the sweet strawberry flavors are skillfully balanced with the refreshing zing of lemonade.
Like other hand-shaken iced drinks at Starbucks, you can customize the Strawberry Acai Lemonade as per your likeness.
You can select from various milk options like heavy cream, coconut, oat milk, almond milk, etc., and choose which flavor syrup would rock your taste buds the most (hazelnut, vanilla, raspberry, etc.)
You can then top up your drink with juice options (extra/light/substitute Apple/Peach juice), fruits (dragonfruit, strawberries, kiwi), toppings, and sweeteners (sweetener packets/liquid sweeteners).
You can also find your perfect lemonade taste in the drink by choosing extra, light, regular, or no lemonade. Lastly, add a splash of your favorite tea (black tea, green tea, passion tango tea) to have your incredibly-tasting Strawberry Acai Lemonade ready!
What Are the Primary Ingredients of Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Lemonade?
The primary ingredients in a Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Lemonade drink are strawberry flavors, acai, passion fruit, and the zing of lemonade. Simply put, you can expect a mix of ice, dried strawberries, and lemonade as the drink’s base.
Lemonade, is prepared by mixing water, lemon juice, lemon oil, and sugar. The drink is filled with hand-shaken ice and topped with various milk, syrup, and sweetener options.
And though there are also a variety of other ingredients, the key behind the irresistible taste of Strawberry Acai Lemonade is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors – something that makes the drink most loved by customers.
The following chart gives a quick insight into all the ingredients in Strawberry Acai Lemonade and their quantity:
| Ingredients | Quantity | Form | Further Addition |
| Water | 3 Cups | – | – |
| White Grape Juice | 2 & 1/2 Cups | Liquid | – |
| Freeze-Dried Strawberry | 3/4 Teaspoon | Powder | – |
| Freeze-Dried Acai | 1/4 Teaspoon | Powder | Can have 1/4 teaspoon freeze-dried acai if needed more |
| Green Coffee Bean Extract | 3/4 Teaspoon | Powder | Can have more depending on personal preference for caffeine intake; should be added as per package directions |
Does Strawberry Acai Lemonade Have Caffeine in it?
The Strawberry Acai Lemonade is made of white grape juice, freeze-dried strawberry, freeze-dried acai, and green coffee bean extract.
The powdered coffee bean extract is where the caffeine comes into play. In fact, all the Starbucks refreshers are lightly caffeinated, including Mango Dragonfruit, Very Berry Hibiscus, Kiwi Starfruit, and also Strawberry Acai Lemonade.
However, you should note that since Starbucks’ drinks are also available in cans, the canned variety will have more sugar and caffeine than the freshly made drink.
The same can go for the Via Packets in which Starbucks’ refreshers come in. Like cans, these are made to last a set shelf life, which is why they may have other preservatives.
Still, a splash of slight coffee will give the drink its perfectly sweet and tarty taste. Also, the drink is so refreshing that it is really hard to tell if any splash of coffee has been used to prepare it.
How Much Caffeine Is in Strawberry Acai Lemonade?
The amount of caffeine in the Strawberry Acai Lemonade varies according to different sized cups available at Starbucks.
You can get your Starbucks drinks in the following cup sizing options:
- Tall: 12 fl oz
- Grande: 16 fl oz
- Venti: 24 fl oz
- Trenta: 30 fl oz
Now, let’s look at how much caffeine intake would be in each sized Strawberry Acai Lemonade cup, as shown in the following table:
| Starbucks’ Drink Cup Size | Caffeine Amount in Strawberry Acai Lemonade |
| Tall (12 fl oz) | 35 mg |
| Grande (16 fl oz) | 45 mg |
| Venti (24 fl oz) | 70 mg |
| Trenta (30 fl oz) | 90 mg |
As stated previously, all the other Starbucks refreshers are also prepared with the same amount of caffeine for each cup size.
How is Caffeine Used in Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Lemonade?
Starbucks has its peculiar way of using coffee as a refreshing drink. The trick involves using powdered coffee to intensify the overall taste without making it evident that any caffeine is added to the beverage.
Starbucks uses high-quality Arabica coffee beans, famous for their exquisite aroma, body, and flavor. First, the beans are roasted to take out the potential of each coffee bean in a unique way.
After roasting comes the powdering process, which is carried out finely and with great care. Good powdering of coffee beans depends on excellent roasting, and Starbucks’ roasters are great.
The best thing is that Starbucks’ refreshers are truly refreshing as you cannot tell if the coffee powder is added or not. And it all comes down to roasting the coffee beans the right way to bring out the perfect aroma and flavor!
Is 35 mg (or 90 mg) of Caffeine Too Much to Consume?
Before knowing whether 35 mg or 90 mg (the smallest and largest sizes Starbucks beverage cup) coffee intake is a lot or not, it is essential to know how much coffee intake should be considered too much.
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, the amount of safe coffee intake is 400 mg regularly. It roughly equals almost two to four cups of coffee a day, which is considered outside the danger zone.
However, you should also note that the limit is 400 mg of caffeine intake per day, and a single dose of 500 mg of caffeine has been reported as deadly.
Furthermore, to stay on the safer side, a 200 mg dose of caffeine per day is recommended by studies as it fulfills the satisfaction and doesn’t cause any harm.
And as for Starbucks, the largest beverage cup for Strawberry Acai Lemonade has 90 mg of caffeine. And as stated earlier, anywhere between 50 to 200 mg of regular caffeine dosage would be harmless depending on how habitual you are taking caffeine.
If you are just starting on caffeine, 90 mg of caffeine (the largest cup size at Starbucks) wouldn’t be healthy for your body.
However, since you can always choose from various Starbucks cup sizes (Tall, Grande, Venti, Trenta), you can balance your daily caffeine intake by selecting a medium-sized cup.
Also, caffeine should always be ingested on an intermittent, on-and-off basis. No matter how much caffeine you take daily, it is safe as long as you are not dependent on it since caffeine can be highly addictive. Teens should be careful while ingesting too much caffeine daily and should balance their dietary routine.
Can You Get Strawberry Acai Lemonade Without Caffeine?
Unfortunately, you cannot get Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Lemonade without the caffeine in it since it is a part of the main recipe. Though the primary ingredients are flavors, fruits, and lemonade, the coffee extract also plays its role in bringing the ideal Strawberry Acai Lemonade.
Also, if you really want to take out the caffeine from the beverage, you can get a substitute drink with almost the same taste as the Strawberry Acai Lemonade. Ask the barista to make you a substitute drink with passion tea; it wouldn’t have caffeine in it, but you can still cherish the incredible taste of Strawberry Acai Lemonade.
Bottom Line
No doubt, the epitome of refreshing drinks has been titled Starbucks, thanks to its long list of customizable mouth-watering drinks and exquisite aromas.
One of the best-known Starbucks drinks is Strawberry Acai Lemonade, Kiwi Starfruit, Mango Dragon Fruit, and Very Berry Hibiscus. But does Strawberry Acai Lemonade have caffeine?
It is important to note that the beverage is prepared with white grape juice, freeze-dried strawberry, freeze-dried acai, and green coffee bean extract.
The beverage includes caffeine in powdered form as the coffee beans are first roasted and then powdered.
The smallest Starbucks cup (Tall) of Strawberry Acai Lemonade includes 35 mg of caffeine, while the largest (Trenta) comes with 90 mg of caffeine.
It should also be noted that cans and packets of Starbucks beverages are expected to have a slightly increased amount of caffeine due to a set shelf life they are supposed to endure.
Furthermore, a typical 50 to 100 mg of regular caffeine is considered safe for teenagers. It is also recommended not to make it a habit to consume too much caffeine daily.
At Starbucks, the Strawberry Acai Lemonade cannot be made without caffeine. Still, you can get the closest tasting beverage prepared with passion fruit tea if you want Strawberry Acai Lemonade without caffeine.